Difference between revisions of "The High Price of Computer Systems"

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Still related to poverty, the current price of a computer system is still beyond reach of many people in the world. With many people still struggling to fulfill their basic life needs, getting a computer could never be their priorities or even dreams. In other words, a computer is still a luxury to many people.
Although prices of computer systems are falling, the price is still high, especially for people in developing countries. The price of a computer system will depend on prices of hardware and software.


A basic working computer system is already expensive in hardware components. Added with the high cost of mainstream operating systems and other commercial software used widely, they create a huge barrier for people to get access to computers for themselves and/or their children.
A basic working computer system is already expensive in hardware components. Added with the high cost of mainstream operating systems and other commercial software used widely, they create a huge barrier for people to get access to computers for themselves and/or their children.
Learning from this condition, the project aims to break the barrier by creating an ultra-low-cost system.
To start with, they think of creative ways to bring the cost of the laptop down. An example of this is to use a cheaper version of display (with a portable DVD player display) and using the open source software including a Linux operating system and all other open source applications.


==Enablers==
==Enablers==
The monopoly and domination of Microsoft
The monopoly of software providers (e.g. Microsoft being pre-installed on most PCs)


High price of components, mainly monitors
High price / low availablility of components


Intellectual property / patents
Intellectual property / patents
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Low trade barriers and taxes
Low trade barriers and taxes


==Paradigm==
Competition between hardware manufacturers
*Open source concept has sprung up in reaction towards Microsoft’s domination and monopoly. These days many aspects of computing software will have an open-source version available for free on the Internet. Although some have surpassed the performance of commercial products, most of these open-source systems are normally not as reliable as their commercial counterparts.
 
==Paradigms==
The price of computer systems is definitely going down. Especially if we take into account that computer speed is doubling approximately every 18 months ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law/ Moore's law]), the customer gets more value for money, even when prices remain constant.
 
The computer becomes more affordable for many people (for instance more than 90% of Dutch households owns a PC (source [http://www.cbs.nl/ CBS). In addition, a laptop has been developed which costs 100 dollars, which is aimed at school children in developing countries.  
 
Open source software will enlarge competition and reduce the dominance of Microsoft. Also federal regulations (for instance EU) will put pressure on Microsoft.
 
==Experts==
 
Hardware manufacturers


Software manufacturers


==Expert==
Anti-trust experts
*Richard Stallman, GNU Project pioneer


Richard Stallman, GNU Project pioneer
==Timing==
2005: EU states Microsoft is a monopoly, and forces new regulation.


==Web Resource==
==Web Resource==
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_software Open source software]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_software Open source software]


[http://capitalactive.wordpress.com/2008/08/17/computer-entry-trends-in-computer-pricing/ Trends in computer prices]
[http://www.microsoft.com Microsoft]
[http://www.gnu.org GNU Project]


[[http://www.microsoft.com Microsoft]]
[http://www.unix.org Unix]
[[http://www.gnu.org GNU Project]]
[[http://www.unix.org Unix]]

Latest revision as of 11:11, 21 September 2009

Back to Economic Driving Forces

Description

This page is being edited by Piotr Ptasinski

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Although prices of computer systems are falling, the price is still high, especially for people in developing countries. The price of a computer system will depend on prices of hardware and software.

A basic working computer system is already expensive in hardware components. Added with the high cost of mainstream operating systems and other commercial software used widely, they create a huge barrier for people to get access to computers for themselves and/or their children.

Enablers

The monopoly of software providers (e.g. Microsoft being pre-installed on most PCs)

High price / low availablility of components

Intellectual property / patents

Inhibitor

Open source sotfware

Advanced technology / miniutarization

Declining prices of components

Move of production to low-costs countries

Low trade barriers and taxes

Competition between hardware manufacturers

Paradigms

The price of computer systems is definitely going down. Especially if we take into account that computer speed is doubling approximately every 18 months (Moore's law), the customer gets more value for money, even when prices remain constant.

The computer becomes more affordable for many people (for instance more than 90% of Dutch households owns a PC (source [http://www.cbs.nl/ CBS). In addition, a laptop has been developed which costs 100 dollars, which is aimed at school children in developing countries.

Open source software will enlarge competition and reduce the dominance of Microsoft. Also federal regulations (for instance EU) will put pressure on Microsoft.

Experts

Hardware manufacturers

Software manufacturers

Anti-trust experts

Richard Stallman, GNU Project pioneer

Timing

2005: EU states Microsoft is a monopoly, and forces new regulation.

Web Resource

Open source software

Trends in computer prices

Microsoft

GNU Project

Unix

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