Update April 15th: Read an interview with the project founder Jason Hudson by Marshall Kirkpatrick. Jason Hudson is the Technical Product Manager for the Shuttleworth Foundation and founder of the Freedom Toaster project.
Also note a reference in the interview to the Go-Open Source Portal. It has many resources, plus an actual phone line for support and comments.
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This is sooooooo cool! Move over, $100 laptop! And how did I miss this? Blogs started last year. According to the founder, "The Freedom Toaster is a free vending machine/kiosk that dispenses open source software burned to CD or DVD in locations throughout South Africa."
Information is posted at these locations among others:
http://www.gokis.net/self-service/archives/001203.html
http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/180
http://www.start.com.my/blog/freedom-toaster/
The main site is:
http://www.freedomtoaster.org/
Here's what it says:
"The Freedom Toaster project was started in 2004 by the Shuttleworth Foundation as a way to overcome these problems.
Freedom Toasters are conveniently located, self-contained, computer-based, 'Bring 'n Burn' facilities. Like vending machines, preloaded to dispense confectionery, Freedom Toasters are preloaded to dispense free digital products (e.g. Linux Operating Systems and the OpenOffice.org office suite Toaster Software)."
Here's where they are currently located.
- Bloemfontein
- Durban
- Cape Town
- Diepkloof
- East London
- Grahamstown
- Johannesburg
- Knysna
- Namibia
- Pietermaritzburg
- Port Elizabeth
- Port Shepstone
- Potchefstroom
- Pretoria
- Stellenbosch
For instance, the East London one is at:
Walter Sisulu University
Walter Sisulu University (Chiselhusrt Campus)
19 Manchester Road
Chiselhurst
East London
5214
Want one near you? Click here.
Now THIS is crossing the digital divide.
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