Category Archives: Just Rambling

Vermont development firm gets thumbs up from Microsoft.

Just Rambling

This is from the site of one of the largest software consulting shops in Vermont, Competitive Computing, aka “C2”. I believe they may also be the only Gold Partner in Vermont (but I could be wrong).

C2 wins Microsoft partner award!
Microsoft has awarded Competitive Computing with its “Microsoft New England Quarterly Area Partner Award” for exceptional performance. Carolyn Edwards, President and CEO of Competitive Computing, received the award at a special luncheon at Microsoft’s New England Executive Briefing Center on October 20, 2005.



Don’t Forget: www.acehaid.org

E-Commerce (well, lack of) in South Africa

Just Rambling

Here’s a market for someone to figure out how to capture. While I was in South Africa, I was talking with Microsoft S.A.’s Lillian Serobatse about buying clothes on the internet, trying them on at home and shipping the rejects back. This works well when you live in the boonies and retailers like Patagonia have their big annual sales online! Lillian was surprised. “You bought clothes on the internet?” I was surprised (at her question). “Don’t you?” I asked.

Lillian explained to me that e-commerce has not really taken off in South Africa. One of the reasons, she tells me, is that like many South Africans, she LOVES to shop. The shopping trip itself is a good part of the fun – as it is for many here in the U.S. I personally hate shopping. I only go when I have to find something very specific. I don’t like wandering around from store to store just looking at stuff and maybe buying something I didn’t really need.

I imagine that purchasing stuff from outside of S.A. is cost prohibitive – think of the shipping! So it would be South African retailers that would benefit from this more than anyone. Perhaps a retailer in Jo’burg that does not want to open a storefront in Capetown or Durban (or visa-versa).



Don’t Forget: www.acehaid.org

HP tries to show that the information age can help poverty stricken areas

Just Rambling

I cannot find a link to show you where in South Africa this particular village, but HP is working with the government to bring technology into villages like Dipichi as another attack against poverty. This is not about teaching people how to use word processing programs, but how to find information. Here is a reuters article on the project and their hopes.

Skeptics asked what use a computer was when people were hungry, dying of AIDS and too poor to send their kids to school?

But as multinationals start to invest in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent, they are touting technology as a panacea for development.



Don’t Forget: www.acehaid.org