Although Cubans have been able to get underground PCs for a while now, the Cuban government only recently
lifted the official ban on them, and the first publicly-available machines just went on sale Friday. The state-approved QTECH PCs are only available at one store, where crowds formed to gawk at some pretty clunky tech -- the $780 towers feature Celeron processors, 512MB of RAM, Windows XP, and come with a CRT display. Not only that, but most Cubans won't even be allowed to have Internet access as only "trusted officials" and state journalists are allowed home net access. That's a pretty weak state of affairs, but it's not necessarily as dire as it seems: now that computers are legally available, some Cubans expect black market prices on up-to-date gear to come down. The managed economy in action -- anyone know if Cubans have unofficial ways of getting online as well?
[Via
CNET]
posted May 3rd 2008 4:49PM
i was born in Cuba. Both my parents were born in Cuba and the three of us moved to the US in 1980 without a dime in our pockets. We did this because we wanted to express ourselves in ways that the Cuban government did not and still does not tolerate. I'm 28 years old now and work at Alienware - I'm a lowby there, but, the people who founded Alienware are Cuban and started the business from a garage with a $10k loan. This proves that Cubans (like many oppressed citizens of the world) find a way to challenge their environments to achieve whatever success they may aspire to.
I love the US and I love Cuba (I visited several years ago via a charter plane to visit my grandparents - one is still alive). I'm an American citizen and defend the American way daily.
I say capitalism is not perfect, however, up to date, there has been no other form of government that provides for its people the degree of opportunity and freedom like it. So it's our jobs to steer this country and its economy in the right direction.
I'm glad computers are becoming more easily available in Cuba. This will enable more and more people to be educated and enjoy technology - a priviledge everyone in the world should have access to.
My three cents.
P.S. it actually is said "estoy en Cuba" (means "I'm in Cuba") from the post above. :D
2 things 1. logistically how do they run legal copy of software that need to be updated and/or activated like windows if they can't connect to the internet and they can't do business with Microsoft?
2. The embargo is f-cking dumb. Its been like 60 years let it go its done you loose. Seriously since Kennedy, 9 Presidents, and a castro is still el Heffe and still running this pretty good given everything. They have some of the best doctors and eduction is the world better than the US some argue with or without computers. We continue this sh-t to make what point now? We are ok with Russia who started the mess and friends with China and Vietnam both communist but this country of they are terrible lets fight them, give me a break I call BS
Eddy I think I might know you...LOL
Anyways, there are more people with internet in Cuba then a lot of you might think.
Answer to Dallas: Yes, they can run legal copies of windows.
You Infidel! lol.
Any computer is better than no computers!
its a computer to use paint spider and solitary ...
They have internet access at the hotels and often the employees are on msn behind the front desk etc... At least at the places I've been to..
To the Internet in Cuba:
Me and a buddy once helped set up a system by which a ship would float around the island with a WiFi Router amped up and a satellite dish for connection. I don't know how that turned out, but I imagine it'd of been ok till bandwidth was overloaded, and the patrol boats launched...
Other than that, home satellite connections and such are very popular, and there are rumors I've heard about some of those "trusted officials" putting in WiFi routers and letting people mooch off their connections for free.
So it can happen, just not very well.
And seriously, $780 computers that are that dated? I can build whats seen there for less than $400.
I, for one, am a very wisdom business man, and I would love to be doing the business with your computers and mobile phones, even audio systems as well. However, in order to be doing the business with your company, I would need to be seeing a sample of the IT items are producing. Please be contacting me as soon as possible (asap) about doing the business. Thanking you very much, B.
Windows... They sneak their shite in everywhere. I just know thats a hard blow for the hardliners in govt to accept. GNU/LINUX ftw. Hasta el root siempre.