Shuttleworth takes on Microsoft

2006-09-11 11:20

Johannesburg - South African magnate Mark Shuttleworth has already conquered space. Now he's set his sights on cyberspace where he hopes to challenge Microsoft.

Shuttleworth made his fortune by selling an internet company he started in his Cape Town garage. He then spent $20m on becoming the world's second space tourist in 2002.

Now, he is taking on Microsoft by pioneering free computer software that he hopes will revolutionise the way computers are used, and make the internet accessible to millions in Africa and other emerging markets.

"Ultimately open source is the platform of the future," Shuttleworth said. "It's one of those enormous waves that is taking over everything - like the internet."

Shuttleworth's "Ubuntu" family of software programs is based on the Linux open source operating system, which works on the principle that software is free and can be modified at no cost by anyone to suit local and specific needs.

Ubuntu is meant to be simpler to use than other Linux systems.

PC World magazine last year named Ubuntu as the 26th best product of the year - ranking it above Apple's iTunes media player which was in 34th spot.

Governments in Brazil, China, Spain, India and Malaysia are already using Linux-based systems and Shuttleworth argues free software could slash the cost of getting computers into schools, community centres and homes in Africa.

It could also cut the price of technology for small businesses in the world's poorest continent, where only a fraction of people are computer-literate.

Microsoft fights back

Open source would work particularly well in Africa because countries are starting virtually from scratch in terms of technology and users are not already trained in proprietary versions like Microsoft Windows.

"Because open source is free, we can share knowledge much faster," Shuttleworth said.

But Microsoft is fighting back in Africa.

The computer giant is funding IT centres in 284 of South Africa's municipalities in a project it says will reach half a million of the country's poor.

Chief Executive Steve Ballmer has dismissed arguments that expensive proprietary software can impede the rollout of computer access to poorer communities, arguing it is about "open choice not just open source".

South Africa says it "firmly supports" open source software, but, delighted with Microsoft's pledges for IT centres and computers in schools, has stopped short of rejecting proprietary software altogether.

Microsoft upped the ante earlier this year when it launched a Zulu version of its main operating system Windows XP and said Afrikaans and Setswana versions would follow.

Then local managing director Gordon Frazer said the move was not aimed at heading off open source rivals, but conceded local language versions would curry favour with the government.

"We do recognise that in South Africa where there are 11 official languages, if we want to work with the state we need to work with these languages," he said.

Critics say the fractured nature of the open source community makes it hard for users to seek help while vendors of proprietary software are obliged to help solve problems.

Ubuntu says it provides comprehensive support services - in fact that is how it makes money - and argues that one of the big advantages of open source for Africa is that programmes can be translated for free into local languages.

Nhlanhla Mabaso, manager of the Open Source Centre at the government-sponsored Meraka technology institute, says open source is about using Africa's scant resources wisely, and about systems designed for Africans by Africans.

- Reuters