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Cuba puts first computers on sale
By Jose Vilches, TechSpot.com
Published: May 5, 2008, 9:00 AM EST





Cuba puts first computers on sale Another despised restriction on daily life in Cuba has ended, with the government recently lifting the ban on personal computer sales. While Cubans have been able to get underground PCs for a while now, this is the first time they are legally available – albeit at a price few on the communist island can afford being their average salary less than $20 per month.

There’s only one model available and from a cost-benefit point of view it’d seem like a rip-off to most people in the developed world, but it’s a start nonetheless. For just under $800, buyers will get a Celeron processor, 80GB hard drive, 512MB of RAM, Windows XP, CRT monitor, and a DVD drive. The machines will be sold in government-run electronic stores and will primarily be used for limited gaming and things like word processing and schoolwork. Internet access, though, is sadly still restricted in Cuba.

8 user comments so far.

 

[ There are 8 additional user comments, Post a Comment | Send to a friend ]

Posted by phantasm66 on May 5, 2008 at 9:14 AM
Isn't socialism so cool???


NOT.


Posted by windmill007 on May 5, 2008 at 10:42 AM
What no vista. Well I guess you would need more than those machines to run that.
[Edited by windmill007 on 2008-05-05 10:48:31]

Posted by phantasm66 on May 5, 2008 at 10:49 AM
quote:
For just under $800, buyers will get a Celeron processor, 80GB hard drive, 512MB of RAM, Windows XP, CRT monitor, and a DVD drive.


Give me a shout if you fancy a quick game of Quake I then.;)

Posted by captain828 on May 5, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Originally posted by phantasm66:
For just under $800, buyers will get a Celeron processor, 80GB hard drive, 512MB of RAM, Windows XP, CRT monitor, and a DVD drive.

Give me a shout if you fancy a quick game of Quake I then.;)
I think Q3 Arena also works

Posted by Rick on May 5, 2008 at 3:03 PM
Originally posted by phantasm66:
quote:
Isn't socialism so cool???

NOT.


Communism is not socialism, but a form of... perhaps an extreme, conservative one. In the real world, the brand of Communism that is executed is often much closer to totalitarianism than socialism... because by nature, people are corrupt. For communism to work as intended, it requires benevolent leaders and people, which simply don't exist.

Socialism CAN be cool. Obviously, there's no perfect answer, but an extreme, 100% capitalistic society would be almost as bad as a 100% socialistic one. If these two ideologies are all we have to choose from, then I think a mix of these two makes the most ideal government... As many successful governments have done.

From what I've, read, observed and understand, capitalism provides the framework for freedom (in moderation) and socialism provides the underpinnings of fairness (in moderation). Either of these can actually have the opposite effects if taken the extreme.

Posted by phantasm66 on May 5, 2008 at 3:25 PM
That's all fine and well Rick, and back years ago before I got back into computing and studied political science at Uni I tried to have as balanced a viewpoint as you have just posted above. But then I put the books down, got out into the real world, watched the news and made my own mind up about things and basically made quite a few opinions, one of which was that communist / heavy duty socialist countries are all unhappy and corrupt. Just look around the world and see that.

Posted by fullmetalvegan on May 6, 2008 at 12:23 AM
Yeah... but that's what he just said. The reason they're all unhappy and corrupt is because it's not being done right.

"it requires benevolent leaders and people, which simply don't exist."

Posted by phantasm66 on May 6, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Its not in people's nature to be benevolent. Its in people's nature to be greedy, selfish, and to f**k each other over.

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