computer science

Ndiyo

Ndiyo is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Ndiyo rather than just read about it. In short: Ndiyo was a non-profit organisation based out of Cambridge, United Kingdom, which aimed to promote networked computing that is "simple, affordable, open." Ndiyo, pronounced nn-dee-yo, is the Swahili word for "yes". The company developed an ultra-thin client called the nivo (network in, video out) based on Ubuntu Linux and other open-source software, for use especially in developing countries.

Key takeaways

Ndiyo belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Ndiyo to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Ndiyo from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Ndiyo was a non-profit organisation based out of Cambridge, United Kingdom, which aimed to promote networked computing that is "simple, affordable, open." Ndiyo, pronounced nn-dee-yo, is the Swahili word for "yes". The company developed an ultra-thin client called the nivo (network in, video out) based on Ubuntu Linux and other open-source software, for use especially in developing countries. The data sent to the clients over the network was pixel data, using a similar approach to Virtual Network Computing (VNC). The project worked on the basis of multiple workstations running from a single PC. Quentin Stafford-Fraser, founder of the organisation, told The Economist "We can make computing more affordable by sharing it". The system allows a basic PC running linux to be shared by many users. The Ndiyo Nivo was similar in concept to Sun Microsystems' Sun Ray virtual display thin client, but at sub-$100 and using only 2W, it was lower-cost and used much less power, making it more suitable for these kinds of situations. In addition to its use by organisations within the United Kingdom, Ndiyo-based systems were deployed in internet cafes in Bangladesh and South Africa, and in Tanzanian Schools. The Nivo technology went on to become the basis of DisplayLink, a company founded by members of the team.

References

External links Ndiyo! The Ndiyo system and the nivo Video of a 2006 Ndiyo deployment in Bangladesh Video of a 2006 Ndiyo deployment in South Africa

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ndiyo

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ndiyo claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ndiyo before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ndiyo ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ndiyo

In research: Ndiyo appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ndiyo in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ndiyo is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer network stubs, Organisations based in Cambridge, Swahili words and phrases, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ndiyo outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Ndiyo in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Ndiyo means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Ndiyo out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ndiyo in simple terms?

Why does Ndiyo matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ndiyo?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ndiyo.