For $150, Third-World Laptop Stirs a Big Debate

William O'Higgins Witteman william.ohiggins-H217xnMUJC0sA/PxXw9srA at public.gmane.org
Thu Nov 30 21:58:30 UTC 2006


On Thu, Nov 30, 2006 at 04:12:28PM -0500, Rick Tomaschuk wrote:
>North America has so many 'obsolete' computers it seems a waste to send
>them to China, etc. to be broken down for scrap when they could be used
>in developing countries. $150 laptop??? How about an obsolete PIII for
>$25.00 running Linux and a $10.00 obsolete monitor. Where is the $150
>laptop now. Its a joke. Why does anyone need it???? I have a significant

Part of the issue is that $35 bundle requires 100+ watts of clean power
of a type not necessarily distributed in the target countries, or indeed
distributed at all.  The OLPC uses 2 watts of power that can be
generated locally in many different ways.

As to who needs it, I think that it's not your call - government-level
bureaucrats make that call, and many don't see the devices as
"pedagogically sound", and so they are not participating.  If you are
going to get into a froth about every government or organization that
does something you disagree with, you're going to get tired pretty fast.

I think the device is neat, and interesting, and I want one for myself.
I like the idea of being on a shared platform with millions more people
and using a communications device to - wonder of wonders - increase
communication.

As a byproduct, I hope that it helps protect at-risk populations from
being silenced because no one can hear them scream.  It is a lot harder
to ethnically cleanse a population when they are in constant
communication with the international community.  The wireless mesh
networks can route around telco roadblocks very effectively.
-- 

yours,

William

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