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

[Rick Tomaschuk]

On Thu, 2006-11-30 at 16:58 -0500, William O'Higgins Witteman wrote:
> 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'm not anti $100 er $150....er $250....??? $350 laptop for developing
countries. Education is important especially to stop disease, promote
healthy lifestyles. It seems to me to be a strange debate. We're going
to give 21st century technology to countries still in the 19th century??

> 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.

I like gizmos too.

> 
> 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.

When Hungary was invaded by the Russians the invasion was on short wave
radio. The communications essentially changed 'nothing'.
RickT
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