The case against OLPC?

[Howard Gibson]

On Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:05:37 -0500
Evan Leibovitch <evan-ieNeDk6JonTYtjvyW6yDsg at public.gmane.org> wrote:

> I usually think John Dvorak is a headline-grabbing crank, but this
> latest column rang true with sentiments that simply won't leave my head.
> 
> Isn't the whole idea of "let's give the developing world little
> computers" a kind of rich-person's feel-good thinking, when so much of
> the world doesn't even have enough to eat?
>
> ...
> 
> What do you think?
> 
> - Evan

Evan,

   I think that a big problem we have is that people get into this mode of operating computers, instead of doing the actual work.  The computer is a tool.  The job is to provide education to children in developing countries.  How do you spend limited resources?   

   Where should money and other resources be spent in a typical third world country?  I suspect that the first step would be to pay for decent teachers.  I would also make sure there were proper classrooms located within walking distance of the children to be educated.  Children can be taught to write with a blackboard, some slates and chalk.  That is how it was done here a hundred and fifty years ago.   

   Providing each child with a computer not only means hundreds of millions if not billions of computers at one or two hundred bucks each.  It means providing electricity to all the schools and homes that have to recharge the batteries, and providing internet access at least to the schools.  That is a lot of infrastructure.

   Are laptops even a good idea.  What is wrong with a desktop in a classroom, where it can be shared.  The computers are cheaper, better protected, harder to lose or drop on the ground, and easier to connect to the internet.  

   According to my Economist Factboot from 2006, Kenya has a GDP per head of $450, and in Bangladesh, it is $350.  A $100 computer is not that cheap.  

-- 
Howard Gibson 
hgibson-MwcKTmeKVNQ at public.gmane.org
howardg-PadmjKOQAFn3fQ9qLvQP4Q at public.gmane.org 
http://home.eol.ca/~hgibson
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