The case against OLPC?

[James Knott]

Howard Gibson wrote:
>  
>
>    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.
>   

Those OLPC computers also come with manual chargers, with pull strings,
so they're not dependent on external sources of electricity. There's
also a solar panel available for charging.

>    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.  
>   

Now you will need power. One point about the OLPC computer, is that it
can be used to take audio & video messages home from the teacher to
illiterate parents. Also, as has been demonstrated here and elsewhere,
having a large number of students share one or a few computers simply
doesn't work.

>    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.  
>
>   


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