One Laptop Per Child

[Riskbreaker]

I saw this story on neogaf and decided it would be good to spread. This program is about providing a cheap, engergy efficient laptops to children in underdeveloped countries.

The laptops are amazing pieces of technology and are described very well in this article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/technology/circuits/04pogue.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087&em&en=3dc2ce6b6d434d21&ex=1191729600

In an effort to raise money and provide more laptops to children, they are selling the laptops to industrialized countries for two weeks in Nov. When you buy one another one is sent to child in another country.

what do you guys think about this computer?

[softtack]

This One Laptop Per Child (commonly abbreviated as OLPC) has been in the works for a long time. Not to sound cocky or anything but I'm surprised you haven't heard about it...

Anyway, it seems like a good idea, but the price of the system keeps going up. It started at $100 but now I think it's around the $180 mark, which is a big deal if you're a developing nation and you want to buy someone of these. The price hikes have effectively halved what those countries have set aside for these.

[soldier one]

The only thing i dont get is this. Laptops are cool and any kid could use them, but why is that we are doing all this to get them going in those countries? I mean American kids and UK kids etc could benefit from theese a ton. There are many things you could do to lock down the computer so its purely for learning and such.

Im not being selfish so dont get me wrong, but the "undeveloped" countries jump right to getting laptops? I mean Desktops could be built cheap faster and easier....We could get them school books, school stuff, and all this other stuff that would most likely be more useful to them.

Not to be mean or anything but when i heard "One laptop per child" i was happy that our schools were moving into a better way of learning, then they turn around and make it for third world countries that cant afford them.

Im not bashing the idea or anything, im glad we are trying to help them, but i think laptops and them dont match just yet. I think countries that are somewhat excelling in school if anything should get them first to try them out, so places like HongKong or Japan. They can afford a higher price so maybe you could get it going, make some profit off it and use that to start sending them to third countries for cheap prices.
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They actuelly had groups come into arizona high schools and see if kids here would actuelly benefit from the idea too....


Anyway, it seems like a good idea, but the price of the system keeps going up. It started at $100 but now I think it's around the $180 mark, which is a big deal if you're a developing nation and you want to buy someone of these. The price hikes have effectively halved what those countries have set aside for these.

I was reading that too, and its like theese guys just want to make profit now which is wrong. Your basicly donating theese things to the countries, you should be doing everything it takes to make them as cheap as possible.

I have my own laptop so dont get any of my comments wrong, like saying i want them here so my house has one.

[Riskbreaker]

This One Laptop Per Child (commonly abbreviated as OLPC) has been in the works for a long time. Not to sound cocky or anything but I'm surprised you haven't heard about it...

Anyway, it seems like a good idea, but the price of the system keeps going up. It started at $100 but now I think it's around the $180 mark, which is a big deal if you're a developing nation and you want to buy someone of these. The price hikes have effectively halved what those countries have set aside for these.

i had heard about the program before but this was the first time i heard about them selling them to the public.

the laptop doesnt seem too complicated it just include learning things and some games. the most important thing though is that is give these children access to information that may change their lives.

OLPC should make these available to developed nations also. many kids in the US, UK, or wherever could use these for school work. if they caught on, sales from the developed countries could help to reduce the cost to make them cheaper for the poorer nations.

[softtack]

Well, it was announced today that the OLPC is now priced at $200, in lots of 10,000. Way to help developing countries...

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN299128720071029?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews

[Riskbreaker]

i agree with that article on how continually raising the price makes them look bad. to get production costs down they should have marketed these to schools in the US first. <br />
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i also wonder, if...

[soldier one]

MS wouldnt charge for it. 1 They would make it seem like some major &quot;donation&quot; yatta yatta so they look good. Then 2 having that on them is like free adverisment to get microsoft stuff.

[softtack]

I've heard Microsoft has rejected some of these types of proposals in the past, just because they know it won't work without turning into some big corporate deal. Even though most people consider Microsoft a big evil corporation, they do a surprising amount of charitable work, especially around where I live because we're part of their "community".

The reason Negroponte is using a Linux-based OS in an attempt to show people that open platforms are good and will be the way of the future. Not calling it a success yet though...

[soldier one]

I've heard Microsoft has rejected some of these types of proposals in the past, just because they know it won't work without turning into some big corporate deal. Even though most people consider Microsoft a big evil corporation, they do a surprising amount of charitable work, especially around where I live because we're part of their "community".

I would agree with MS actuelly when this comes up. First its "O we are 'donating' all theese laptops" etc...Then the next thing you know IBM or some other computer companies are doing it too. Before you know it this whole thing becomes a marketing project before our eyes. You then have Dell and all theese other companies jumping on board and selling their laptops too. The problem that comes up is they are trying to make it cheap and they will turn out to be trash and cause more harm then good.

Then its no longer "we are doing to help theese kids" and becomes "Hmm i can make tons of money doing this" Thats how the 100 dollar laptop is become the 500 dollar laptop. I dont think the price will stop rising until like 500 or 600.