| The One Laptop Per Child Program |
[Nov. 27th, 2007|11:26 am] |
I've done it! I've just ordered a really cool, electric-green, alternately-powered, network-finding, colloboratively-programmed, weather-resistent little laptop for myself, AND another one will be sent to the developing world at my expense. Not a bad little bit of holiday shopping, if I may say so myself.
I think that relying on the free market in the first world to pay for initial distribution in the third world can help get the price down if this is properly publicised. They need to have a big campaign for this Christmas. (Is Bono helping out with this? He should.)
I was in the airport two weeks ago and from across a gate lobby, I saw that CNN was doing a piece on these. Even though I'd never seen a picture of them before and couldn't even hear the sound on the TV, I could tell what they were talking about. I was like, "Oh, they are bright green? That's so cool. I REALLY want one now!" I pointed to the TV and told the couple behind me about the program. They were equally excited about it--that for a reasonable price for us, they could be helping kids in the third world in such a direct and useful way.
The software is reportedly completely innovative. Assuming that the collaborative features and network discovery/creation capability are working as described in the press, who needs a Microsoft operating sytem to run on it? I won't want one on mine. ("...recently, the firm announced that it was working on a version of Windows XP that would run on the pared down machines"...ugh.)
In case you haven't heard of the program:
One Laptop Per Child Twofer Program Extended -- today's news from FOX, which reminded me to order one
One Laptop Per Child topic index from CNN
One Laptop Per Child News both pro and con, from a variety of sources
See some pictures of it from Flickr
Then, go check out their site and order two yourself!
Laptop Giving
"The future is here, it's just not equally distributed." - William Gibson |
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