How to Empower Two Billion Children?

.........., then you need the programs to run on this computer, and to get connected, not to mention the power, or is this going to be a hand crank, which isn't a bad idea for any kid........but, where is the substance here?

I would rather see laptops for our children first. I think computers are too advanced for under-developed countries. In my way of thinking, it's like giving someone a filet mignon who hasn't even had a hamburger. Another thing; how long do you think the kids would have their laptops? They would either be sold for food, an xbox 360 or cell phone or taken away by adults to sell.

Laptops have very low nutritional value...

But there are some populations that can benefit from this program. It seems, however, the do-gooders would rather target the more visibly deprived populations than those that could most benefit...

Marketing gimmics to sell more laptop.

First ensure food for every children. It needs somebody to work. Nobody wants to do that.

OLPC is a good idea..but is it relevant in third world countries where there is less auomation not only in industries but admisnistratively also. U cant log on n find the information about which bills u have to pay as there is no such computer network.but i must say that this will help some students who will be curious...creative..the laptop if connected to the computers of beter schools..universities and labs will enhance the creativity n hunger to reach a point of success and may later on become leaders their country and implement all the ideas they have for the betterment of people.

Hello,

One Laptop per Child is very good concept.

But it need to be supported by internet connectivity, power and proper guidance for what to use it for.

If all the laptop is used for watching video, playing games then the basic purpose will not be achieved

Madhav Chowdhary

SWEE Technologies

(Pune) India

How to Empower Two Billion Children?
Give them decent drinking water, sanitation and education.
Then use old discarded laptops to build housing.
Del

I have to agree with Del, While laptops can be a good thing I bought my first used computer when I was in my 40's. Until then I was learning and reading. You do not have to get very far away and you will find no electricity, bad drinking water a scarity of good food...on and on. Children need their basic needs met first and a computer just isnt able to do that. Cell phones can be a good thing but in many poor areas of the world many people are lacking the basics but still have cell phones probably just because they are a status symbol. I could give instances to back this up but will not right. One reason is I just do not like to even think about it.

Rusty

Put 2 billion of these on their lap. Top that!

Okay, I'll speak up for the good side of this project.

Yes we did lots of learning and reading without laptops. But, if there is internet connectivity, then every laptop is access to a huge library that these children would never have otherwise.

From that perspective, the 'per classroom' goal makes sense. Because finding the library does require a guide (o internet of everyjunk).

On the down side, without guidance, a laptop and internet would be a real danger to children who don't have enough to eat. People are using the internet to exploit children, and these poor hungry and uneducated children would really be most vulnerable to those predators.

A laptop is just a tool, not a magic wand or silver bullet. And it is only value is determined by the user, not to ,emtion the support it wilol require such as, programs, infrastructure to support it like internetm printers, paper,

Who pays for that? or is that part of the deal?

Hasn't first-world civilizations done enough 'involving' into third world countries?? I mean, don't get me wrong, I am alllllllll for humanitarian aid (water, food, infrastructure, disaster recovery), but who said our way of life is best? Who ever said that those African villages actually want to have an American lifestyle? Let them live the way they see best in the eyes of the people within their own culture.

Good, give each one a laptop ... but hungry children will not really put laptops to good use. While you at it, why not chuck a big screen TV into the deal?

Cities are full of children that wants a better live than what the country can give them. According to me, most are worse off in the cities. Technology is not going to help here...I think!

How about a picture of a laptop, and we can also throw in a picture of a 7 course meal, and a picture of a pitcher of fresh drinking water.

It probably will do the same.

Thosethat think hand cranks are possible. Imagine having to get up and carry water to allow the family to cook and for drinking, if fortunant you have a village if like most you walk downhill to the river and carry the load of water uphill. Then you go to school with maybe something to eat. While at school you are asked to crank something that might work depending on the crank generator and batteries if possible but not likely and ......... People I have been to these schools. They have homemade soccer balls made from wadded up plastic bags and a net of string. Come on get real! Laptops in places off the grid and no internet service. Hey kids, lets crank this laptop so we can view some govt. stuff. Sorry no internet and possibly never but once you are grown you can travel by moped to the nearest internet cafe in 8 or 10 years.

Does OLPC mean MBFBG? M=mega B=bucks F=for B=Bill G=Gates

Unlikely, since this poject originated outside the MS sphere of influence, and, in fact, the computers being provided (such as in Uruguay) actually run a Linux operating system...

Paternalistic help is extremely destructive.

The best help to underdeveloped countries is incentive to entrepreneurship and education oriented to entrepreneurship, and after that, as a result of prosperity, the computers will arrive home or yes or yes.

See the case of Haiti, even before the Earthquake. The "help" received by Haitians during the last 20 years or so, has destroyed almost 100% of any entrepreneur spirit; up to the point where almost all Haitians think that life consist in waiting patiently in a large queue for the daily meal.

Popular industry, popular commerce, low taxes, a small state, freedom of enterprise at all magnitude levels, departing from the bottom level, and avoiding at once both classes of economic concentration, State Concentration and Private Concentration, because both kinds of economic concentration are equally devastating, and have proved to be the basis of all kinds of dictatorships.

Computers should arrive home naturally, as a result of a natural prosperity.

Jaime Soto Figueroa

http://www.matharts.cl

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