Weird Posted August 29, 2006 Report Share Posted August 29, 2006 Not sure if this was posted before, search isn't working for me right now. http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/ptech/08/17/100.dollar.laptops.ap/index.html AP) -- The ambitious project to provide low-cost laptop computers to poor children around the world is about to take a small step forward. More than 500 children in Thailand are expected to receive the machines in October and November for quality testing and debugging. The One Laptop Per Child program, which began at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab and now is a separate nonprofit organization, hopes to deploy 5 million to 7 million machines in Thailand, Nigeria, Brazil and Argentina in 2007. Thailand's government is expected to buy 1 million in the first year. But Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced in a nationwide radio broadcast that "if this project is completed" it would reach all Thai elementary students. He said each student would get a free computer "instead of books, because books will be found and can be read on computers." The creator of the laptop program, Nicholas Negroponte, has set a goal of making the laptops for about $100 each, though he expects the initial figure to be slightly higher and the long-term cost slightly lower. The machines will use the free Linux operating system, include flash memory instead of a hard drive and run on electricity created by a hand or foot pump. China and Egypt have also expressed interest, but at least one country initially expected to take part, India, has decided not to be in the first round. Walter Bender, a Media Lab founder who serves as One Laptop Per Child's president of software and content, said the organization still is talking with Indian officials and non-governmental agencies. "While India will not be part of the year-one launch, with 25 percent of the world's children, it is within our mission to work with India down the road," Bender said in an e-mail this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 was posted in technology, ,as before why does everychld need a inadiquate PC when it would be cheaper to give every child ACCESS to a good PC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asiafun Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Because thats 10 times more parents voting for toxin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 INteresting article in the post pointing out the order from the Government is 514 units, NOT 1 million, but thats not stopping the $100 lap top people claiming 1 million order. DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 I know there are still plenty of schools that struggle just to provide pencils and paper. I'm sure there are plenty of better ways to spend $100m but not sure how they would transpire into votes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 The main point is the Thai Government ISN'T committing to anything, it is all retoric from the $100 MIT people. DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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