[geeks] $100 One Laptop Per Child - grist for the mill

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

On Sat, Nov 18, 2006 at 07:12:48PM -0500, Phil Stracchino wrote:
> Yeah.  $100 laptops, let alone satellite MP3 servers, are putting the
> cart so far before the horse that the horse can't even see the cart.
> The server's no use without the laptops, and for the price of the server
> and those laptops they could have treadmill-powered generators, water
> pumps, UV water sterilization systems to eliminate parasites and
> bacteria from their drinking water....

What about places that already have those things? Why do you assume
that one needs to provide many $100 laptops to a village? One would be
far better than none.

The $100 laptop project does not need to be in competition with any other
project. For example, if you could get Michael Dell to fund a production
run, he's far more likely to do that than buy them a water pump.

BTW, all of those things need support and all of the NGOs that provide
it are stretched to the limit. They don't have a waiting list of people
to be trained and go out and help. Quite the opposite, they have a lack
of manpower. 

Give the volunteers a $100 laptop and they can learn as they help.

Give the village "techie" one and he can learn what he needs to do
to maintain the infrastructure, crops, etc reducing the need for 
outsiders.

BTW, high tech devices like a U.V, sterilization system may be far more
than what is needed. A gallon jug of clorox and an eye-dropper will 
sterilize the drinking water of a small village for a week. 

Combination chlorine-iodine tables are a lot more expensive, but easier
to transport, store and use. 

Geoff.



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