[geeks] "Oh crud, he's posting again about OLPC" ;^)

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: James Fogg <James at jdfogg.com>
>Date: 2007/09/24 Mon AM 11:57:32 CDT
>To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: Re: [geeks] "Oh crud, he's posting again about OLPC" ;^)

>> Sorry, can't help myself - for those interested, the OLPC
>> folks have decided to offer the OLPC to residents of the
>> "first-world" on a buy-two, get-one basis:
>>
>> http://www.xogiving.org/
>>
>> Personally, I just might get one, mainly for me to play with,
>> but ultimately my 4 year old will be needing a new computer
>> soon (her Epia-based barebones system is getting a bit long
>> in the tooth)...
>
>
>Wow! This is an amazing machine. I didn't realize they had such a
>complete product. I thought it was still in the dream stage. I'd like to
>see these in American schools.

I like the machine, but I find it ill-suited for "first-world" use (we would need a MASSIVE OVERHAUL of computer education standards/expectations here in USA before this could be anything more than a distraction to students). Having said that, there is some great technology/software that I quite like.

The first place these should be rolled-out in the USA (for example) would be at Schools of Education so they can attempt to integrate them into school curriculums - someday. Individual notebooks and school district-wide licenses for textbooks *might* be cheaper, but will only give students the excuse "the OLPC ate my homework".

Lionel