Comments on: Taking the PC out of The OLPC http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/ Australian Libertarian Society Blog Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:45:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: One Laptop per Child in Africa « fortySouth http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57820 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:44:49 +0000 http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57820 [...] “Thoughts on Freedom” blog writes from Australia that the program is flawed, as it does not take into account long-term maintenance costs and more pressing needs in rural [...]

]]> By: Mike Pechar http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57812 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:42:13 +0000 http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57812 So, can someone tell me — exactly — how much does one of the supposedly indestructible laptops cost? I’ve seen prices between $100 and $399.

Everything I’ve read seems to obfuscate the true cost.

Also, if the program is designed to hand over a piece of property worth $100 or more to a remote family which lives on less than that amount for a whole year, it would be logical to assume the family would immediately trade the laptop for cash.

]]> By: Todd http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57510 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:35:05 +0000 http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57510 Ideally what I’d like is a way to make an investment in a developing country, and not necessarily expect to get a financial return, but to expect a social return on investment, to know that if I supported an organization, or wanted to help people, that the money was used in a balanced way. I think many organizations do that, but there are so many out there, I don’t really know which ones — but I should learn more. Still, it would be nice if there was an easier way to have a balanced way to support organizations that work in the areas of health and education.

So the best thing I can think of is the idea of being able to buy a share in something like a mutual fund, but where the money goes to non-profits – like a mutual fund that supported some health, some educational causes — whatever the citizens of a given area and others rated as having the most impact. So I’m trying to think of ideas at http://npoex.blogspot.com — and I’m trying to think of a color coded approach, with red (health), green (education, environment0, and blue (water, community): http://tinyurl.com/greenorg – I invite you to take a look, and also to see green.org and to share any thoughts you might have.

ADMIN: Well, if you’re interested check out http://www.humancapitalproject.wordpress.com

]]> By: TerjeP (say tay-a) http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57498 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 11:27:54 +0000 http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57498 Yes but soon enough they will only be able to read older PDF formats.

]]> By: Shem Bennett http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57486 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:48:02 +0000 http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57486 Strawman, I was talking about the XO laptops that have been designed with the needs of remote communities in mind. Not Toshibas that barely work in an office environment- let alone outside.

Terje- one of the biggest problems with computers is that they are built to have stuff added. Look at consoles. Wii and Playstations never see a blue screen of death (let’s just ignore Xbox). If these XOs are built with a prepacked suite of programs and only the option of adding PDF documents to them I can imagine they’d be stable enough.

Yes technology has its drawbacks. But personally I believe we should embrace it where it shows merit. As long as embracing technology doesn’t involve more government I am all for it.

]]> By: TerjeP (say tay-a) http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57429 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:35:20 +0000 http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57429 Shem – I make a living in IT. Please don’t knock books, they have a lot going for them.

]]> By: Strawman http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57427 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:11:53 +0000 http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57427 >> The laptops are built to last and built to work, even in
>> remote communities.

Really? I invite you to
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/04/2437735.htm
which reads:

>> Federal Telecommunications Minister Stephen Conroy says
>> the program has failed, with 50 per cent of the
>> computers not working any more because of a lack of IT
>> back-up support in communities.

Heh.

1. What do you think the temperature in a tin shed is?

2. What do you think the temperature of a notebook in direct sunlight will get up to?

3. What do you think the temperature tolerance of one of your ‘built-to-last’ notebooks is?

Heh.

]]> By: Aarrrrghhh! Hawkie! http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57421 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:25:57 +0000 http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57421 Yeah I reckon it’s beaut mate. Beaut! When I said that by 1990 no child’d live in poverty what I meant was no child would live in poverty and not even have a laptop to play Warcraft on. Kevvie’s great mate.

And think if you’ve got a laptop you can trade it in for some petrol to sniff. Stimulates the economy and keeps the little shits quite.

]]> By: Shem Bennett http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57414 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:16:34 +0000 http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57414 From what I know of the program I’m supportive of it.

Would you rather government spend $120 on schoolbooks or $100 on a laptop over the course of a child’s education?

The laptops are built to last and built to work, even in remote communities. They are built capable of reading PDF documents so a single laptop will be able to hold all of a child’s schoolbooks. They will also be able to communicate with each other and provide access to other applications and the internet. They are cheaper, more durable and more easily updated with new material than schoolbooks.

You can argue the merits of government spending on education. But assuming governments are going to spend money on education the laptops are a better way to spend it than schoolbooks.

I think a freer education market would end up seeing these laptops being used in poorer schools simply because they are a better investment than books. But rather than have the government pick winners schools should be able to choose how to spend their own money. I’m sure the schools choosing laptops over schoolbooks would have their choice rewarded.

]]> By: Strawman http://blog.libertarian.org.au/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57410 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:31:09 +0000 http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/taking-the-pc-out-of-the-olpc/#comment-57410 >> Why do you assume they are illiterate?
>> THe program delivers laptops to children who are already
>> in school. Go and have a look for yourself. The program
>> is already running successfully.

Ahh, so it’s the One Laptop Per LITERATE Child project now ..

[All children are equal but some are more equal than others].

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