Third-World Laptop
Nov. 30th, 2006 06:53 amI thought I'd post a link to this article in the Times because it's interesting and because so many of you have been involved with the project, or know someone who is. There are also pictures of prototypes.
I still have questions about whether a computer will realy improve the quality of life of children around the world. But I think these questions mostly stem from the limited applications of computers as I experience in my daily life. There's no question that computers impact almost every aspect of my life, but at the same time I almost feel that I could live without them.
However, when I think about computers as a virtual library for places that don't have them, my opinion starts to shift. There's more on the web than gossip, games, and porn. Potentially, information access is a tool that allows someone to self-educate, and to communicate in a broader forum. Also, modern life in first world countries requires "computer literacy." A young person in who doesn't have them has significantly limited opportunities in certain contexts.
Which makes me wonder why the focus is on giving computers to kids in third world countries when there are plenty of kids in the U.S. who could really benefit from this technology. Since I've had a lot of family members who've either grown up in rural poverty, or have taught in Reservation schools, I keep thinking how cool it would be to get this kind of technology to kids in remote locations, particularly out West where net access and regular power sources can be sketchy or unavailable.
As![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
vyrin pointed out, it's really cool technology and the other applications for it are endless, regardless of the success or viability of this particular project.
I still have questions about whether a computer will realy improve the quality of life of children around the world. But I think these questions mostly stem from the limited applications of computers as I experience in my daily life. There's no question that computers impact almost every aspect of my life, but at the same time I almost feel that I could live without them.
However, when I think about computers as a virtual library for places that don't have them, my opinion starts to shift. There's more on the web than gossip, games, and porn. Potentially, information access is a tool that allows someone to self-educate, and to communicate in a broader forum. Also, modern life in first world countries requires "computer literacy." A young person in who doesn't have them has significantly limited opportunities in certain contexts.
Which makes me wonder why the focus is on giving computers to kids in third world countries when there are plenty of kids in the U.S. who could really benefit from this technology. Since I've had a lot of family members who've either grown up in rural poverty, or have taught in Reservation schools, I keep thinking how cool it would be to get this kind of technology to kids in remote locations, particularly out West where net access and regular power sources can be sketchy or unavailable.
As
vyrin pointed out, it's really cool technology and the other applications for it are endless, regardless of the success or viability of this particular project.
