I read about Negroponte’s program to get laptops in the hands of kids around the world, which I think is a terrific idea, and I got confused. In his package deal, sponsors pay for two laptops, one they get and one that’s sent “away.”
I’m confused about two things. One, the laptops cost something like $100, but the two-laptop deal is $399. I’m reasonably competent at addition, and there’s a real gap there. Presumably some funds are necessary for shipping and handling for the give-away laptop, but $200 seems rather excessive. Second, how many of these laptops are destined for kids here in this country? After all if they are for disadvantaged kids, we’ve got quite a few within our national boundaries, and they should not be overlooked.
Still, I’m tempted to participate. This deal kicks in 12 November.
How ’bout you?
26 September 2007 at 8:01 am
mouse's moom says:
This made me think of a few years ago when one of our middle schools outfitted all of its students (or maybe it was just the 6th grade) with laptops. Great idea in theory, I suppose, but I guess it was bedlam for a friend of mine who worked as the technology goddess at the school (not sure of her actual title). I have this vision in my head of laptops sailing around the cafetorium.
Dunno if I would participate. Knock on wood, we don’t need any more laptops around here. I suppose I could donate the “free” one…
26 September 2007 at 9:17 am
Pooh says:
There was an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch which said that although the original price point was $100, it had gone up to $199, due to …um… either manufacturing difficulties or not enough initial orders… (I’m having brain freeze here).
I’ve thought about ordering one — mostly for the “give one” aspect, not the “get one”, although the ratio of laptops/computers to people is lower here than at certain “Tower of Power” sites I could name.
That’s a good idea about donating to needy kids here in U.S! Regarding MS laptops, MRH has a very strict policy on laptop behavior, and locks them up each night and releases them each morning. Don’t know if the kids can occasionally take them home or not for project work, and I never go down to the cafeteria if I can help it, but in the class they are “generally” treated with respect. Which is not to say that the kids don’t misuse the technology w/in the laptops! Spending more time getting your music set up than on the assignment, playing games, downloading pictures of hot cars, etc…