100$ laptops

[vinodks]

Hi,
Wait it's not thanksgiving deal!

We have been talking about inprovement of education quality in rural areas and we also touched on bridging the digital gap with rural communities....

An very interesting news from MIT about plans of producing 100$ laptops for NGOs... please read following 3 pieces and give your thoughts...

http://laptop.media.mit.edu/

http://www.deeshaa.org/2005/11/05/formula-for-milking-the-digital-divide/

http://www.techcentralstation.com/112905A.html

-Vinod

[gsvijay1]

Check this link

How AMD made Rs 10,000 PC possible

http://in.rediff.com/money/2005/nov/30spec.htm

[vinodks]

MIT media lab laptop project is not just another deal where anybody can buy... These laptops are meant to be distributed to poor countires to bridge the digital gap between have and have-nots... There is controversy about distribution of millions of laptops, they want to do it through govt. and its really hard to make sure that deserving people get laptops... I wouldn't vote for top-tp-bottom approach of distribution... anyway check the links... its interesting...

Whose hands would you want them to end up in? An economist concerned about efficiency would want the laptops to end up in the hands of those who value them most. We judge that by their willingness to pay, and the reason free markets work so well is that they get goods and services to those who are willing to pay the most. Note that those who are willing to pay the most aren't always, and aren't even typically, the wealthiest: even poor people regularly outbid rich people for food, clothing, and shelter, which is why poor people survive. A dollar can be spent only once by the person who owns it, even if the owner is named Warren Buffett. But having the government hand the laptops out for free short-circuits this market process.


-vinod

[anujkadyan]

Hey Vinod,
Thanks for posting the link.s They sure are a great eye opener on how the various tactics by business houses which might seem really altruist are actually the most dangerous one for the good of the poor people.

At first thought I was of the impression Bingo!! here we have 100$ laptop which will coem for free for the kids in rural areas and they iwll benifit a lot out of this.

But on a second thought and after reading these posts I am more or less convinced that its not such a great idea at all. First of all 2008 100$ laptop might not be required at all when we already have PCs of 10,000 rupees already available in 2005. DOnt you think by 2008 we can bring the cost down to 4.5k ? I believe our Govt would be better of spending that money on more research in IISc to come up with a more enriched version of simputer and pass that on to the children in rural areas to bridge the digital divide instead of spending million to get these laptops from MIT.

Another point of main importance is that Govt would use the tax payers money to buy this laptop from MIT, in the process MIT makes money. Govt employees who are not so clean would get fat benifits for buying this. They would get their share, Also left to the Govt I am not so sure if it will reach the people who deserve this. It will percolate through our corrupt distribution system and in the end only a very small part of it would reach the grass root level.

I am sure there are many more loopholes here and the way they plan to distribute it will be a real disaster.

Regards,
Anuj kadyan