[Air-l] One Laptop Per Child

[Jeremy Hunsinger]

On Jun 6, 2006, at 6:49 PM, Ellis Godard wrote:

> Christian Fuchs wrote:
>> If
>> the $100 laptop is widely diffused in the Third World,
>> Western actors selling these computers will derive profits,
>> and a global divide in technological progress and standards
>> will emerge that separates advanced Western technology users
>> from users of less-advanced technologies in the Third World.
>
> How does diffusing technology across a divide which already exists,  
> enhance
> rather than diminish it? How does giving them computers inhibit their
> "technological progress", or have any deliterious effect on their
> technological standards?

One reason this happens is due to the fact.. while the production  
plan is pretty clear.  there are no, and i mean this very clearly, no  
plans to educate people on how to use this system.  i'm sure that  
eventually someone will come up with something.  but... if you are  
going to design a whole new computer for low-income countries...  
wouldn't you start with a diffusion and education plan?  I would.

I've written about this on my blog a while back.  My theory is that  
the majority of these will be destroyed or repurposed in a few  
years.  I look at th ecase and see that it can keep rain off my head,  
or used as a shovel,or otherwise used effectively to improve a  
persons life.

Jeremy Hunsinger
Center for Digital Discourse and Culture
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