PCs for the Poor....

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     Ok, so this is sort of interesting. There are three very stupid things that stand out at me though: One, why the hell would the poorest people in the world need or want a computer? They are struggling with drinking water, food, shelter, and not being killed by the warlord next door, why is this a concern? Second, even if they do want/need a computer, 100 bucks is still like a freakin fortune for them, and most of them cost more than that. I know it would make things a lot easier for those who want to donate them to the poor people but that brings me to my third point, the only way these people are going to get these things is if they are donated, dropping the comps from 700 bucks to 100 bucks would be like a drop in the bucket for any real effort to supply poor people with computers, not to mention the money, even at the 100 dollar level could be much much better spent! This project, while interesting, seems just too freakin pointless. They don't need comps, these comps are still too expensive, the money used for them could be better spent, and the fact is if the people of the world really wanted to give the poor laptops they could pay for real ones and set up wifi accross africa while still having plenty left to feed and water them. That wont happen, even though it could, because people, especially the one's with the means to do this, are greedy. And speaking of greed this almost has an undertone of an attempt to turn the third would into another big group of consumers to me. But that may just be my senicism leaking....oh well, refills are easy now days and a little more widespread contamination might be good for this world....



Good job human race, way to be!

people are running out of things to donate.  and i thought donating organs was weird....

Only useful if they get free internet service. No phone, No cable or Centrino. Why do I have a computer?

1. It's basically used as a communication device. The example they use was so people could get up-to-date grain prices, and not be ripped off by some middle man.

2. The comptuers are donated for free, so it costs them nothing.

But I definatley see where you're coming from... I don't think these people need computers as much as they need education and resources.

We'll see how it turns out.

blackdog144 wrote: i heard about this about 4 months ago...pretty dumb...

How is it dumb? There are people in this world that have never even seen a computer, let alone even dream of being able to purchase one.  It may not be the greatest computer, but the people that receive them will appreciate them greatly. We really take what we have for granted in the U.S. and Canada. A good percentage of the world can't waste time on internet forums because they're too busy trying to survive.

Yeah but, its like running before walking. Get them drinkable water, a stable powersource, a decent standard of living.

Whats going to happen, is they are going to get on the internet, and its just going to be a source of revenue, these people are going to be paying internet bills when they live in a shack with a dirt floor.

Think on it a minute. Does Jon Doe need a computer when his power cuts in and out, he cant walk down the street without his AK-74, and if he crosses town, he has to pay the local millitia protection money?

Simple answer, no.

Business need them to compete in the global market, but what i see here is a cheap product made available to people that dont need it.

Possibly exploiting the poor.

What are these people going to do? Shop on E-Bay?

Business people need them, the average joe doesnt need them as much.

As far as education is concerned, this is the best use of these computers, education and business, these two will create a culture that will prosper in the world economy. Look at India. Their biggest export is internet tech support. And in about 10 years, they will top pixar in the computer animation department.

Edited by DBibeau855 - 16 February 2006 at 11:37pm

DBibeau855 wrote: Yeah but, its like running before walking. Get them drinkable water, a stable powersource, a decent standard of living. Whats going to happen, is they are going to get on the internet, and its just going to be a source of revenue, these people are going to be paying internet bills when they live in a shack with a dirt floor. Think on it a minute. Does Jon Doe need a computer when his power cuts in and out, he cant walk down the street without his AK-74, and if he crosses town, he has to pay the local millitia protection money? Simple answer, no. Business need them to compete in the global market, but what i see here is a cheap product made available to people that dont need it. Possibly exploiting the poor. What are these people going to do? Shop on E-Bay? Business people need them, the average joe doesnt need them as much. As far as education is concerned, this is the best use of these computers, education and business, these two will create a culture that will prosper in the world economy. Look at India. Their biggest export is internet tech support. And in about 10 years, they will top pixar in the computer animation department.

Very well said, exactly what I was trying to get at. Giving these people laptops is like putting a leather interior in a car with no wheels.....It would be kinda nice if they released them to the public though, I could just imagine what people could do with them....