PCs for the Poor....
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Category: News And Views
Forum Name: Thoughts and Opinions
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URL: http://www.tippmannsports.com/forum/wwf77a/forum_posts.asp?TID=150387
Printed Date: 14 January 2026 at 8:31am
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Topic: PCs for the Poor....
Posted By: .Ryan
Subject: PCs for the Poor....
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 8:09pm
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http://news.com.com/PCs+for+the+poor+Which+design+will+win/2100-1003_3-6040019.html - Link
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!  -------------  |
Replies:
Posted By: blackdog144
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 8:16pm
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i heard about this about 4 months ago...pretty dumb...
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Posted By: Styro Folme
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 8:19pm
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people are running out of things to donate. and i thought donating organs was weird.... ------------- X |
Posted By: Monkey Dust
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 8:23pm
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In our school we donated tooth paste.
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Posted By: Wildgoat
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 8:25pm
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Only useful if they get free internet service. No phone, No cable or Centrino. Why do I have a computer? ------------- 
Hitler of the 21st century!!! |
Posted By: ShortyBP
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 9:38pm
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Wildgoat wrote:Posted By: Jack Carver
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 9:53pm
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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. |
Posted By: DBibeau855
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 11:24pm
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The comps are running on linux.
Neat. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/DBibeau855/?chartstyle=myspacecolors"> 
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Posted By: Benjichang
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 11:31pm
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Posted By: Hairball!!!
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 11:33pm
Those computers can be a HUGE educational tool. Think about all the textbooks we use, and how they can all be on that laptop. To their education, those could be worth their weight in gold. |
Posted By: DBibeau855
Date Posted: 16 February 2006 at 11:36pm
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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. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/DBibeau855/?chartstyle=myspacecolors">
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Posted By: blackdog144
Date Posted: 17 February 2006 at 1:22am
ya but theyve lived thus far without computers just fine...we here in the US, canada, UK do take stuff for granted, which is how it always will be...the people in those 3rd world countries have done good so far, except for well...alot of poor countries like sudan and all that...which i dont think need them... ------------- http://imageshack.us">
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Posted By: .Ryan
Date Posted: 17 February 2006 at 11:19am
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.... ------------- |
Posted By: RedLion56
Date Posted: 17 February 2006 at 11:37am
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Well put DBibeau855
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