One Laptop per Child



"It's an education project, not a laptop project."
— Nicholas Negroponte

Computers (or Laptops) are essential part of our lives today.We use it for numerous purpose-information,education and entertainment.But the high cost of computers in the developing countries make it difficult for children to get access to them. And hence the One Laptop per Child concept.

Wikipedia says:
"Why do children in developing nations need laptops? Laptops are both a window and a tool: a window into the world and a tool with which to think. They are a wonderful way for all children to learn learning through independent interaction and exploration.A noble from learning how the software, internet and communications benefits of computing can improve their economies, job prospects and lives, a conundrum commonly referred to as the digital divide"

A few months ago Scott McNealy from SUN was here at Queen's and was talking about this. I read this article today where it mentioned that Quanta has received orders for one million laptops today. This is great news.I feel that the costs would come down if there are more orders for these laptops as mass production (economies of scale) would lower the cost.The laptop is about $130 now and is expected to come down to $100 in the future.

The key stake holders in this project are MIT Media Laboratory,AMD, and Linux software developer Red Hat.The governments that have committed to buy laptops for their schoolchildren include Argentina, Brazil, Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Thailand and Uruguay.