One laptop project loses partner

[Barman]

This has been bugging me for some time but is in the news again today because Intel has pulled out of the project…

Intel has pulled out of a project to put cheap laptops in the hands of children in the developing world.

Citing "philosophical" differences, Intel has withdrawn its funding and technical help from the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project.

Source

This is the scheme to manufacture cheap ($100) laptops and give them to children in developing countries like Haiti, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Mongolia, and Afghanistan.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for educating these children and perhaps, just perhaps the sorry state of these countries will improve because of it.

But the thing that really annoys me is that every time I sit down in front of the telly that bastard advert comes on and tells me that seventeen children will die in the next three minutes because of the simple issue of lack of clean water to drink.

Now, call me old fashioned, but I can’t help but think those children would prefer to have a belly full of food and some fresh water than be able to browse the Evian website (http://www.evian.com/) on a wind-up laptop…

Moreover, if you are starving and desperate for clean water aren’t you more likely to flog the bastard laptop to buy some food or steal them if the local school has them?

Something is desperately wrong with the ‘logic’ behind his programme…

[Darwins Selection]

Agreed. Totally potty idea.

Not unlike missionaries who bring bibles and make them sit, read and pray instead of growing food.

Buying a Water pump, purifier or solar still would be a much better place for the development or marketing costs for a cheap laptop.

[Barman]

Agreed. Totally potty idea.

Not unlike missionaries who bring bibles and make them sit, read and pray instead of growing food.

Buying a Water pump, purifier or solar still would be a much better place for the development or marketing costs for a cheap laptop.

[Snoopy]

Agreed. Totally potty idea.

Not unlike missionaries who bring bibles and make them sit, read and pray instead of growing food.

Buying a Water pump, purifier or solar still would be a much better place for the development or marketing costs for a cheap laptop.

Not that sort of still BM 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_still

[Barman]

Agreed. Totally potty idea.

Not unlike missionaries who bring bibles and make them sit, read and pray instead of growing food.

Buying a Water pump, purifier or solar still would be a much better place for the development or marketing costs for a cheap laptop.

Not that sort of still BM 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_still

Noooo… I was shocked at the seriousness of his reply… 

[Uncle Mort]

It's bugged me as well. I'm a great believer that education is the key to bettering ones life but as you say the priority is clean drinking water and a full stomach.

[Snoopy]

Agreed. Totally potty idea.

Not unlike missionaries who bring bibles and make them sit, read and pray instead of growing food.

Buying a Water pump, purifier or solar still would be a much better place for the development or marketing costs for a cheap laptop.

Not that sort of still BM 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_still

Noooo… I was shocked at the seriousness of his reply… 

DS with a serious post?  Like Wenchy's jokes ~ few and far between but worth the wait. 

[Darwins Selection]

Agreed. Totally potty idea.

Not unlike missionaries who bring bibles and make them sit, read and pray instead of growing food.

Buying a Water pump, purifier or solar still would be a much better place for the development or marketing costs for a cheap laptop.

Not that sort of still BM 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_still

Noooo… I was shocked at the seriousness of his reply… 

DS with a serious post?  Like Wenchy's jokes ~ few and far between but worth the wait. 

Have a bonio.
I can do serious, but it is rarely worth the effort. I also respect the grave sanctity of "the Commons".

[Barman]

Agreed. Totally potty idea.

Not unlike missionaries who bring bibles and make them sit, read and pray instead of growing food.

Buying a Water pump, purifier or solar still would be a much better place for the development or marketing costs for a cheap laptop.

Not that sort of still BM 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_still

Noooo… I was shocked at the seriousness of his reply… 

DS with a serious post?  Like Wenchy's jokes ~ few and far between but worth the wait. 

Have a bonio.
I can do serious, but it is rarely worth the effort. I also respect the grave sanctity of "the Commons".

[Bar Wench]

The whole thing has pissed me off. For the reasons above but also because it isn't philisophical differences that have caused intel to pull out. It's because they have their own sodding laptop they are marketing!