An intriguing item in today's NY Times (I saw it online): a story about the One Laptop Per Child project, a spin-off (more or less) from the MIT Media Lab. The project aims to put a simple, durable computer in the hands of every child in the world; especially children in the third world. The XO Computer now costs around $200 to manufacture, but, with mass production, is eventually expected to cost only about $100 to make. The machine doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a full-featured laptop, but it's small, light, durable, wireless-enabled, open-source, hackable, energy-efficient, and cute as a button. I'll bet it would be terrific to carry on the bus if you wanted to do some work but didn't want to lug an expensive, full-featured (and full-weight!) laptop along. It's been an occasional topic of conversation at the science fiction book club I go to, and with friends. None of us has ever seen one; it hasn't been available to the public-yet.
The New York Times article describes a program in which you can pay for one computer for a child, and get one shipped to you by Christmas. I think it's cool, and I might get one. I'm posting this in case somebody here wants one, too. The program will be available in November: here's a link: http://www.xogiving.org/ You can go to the link now if you want to donate a computer, or some computers, to some deserving children. --Constance Warner ************************************************************************ * ==> QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in <== * ==> the body of an email & send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <== * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************************************************ * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header "X-No-Archive: yes" will not be archived ************************************************************************
