(*)why government should adopt OLPC in Nepal! why not, government should adopt OLPC in Nepal? Maybe some else will elaborate...
and your Q. > 1. OLPC has never been tested how can we be sure that it will last 5 years? warranty! Remember many computer hardware have warranty for 1 - 3 years. Some electronics, even as long as 25 years. Moreover, Pilot projects are being done at several places to test its effectiveness and hardware reliability. Thousands of test laptop are distributed to PROFESSIONALS and EXPERTS. Multiple review means rare chance of any malfunction to slip by. Take an example, even the manufactures recommend to replace your computer hard disk every 5 years to ensure maximum data security. But the mean time between your hard disk failure when tested in lab environment is found to be 25-80 years! Back to our point, When OLPC said 5 years, then they mean at lest 5 years. And hardware manufactures will rigorously test their hardware in extreme of situations to find its limit and publish the minimum time for least their hardware should work in normal condition. > 2. Government spends 40 to 50 US $ in a year per student in Nepal. Does this > include the cost for teacher, books and uniform for the children. (someone else will answer this one ;) as its related to education... > 3. Won't there be any extra cost apart from 150$ while deploying laptops to > the kids? Firstly, they expect the cost will fall down to 100$ in months to come. But yes like any property, there will be some maintenance cost except the cost price if the product in a long run. The beauty of this project is, OLPC hardware has been designed to work on robust of conditions like surviving a 2 meters fall, water proof when closed, no moving components inside laptop that would need mantinance, excellent battery etc. To sum up, the hardware has been designed to be "dumb proof" to a impressive degree. But like any electronics it will have its limitations but hardware are so designed to be one of a kind that would require no or very minor maintenance... which can also be done easily even when it needs one. > 4. After buying laptops will the kids be really free from buying books and > note books? > 5. If yes what will the kids do when they are out of primary schools, how > would they know how to write on notebooks? Laptop will serve as a strong supplement in not just reading and writing but in learning as a whole except books in curriculam. Though, the laptop ahas wonderful features that could replace completely replace pen, paper or books (yes its that good) Students will definitely learn to write and read in paper. Development is a process, change is a process.... NOT a product so it will take some time for wide acceptance till people will start thinking maybe laptop can completely replace paper. The laptop will be staked up with books in electronics format that can be upgraded any day without significant time or delay. The laptop has a touch pad where you can even write pencil/pen smooth stick or finger and the laptop will format your writing as it would be in actual copy. Soon it could be equip with text to speech software to do the same. (and everything localized) The possibility is endless. > 6. Will there be an another 100 $ laptops for the kids which government will > have to buy for them, when they are out of primary school. This Q. touches policy aspect & moral aspect...and will be in discussion during deployment phase. Most likely.... the children will be allowed to take home the laptop they own. After all, it has been their window for education. Consider the emotional impact if i take away your favorite and beloved possession that you thought its yours all your childhood. Same thing with XO. > 7. How will we get money for computer maintenance, network infrastructure? > XO has mesh networking capability to communicate with each other. So some sort of network infrastructure is already available in XO even to act as WAN with very few or no extra hardware. If you talk about connecting all laptops to internet... you must already know there has been serious talk on lifting tax for VSAT. A company (sorry forgot the name, but its listed somewhere in wiki of laptop.org) has announced free bandwidth to OLPC project via VSAT. But, again inevitably we'll need some sort of network infrastructure to support this project. thanks, -bipin --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ FOSS Nepal mailing list [email protected] http://groups.google.com/group/foss-nepal Community website: http://www.fossnepal.org/ -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
