Give 1, Get 1.

I've blogged about XO laptops a month ago. This is Negroponte's project to boost education in the poorest countries.

You might have heard of "zero-cost computing" and "$100 laptops". This is _that_ project.

Now, and for only 2 weeks, Canadians and Americans are able to give one laptop... as well as getting one laptop for themselves. $400 total (well, add $35 for shipping, as I've found out), or $200 per laptop.

A bit at a higher price for a "zero-cost computing", but a $200 laptop, by *our* standards... this is still nothing. Elsewhere, this is _a lot_.

So what a $200 laptop buys?

On the Internet, I've found this review from the New York Times. Do play the video, it's literally an eye-opener!

The laptop is running Linux, and making use of open-source software. It is WiFi-enabled (both in traditional "infrastructure" and "peer-to-peer"), it comes with a web browser. It has also an integrated webcam, there are also drawing programs, games, etc.

The laptop has no moving parts. No hard disks nor a DVD drive. It runs entirely on a 1Gig Flash memory.

The keyboard is waterproof (on the video, water is poured on the laptop!), you can drop the laptop on rocks, let it tumbled in the sand... do things wouldn't even think to do with a laptop... and the XO laptop will continue to work.

Oh, it draws only a meager 2 watts of power. It can run continuously... for 26 hours. Wouldn't you dream of having such a laptop? :)

As an IT guy, I can think of many usages of such equipments beside education. Such as in emergency situation, which power is almost always an issue, and the environment maybe quite hostile to a laptop.

If you have tried to keep a laptop running strictly on its batteries, you know that time will run out very soon.

I was watching the video, I can say that the design is sound. No moving part, a waterproof membrane keyboard, a hard shell, being extremely lightweight (2 pounds!) and being small. It's also extremely low power and using batteries that will last 2000 charges (instead of the usual 500-700 charges), so those laptops have a reasonable chance to last long... despite the rather hostile environment.

The video shows some of the programs that are bundled with the XO laptops. I like that.

The choice of some hardwares, like a webcam may raise eyebrows. On the other hand, and this is the photographer speaking, there's nothing more rewarding for a child to take pictures, -by himself-... of himself and of his friends!

Even more rewarding to share those photos (over that Wi-Fi connection) to friends.

Also, a keyboard is intimidating. As a visual person, a webcam makes sense. Keep it visual!

So I believe in educational values of a webcam.

With a few colleagues at the workplace, we went to the "Give 1 Get 1" website , and we all shelled $400 (actually $435, factoring the shipping costs to Québec).

I expect to get my XO laptop by Christmas... and to get news about the other XO laptop my money will help to buy and to be given to a child.

When the XO laptop arrives at my doorstep, I will report in this blog. :)

While I'm skeptical that western-style solutions to education needs can be exported to Africa... This is an experiment that is still worth supporting.

As an IT person, there's a professional interest in these little computers.

There's also a personal interest. Mhhh... make it plural, actually.

True, I'm always supportive of NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations). But there's a more important reason. The very reason why I study computer programming some 20 years ago.

Computers can do many things. It's how we program them that make the difference. I believe that computers can *help* humans in many ways...

Such as education.

Cheers,

-E