OLPC myths

Myths

Separated by "False" and "Falsehood" (inaccuracies) misunderstandings, and other responses where appropriate.

• The laptop does not have internal storage such as a hard drive. False: The laptop has 500MB of internal Flash memory similar to the inexpensive thumb drives sold at many computer stores. Operating systems can be installed and/or files can be saved on this memory. The laptop also has USB ports for external hard drives; so internal Flash storage can be used for the OS and some file storage, and common external USB drives can take up the slack if needed.

• You're expecting this to be a magic bullet for poverty. False: Not at all. It is simply a tool for education and communication and only helps, in part, in contributing to the entirety of aid programs where these laptops are distributed.

• The laptop isn't powerful enough to run modern 3D games and other resource heavy programs such as video editing software. Falsehood: That's not the purpose of this laptop. It is designed to be an inexpensive way for people of limited means to use a computer for such things as internet and simple educational software.

• An old Pentium laptop can do the same thing. False: The point of this laptop is to keep people connected with the modern computer net based society. Using a laptop that may be on its way to obsolescence from a second hand store, or building new expensive Pentium laptops for this purpose isn't feasable. You have to design something specifically to answer all the requirements of the $100 laptop... If we could make a reliable $2 laptop that is modern and can do everything required of it in our program, we would absolutely make such a device.

• You're forcing this on poverty stricken areas that need food, water and housing rather than a laptop. Falsehood: Not at all. Like it was said earlier, this is only a tool and should not be seen as more than that. We agree that other more urgent matters must be attended to before you insert high tech into the situation of poverty. But we believe education and communication with the modern world to be important as well. Food, water, clothing and other necessities come first. Nevertheless, a world view and good education can do wonders for a child's mind and continued health.

• This isn't a laptop. This is a gadget. Falsehood: What does this mean? To call it a "gadget" implies that this is nothing more than a toy or an insignificant object of interest. Can a commercially available PDA do better? Highly unlikely. Can a cell phone do better? Why waste a cell phone that may not have the needed features in an effort to avoid designing something to really solve these problems? This is not to say that others can't come up with better ideas; we encourage it. In the strictest utilitarian sense our hope is that this technology we call a laptop can do much more than mere gadgetry. And we're confident it can.

• You can't use a laptop in a place that might not have power. False: If the laptop comes with a method of inexpensive self contained rechargable power, such as wind-up power that lasts a good long time, this is not true.

• It's a Green Machine. Maybe, maybe not: Unless you are talking about the paint scheme... not enough is publicly known about how recyclable it is. For a machine built by the millions for poor countries with international visibility (e.g. UN) I think this IS an issue.

• If others are coming up with their own ideas then there must be something inherently wrong with your idea. Falsehood: Not so. Like mentioned earlier, if other groups and businesses come up with their own ideas then we encourage it. That doesn't automatically put a value judgement on competing ideas. Some ideas or projects may have strengths and weaknesses that others do not. We can only learn from each other to better each other's ideas and we hope we will in the spirit of goodwill towards those who need it. But what we hope this does not turn into is petty rivalry and cutthroat politics in business that is not conducive to a cause we happen to champion.

• This laptop will do more harm than good. How so?: If it's simply a tool as water purifying machines are tools, how will it harm the people it's intended to help?