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Image about the World Summit in Tunisia, showing Nicholas Negroponte and Kofi Annan when presenting the laptop

Hello, I am writing an article in the german Wikipedia on the "100-Dollar-Laptop" aka "Children's Machine" (link: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/100-Dollar-Laptop). I would like to add an image showing Nicholas Negroponte and Kofi Annan in Tunisia on the World Summit. Unfortunately on flickr there is no photo, which is compatible zu the gnu-licence. Only Creative Commons 2.5. with the right of commercial use and of course the gnu-licence are allowed to be uploaded in Wikipedia.

Do you have such a picture in your portfolio? Can you upload this picture with compatible licence on Wikipedia?

In my opinion such a picture would have positive impact on OLPC's image. If you google for "Children's Machine" the german Wikipedia-article has the best page rank. You can contact me on the german Wikipedia, search word "Betbuster".

Thanks, Wikipedia user: Betbuster 134.2.57.213 09:20, 19 December 2006 (EST)

School Gateways

I've looked around the site for a while and cannot find much about gateways at the schools. Can somebody tell me about the connectivity to the internet for the whole mesh network through gateways at schools? I'm especially interested in what the power requirements will be for a gateway, because I'm hoping to find out how hard it would be to set one up in an area where there is no electricity. Thank you!

The OLPC networking concept is not Internet-based. We assume that there will be no Internet connectivity and no Internet gateways. The laptops are being deployed into countries which do not have a lot of native-language content available on the Internet. The networking focus is to make sure that the laptops will be able to communicate with each other over a larger than normal area, and that they will be able to communicate with resources in the school. In most cases, these school resources will not be Internet gateways but will be more like a cross between a library and an FTP site with content that kids can download to their laptops. Of course some schools will have Internet access and may copy Internet content for use by the kids, but the laptops are not intended to be used for direct Internet surfing.

OLPC is not interested in taking on the added burden of Internet connectivity for dozens of countries, but others are, including OLPC4USA. See Internet for more. --Mokurai 15:30, 26 December 2006 (EST)

In regard to your questions about power, you may wish to read the Battery and power page for tips.

Technology innovation is moving at a very rapid pace

How are you guys planning for the future. How are you guys preparing for the technology currently planned to be used inside the laptop becoming absolete. What is your turnaround time between parts going into production and actually being distributed to the people? --314159271828 01:55, 4 December 2006 (EST)

Maximum Altitude Spec

According to the Hardware specification the Maximum altitude: -15m to 3048m (14.7 to 10.1 psia) (operating), -15m to 12192m (14.7 to 4.4 psia) (non-operating... would it be possible to operate (safely) above that altitude? After all, in the Andes (and I'll assume the Himalayas) many people live higher... El Alto 4150m, Potosi 3967m, etc... --Xavi 12:47, 30 November 2006 (EST)

Usability and User Testing

There is very little public information about requirements gathering, usability and user testing. In other words, how do you know whether the OLPC (i) will meet your users' needs and (ii) is easy enough for them to use? Have the target user groups been characterized? What ongoing plans do you have for this? I`d Like test the OLPC in Argentina, Please contct with me to know how. Thanks.

As far as I know, there are two local groups in Argentina with test boards (don't know if anybody has the 2B1/XO prototypes though). They are Ututo and Tuquito. I know Ututo had some explicit arrangements to let other people use/test the boards. If anybody knows about other groups (or about any local XOs) please let me know (or post in the OLPC Argentina pages. --Xavi 07:23, 6 December 2006 (EST)

Deployment Criteria & Metrics

Although these issues are basically 'national' prerogatives, is there anything being done at the OLPC level? In many countries, 1 million laptops will either be too little or too much. All along, before, during and after the deployment they should be able to assess the result of the effort (metrics), be it to keep the course, or change things, or try new things, etc.

We do not believe there is such a thing as too little. In countries where 1 million laptops is too many, we won't be able to do an early deployment, but we do expect that after a few million units are in the field, there will be other organizations who will deploy smaller quantities to smaller countries, such as many island nations. In fact, Libya has announced their intention to buy laptops for some poorer African nations.

I think that spanish speaking latin american countries do fit in a gray-zone there; there are many that individually would have to wait for later stages, but together they could probably put something - ie: central american countries.

As far ans metrics are concerned, we take that very seriously both in the design of the laptops and in the whole deployment process. We are constantly measuring, analysing and making course corrections based on the data. We will continue to do so.

Seriousness is good. Transparency too.  :) I've somehow managed to reach the Pilot Projects#Diversity Matrix, which I find a bit shallow and unstructured for my taste, so I'm assuming that more structured guidelines are being thought out, planned and to be published, right? After all, as the proposers of the idea, the performance analysis and other measurements should be your domain of expertise. For example, which population segment is known to make the most out of the laptop experience? Is income considered a (key) factor? People with very-low, low, medium, high, or very-high income are 'all equal' or they somehow 'profit' differently in respect to their original educational levels? Under all circumstances?

I'm well aware that these are mostly unanswered questions (I'm not looking for an answer here) and will be subject to many factors and variables; notwithstanding, what kind of information is being thought as necessary to evaluate or consider? All I'm asking is to be able to see the guidelines - and hopefully a way to collaborate.--Xavi 17:04, 9 December 2006 (EST)

Timor Leste (East Timor) not involved yet and how to get the process off on the right foot

I am a volunteer IT worker here in Dili. I wish to follow through on getting the Government/Min of Education involved. Is there a set of templates/docs/procedures for me to follow? If so, then I think that they would be very useful for other countries. thanks chris mansonc@usa.net

Thanks for writing in. Right now I think the whole world knows about the program. You may contact your countries Minster of Education and try to start a dialogue about the service OLPC is offering. If they are interested you may then try with in your country to find big donor corporations that will come up with the funds for your country and you can also contact me on this site to ask more questions in how you can do that. I am sure you speak the native language which would make this much easier that you can also speak English too. This way I can explain this to you as in how to do that. Thanks Hunter--Hunter 10:36, 28 December 2006 (EST)

Social Benefit

How will OLPC benefit countries when the majority of children do not attend public school or public school is not available?

Your statistics are questionable. What is your source for such an outrageous statement? In any case, the OLPC is not distributing laptops to schools, they are distributing laptops to kids. In thousands of small towns and villages, the existence of a mesh of laptops will create a learning infrastructure that can function without a school building.

Mention was made in the NY Times article of a sponsorship program where people could fund a OLPC for a child in a target country. The quote was attributed to Nicholas N. How do we sign up?

If there was such a quote, it was incorrect. The laptops are being purchased by national ministries of education. If you want to sponsor the purchase of laptops then you must make arrangements with a national ministry of education. The OLPC will not be involved at all in such arrangements. In the USA you should contact OLPC4USA. For personal purchase you should read the Retail page.

--Hunter 10:52, 28 December 2006 (EST)

Support for Self-Learners

However, what about those children who cannot attend to schools and have no teachers, which is not uncommon in really poor 3rd world countries? I still cannot imagine how illiterate kids (probably having illiterate parents) teach themselves the usage of the OLPC laptop and moreover teach themselves basic reading, writing and math.

The goal of the project is to provide/propose to governments a laptop that is (financially) cheap enough to be massively distributed to kids while being powerful enough to do all sorts of things. It'll be upto those governments to decide how they'll be deployed, what content will be included (and/or developed), etc. In some target countries schooling is so widespread making your scenario a marginal one (but nevertheless important). In other countries, I agree, things are quite the opposite. An interesting reading is the Learning Vision and its reference to the CREATE project in Costa Rica, where some families moved into a town that had 1:1 computer education just so that their kids would have access to that kind of education. IOW, the population pro-actively flocked to that schooling system.

If you can't imagine how kids can use a computer for learning in the absence of teachers then you need to read about the Hole In The Wall Project in India.

Accessibility

What mechanism olpc is going to adopt to make it accessable for child with physical disabilities? Will there be seperate keyboards for blind with braile? Will there be alternate input methods for child with dysfunctioning hands?

--Ankur Sharma, olpc Nepal (ankur@olpcnepal.org)

As far as I know, OLPC keybords are standardized for each country's language/s, but not braille. The OLPC has 3 USB ports to which external (braille) keyboards may be connected (quick search and sample result or alternative method). In order to better gauge the dimension of the issue, the World Health Organization (WHO) has some statistics on the incidence of blindness.

I have posted some observations about Dasher as an alternative input method, not only for physical disabilities but general use too. --Xavi 09:45, 21 December 2006 (EST)

Programming

Does the os suport basic programming.

Short answer: yes.

A bit longer, assuming that by 'basic programming' you mean 'simple programming' (instead of the BASIC language), you have Etoys (Squeak), LOGO, Javascript, Csound, and most other things are in Python. You should also check the pages on software and our software. And since the project is based on an open-source philosophy, even the OS will be accessible to kids to fiddle with.--Xavi 16:49, 27 December 2006 (EST)

I question whether there is some benefit for us or you by getting involved

We are a St. Louis MO based charity doing Health Related activity in many poor parts of the world including Ecuador, Africa, Asia etc. We have recently been asked by Ecuador officials to assist in several different activates, including build schools, clinics, furnish computers etc.(we have a current request for 100 computers that we are trying to fulfill.

Or name is Wings of Hope and you can view our website at www.wings-of-hope.org to get some idea of what we do and who we do it for, both locally and around the world. We are a volunteer organization with pilots, nurses and support people stationed in many countries in poverty stricken areas. We are non political, non religious based, have no ethnic motivations nor any other motivation based issues except to help people in need.

We furnish air transport service to poor people in the central part of the United States to get them to health care facilities. We set up health clinics in poor areas of the US and we Donate aircraft to many areas of the world to be used as Air Ambulances. The website above will reveal a lot about Wings of Hope activates.

I saw the article in Popular Science about your computers and I just feel there is something that we can offer that will advance your cause. Our relationships appear to be with the kind of folks you are trying to reach. If you feel we can be of any assistance to your efforts, we would like to discuss the issue(s).

Please Contact our Director, MR. Douglas Clements, www.woh206@earthlink.net or 636-537-1302, 800-448-9487.

Keith Barbero, WOH Board Member

--Hunter 10:45, 28 December 2006 (EST)

From what has been publicly displayed this is mainly a government program that has to have approval from the hosting country to be implemented. Depending on the type of services you are offering this may or may not be a a program that could fit in to your NGO's aim. But if you are intrested from the stand point of ONE LAP TOP FOR EVERY CHILD then you should keep in touch and ask more questions as they come to you. Thanks Hunter

Availability

You could make this wonderful PC available to everyone on a commercial basis. Charge USD 150 or 200 for it (I would at least buy one) and let the profit sponsor kids in the 3rd world. This would also up the produced volume getting the hw costs even lower.

You should read the Retail page where this is covered. Any changes to the situation will be updated on that page.

What about poor kids in our country (USA)?

As a technology professional, I see tremendous value in OLPC. I see OLPC changing the way we educate our children. I understand that school children in the USA have more opportunities than school children in most parts of the world. However, we do have school children in this country that need the help that OLPC can provide.

Why are children in the USA not even on the deployment radar?

OLPC does not deploy laptops. That job is done by national ministries of education. In the USA, this would be the Secretary of Education. You should direct your concerns to the Secretary or join with OLPC4USA to make this happen.

security

i just learned of this project today and am very excited about it. one of the things that holds poor children back is lack of experience. children have so many marvelous ideas in their heads, but if a child doesn't know that architects or engineers exist, he or she can't hope to become one. not that becoming one is the point. the point is having a future to hope for as well as something to enjoy in the present. the children will develop these computers in ways none of us can imagine. some will create great works of art. some will become business moguls. some will find ways to help others. what a wonderful thing. i can also see how this project might become another economic project for the whole village. like the entrepreneur who buys a cell phone and sells minutes of its use, somebody's going to buy a hard drive and a USB cable. or do something else i can't imagine. i hope mohammed yunas knows about this. which brings me to my concern. as described on these pages, these machines are incredibly useful. i want one myself. i can wait until the idea makes it to the open market, but many adults are not so patient. i can see these powerful machines and their mesh network ability being very attractive to bandits, drug dealers, the parents of the children who can use them in their businesses and so on. it's not just that the children would lose their laptops. i am concerned for their safety, and that this will become another tool to enslave child for the benefit of adults. (i'm not talking about the child keeping the books for a family business, which helps the whole family.) i have no doubt that the minds who designed these incredible machines can solve this dilemma as well. i think you have probably already thought about this, but i didn't find where the site addressed it. i felt it would be wrong not to bring it up to be sure the children are protected. thank you for doing this for the world's children. i look forward to learning more and finding ways to contribute. dee pearson (just want the "creators" to know the following comment regarding energy is not from dee.)

Regarding the energy source for the machine - I would love to imagine children walking or running to school or home with their machines swinging along. Since The Crank is out, how about self-winding, through movement? I have a 40-year old watch that does it. Have you thought about using self-winding as some part of the power question? Creators, commence!

Contribution towards Programming

Hello,

I am really interested in contributing towards the programming efforts in linux kernel and python. Please let me know how shall I proceed and start contributing towards it?

Suresh, Bangalore, India.

Volunteering

How does a computer science professional contact OPLC about volunteering their time to help deploy the laptops and train new users? Is there an affliation with GeekCorps?

XO for Propaganda?

Dear OLPC,

I believe wholly in the OLPC program and am very happy to learn that units are shipping. I do, however, have one concern:

Is it possible for education ministries, who will be distributing the XO laptop, to map political propaganda onto the XO prior to release? Imagine if a particular political party in power had used their party's political messaging in the splash screen at XO startup. That messaging would be carried with a child for a very long time.

On the flip side, if a particular country has a problem that needs tackling, such as AIDS, then it would be beneficial if there were messaging intended to tackle that problem embedded as a default [but end-user changeable] setting.

I assert that OLPC needs to take top-down initiative to ensure that governments do not abuse this new mode of communication.

carter.cliff@gmail.com

Where can I see an OLPC in the UK?

Hi,

I'm really interested in the OLPC project, and often add things to the wiki... But I've never actually seen one in real life... How many are there in the UK, and what are the chances of actually viewing one? Maybe you should do a grand tour?!

---

What about American Senior Citizens?

Why are American Senior Citizens being excluded from this very worthwhile project? As a computer-literate senior citizen I have found that most wives (mine included) in the senior age category will be computer-helpless when they become widowed. Please, puhleeeeze consider opening the OLPC program to American seniors who have been left behind in the current computer obsessed world. Thanx, M. Zipes, Poughkeepsie, NY (Moved question originally posted by 69.121.101.152 in Image talk:Contentatlaptop.png.

Uh? Not only this question was out of place, but also, dare say, conceptually. OLPC = One Laptop Per CHILD. In the best of worlds, it would be One Laptop Per CITIZEN—regardless of nationality, age, etc. but it's not the case. Children are the priority, and in developing countries.

A more congenial answer would be to point you to OLPC4USA and ask you to lobby your government with them.--Xavi 09:59, 2 January 2007 (EST)

Theft of laptops from children

Perhaps it would be possible to use facial/voice recognition software and the laptop camera/microphone to ensure that the laptop will only work if one child (selected by an administrator using a complex password) is using it. (This would avoid situations where the child might give up a password under duress)?

Nicholas Negroponte

Hello - how can I get involved and help Nicholas with his $100 laptop project? I am an accountant by trade and am looking to get involved in the voluntary sectory. I should be grateful if you would pass this message on to him. Many thanks - ankit.dodhia@hotmail.com

Wish there was a version of fedora with the Sugar os, so they could be put on existing low end laptops and desktops. That would be great for schools that have older hardware, so they do not have to purchase newer machines. Great budget saver and great pr for RedHat also. just a thought...

Is there a better alternative?

Could the children be better prepared for life learning to use, as I and MILLIONS of others had, with a BIG CHEIF tablet and a pencil (yet somehow I am computer literate now)? Total cost for pad and pencil: $2.75 ... left over for food and medical from the initial $150: $147.50.

Beyond education and the developing world

Will greedy capitalists be able to buy one, too? I think these could become as ubiquitous and desirable as ipods. They cost $100, they're better in many ways than a $3000 laptop and they look cool. Who wouldn't want one? The fact they're a global standard and will be supported by great opensource development makes them all the more appealing.

Basic concept

Isn't the idea of this as a laptop a bit limiting? Why can't it be a phone, a lamp, a radio or whatever too? All this could be added very cheaply, and features like the swivelly screen seem such a distraction compared to such basics. Cellphone technology would also enable this to be networked over much larger distances.