Gates Mocks $100 Laptop

[iago]

Full Story About Gates' Comment

Full Story About the Laptop

Basically, MIT built a low-power laptop that uses Linux.  It's designed for people who can't afford a full computer.  To quote Gates, "geez, get a decent computer where you can actually read the text and you’re not sitting there cranking the thing while you're trying to type." 

The laptop itself has features such as a handcrank to power it, which is useful in countries where not everybody has access to electricity. 

I personally think it's a very good idea. 

[GameSnake]

Very cool. I think thats a great idea. Even if the computer may not be so poweful, you're spreading technology to those who would otherwise not get exposure to it.

[Sidoh]

As long as their market target isn't the US, I think it's a good idea.  How efficient is the hand crank?  How long do you have to crank it to get, say, 10 minutes of useage?

[iago]

I'm not sure, it might say somewhere on the site. 

I think it targets a smaller market in the US.  There are still poor people in the US (otherwise known as students)

[Warrior]

..I thought he was joking about the handcrank...ROFL!!

[Sidoh]

I'm not sure, it might say somewhere on the site. 

I think it targets a smaller market in the US.  There are still poor people in the US (otherwise known as students)

I think there are much more practical models that students in the US would buy.  I completely agree this has use in, say, classrooms in Costa Rica where they don't even have sewage/running water.

..I thought he was joking about the handcrank...ROFL!!

Lmao...

[iago]

..I thought he was joking about the handcrank...ROFL!!

What's wrong with that?  I thought that was one of their betters idea.  We have hand-crank a powered flashlight and a radio, and they are extremely useful for camping and during power-failures.  Putting in a laptop designed for people that don't have power is a great idea. 

I think there are much more practical models that students in the US would buy.  I completely agree this has use in, say, classrooms in Costa Rica where they don't even have sewage/running water.

I definitely would have bought one if it was decent hardware.  A couple years back I was looking for a cheap laptop that I could take to school and not worry about if it got damaged.  That would have been perfect. 

[Warrior]

Cmon, people want a laptop but don't have power? Perhaps instead of shoving a laptop in their hands they can use the $100 people will pay and help them with more important things like power..

[Sidoh]

I definitely would have bought one if it was decent hardware.  A couple years back I was looking for a cheap laptop that I could take to school and not worry about if it got damaged.  That would have been perfect. 

I definitely see the use, but I, personally, would still rather own/use a powerful laptop for school.

Cmon, people want a laptop but don't have power? Perhaps instead of shoving a laptop in their hands they can use the $100 people will pay and help them with more important things like power..

Look at the above example I gave.  Don't you think computers are useful in a classroom environment?  What about the schools that can't afford normal computers?  Sure, it's not a "cutting edge" project, but that doesn't mean it isn't an innovative/good idea.

[zorm]

Consider for a moment that if they lack power it also means they lack internet. They probably also lack printers because I've yet to hear of a handcrank printer. How useful is a laptop when it doesn't have internet access and there is no printer?

I'm with Warrior on this one that the thousands which would be spent to acquire these laptops could be better spent in providing infastructure and such so that they can eventually get power.

Another note to consider is the literacy rate of the people in such poor countries, I suspect its rather low and as such a laptop won't be all that helpful in furthering education.

[Sidoh]

Consider for a moment that if they lack power it also means they lack internet. They probably also lack printers because I've yet to hear of a handcrank printer. How useful is a laptop when it doesn't have internet access and there is no printer?

Pretty damn useful if what you're doing requires calculations to be done by a computer.  This is a common need in schools.

I'm with Warrior on this one that the thousands which would be spent to acquire these laptops could be better spent in providing infastructure and such so that they can eventually get power.

I don't think the revenue earned from the purchace of these laptops would even come close to covering the price for dropping an optical line down the middle of Nigeria.

Another note to consider is the literacy rate of the people in such poor countries, I suspect its rather low and as such a laptop won't be all that helpful in furthering education.

If that's the case, then they'd be less useful.  However, I have doubts that something like this would even be close to useless.

[zorm]

Pretty damn useful if what you're doing requires calculations to be done by a computer.  This is a common need in schools.

Have an example of something like this? Keep in mind they lack power so I doubt they need it to draw up plans for that skyscaper... Also a TI calculator could serve the same use, while it should be theoretically cheaper to acquire.

I don't think the revenue earned from the purchace of these laptops would even come close to covering the price for dropping an optical line down the middle of Nigeria.

It should be more than enough to start some sort of project be it a powerplant or wiring, etc. Also note that the money to purchase these would likely come from donations by outside sources so it would be just as easy to try and get more money for a more useful purpose.

[ZeroX]

$100 dollars you say? My keyboard and Mouse where more expensive. Damn WTF. And they dont even hold Memory.

[Sidoh]

Have an example of something like this? Keep in mind they lack power so I doubt they need it to draw up plans for that skyscaper... Also a TI calculator could serve the same use, while it should be theoretically cheaper to acquire.

Yeah, that's a pretty good point.  I still think there will be a decent market for these, though.  A TI calculator is certainly more practical in most cases, but they're also less powerful.  Plus, they cost just about as much.

It should be more than enough to start some sort of project be it a powerplant or wiring, etc. Also note that the money to purchase these would likely come from donations by outside sources so it would be just as easy to try and get more money for a more useful purpose.

Honestly, how much money do you think this project is going to pull in?  It cost $11 Million just to pull a few hundred miles of unmuxed T1 lines in Colorado.

[Eric]

hm.. I thought young children were the main target for these "computers."  The idea of a full grown adult sitting there cranking his laptop is humorous to me and I'd imagine it would be quite degrading for the person having to do it.  Picture someone like that sitting next to you in class... or even worse, a business meeting.  The use of man-power to energize small emergency equipment such as flashlights and radios is obviously useful because those things are often kept in storage and only used during emergency situations when light and emergency broadcasting provide a great deal of service.  What are you planning on doing with this computer during such a situation?  Play WoW through your unpowered WiFi router and modem? Calculate taxes?  There's plenty of reasons to hate Gates, but this isn't one of them, iago.