Anyone contributed to the OLPC?

I am not sure whether you are all familiar with the OLPC scheme (One laptop per child). It has been running for a couple of years in North America, was running last year in Canada, but would now appear to be available in the UK via Amazon.co.uk.

Has anyone here (or do you know anyone who has) contributed and obtained an OX laptop?

I am considering making a donation, but I am concerned about the dubious quality of the OX laptop itself. I'd actually like to get my hands on one to have a look over it myself. They appear on eBay from time to time in the USA.

There are a pile of threads I have found indicating issues with the battery and also the poorly designed keyboard (apparently the key pad just peels apart).

Clearly on the G1G1 scheme (give 1 and get 1) then anyone in the West are capable of sending it back for repair (so long as it happens within the American 30 day statutory rights - I can't find information on whether the European 1 years warranty is applicable as they are being shipped from the US, thus imports). I'll pay with VISA and get their added protection.

What worries me is whether they are as badly designed as lots of people are suggesting or were these just teething problems that have been ironed out. There is a lack of information.

The last thing I want to do is donate one and leave some poor child in the developing World with a pile of faulty shit and no service desk!

 

Well, that'll be a no then!

 

not necessarily

 

I don't see the use, personally. IT is the last problem of the third world, where they can't even afford paper and pencils in a lot of school in these countries. Not even books. It seems like an fools errand to me. A nice idea, but horribly flawed.

 

yup, cant be going straight from a to c, leaving b out!

 

i got a chance to play with one recently. seems pretty okay to me. Its like a little tykes meets eee pc 701. The OS is so, ......different, but the build seemed quite nice....


...i wonder if the BOGO can be considered a "tax write off"

 

I had one of those in my hands about a year ago, the quality didn't look so bad to me, the only thing I didn't like at all about it was the keyboard.
I know the rubber keyboard is designed to protect the computer from water and dirt, but the quality didn't look so good, it doesn't seem like it's gonna last more than a year...

And Parris, I agree with you about the OS, it's kinda strange. Anyway I understand why they made it so limited, when I was at school my parents had to format the computer a bunch of times because I messed around with system stuff "to see what happens" :110:

 

How can a laptop make a difference when there aren't enough schools, homes, and food for the same area?

To me it's nothing but to make yuppies feel good about themselves.

 

exactly......they are designing the body, before they even create the chassis or the engine (in car terms)

Fix what need fixing immediately first, then worry about the little things later


....although it does have a nice "daisy-chaining" wifi

 

you simply cant eat a laptop.

 

Unless you're a robot!!

 

Parris,

I have see one but not in person,

I didn't really think much of them cause I heard the EEpc is better, and one your talking about, is for the very poor, cheap, cheap,cheap not much use or interest to me.


As for getting one it shouldn't be too hard.

Ah, ps. I think they could use food over a dum note book.

 

I agree with all of you guys, I think there are certain necessities that should be taken care of that are much more important than a PC.

Down here in Uruguay there's a lot of hype with these laptops that will be included in the "Plan Ceibal" which is aimed at public primary schools. So far I've heard they are not quite good, really cheap bad hardware and the whole laptop feels like a toy and some parts tear off or break easily.
In terms of software, there was recently a videogame-making contest, and there was a category for educational games for the "Plan Ceibal" (software to be used with these laptops), the winners were told to put their projects on hold cause the actual hardware/software specs of the laptops didn't meet the requirements for such software, funny isn't it ?

 

Thanks for all the posts. Good to get feedback on the hardware.

Judging by the threads on the official OLPC site (and subsequent forums) the laptops have two weak points. The keyboards (already identified here) and the batteries (although as yet it hasn't been established whether the batteries are at fault, or perhaps a component relating to the battery charge function on-board the laptop).

Despite these being recognised as issues, the OLPC has a rather bizarre method of providing spare parts.

Instead of their being a dedicated International service department shipping 'free / donated' spare batteries and keyboards, they actually state that they ship "1% overstock with every consignment to ensure that any faulty laptops can be repaired on the ground...infact the OLPC encourages the participating children to perform the repairs..."

The last aspect of their statement shocked me "...we also encourage the local community to invest in (providing spare parts and repairing faults)"

Given that the failure rate is greater than 1% I wonder how the kids in developing areas are getting on? Fighting over faulty laptops to repair the crappy keyboards (they literally peel apart).

When someone in the West (I think USA) asked about obtaining new parts, they were initially given the website of a third party supplier, then told to stop moaning because he was not the target audience and lastly (and this was from the OLPC), repair it with some glue!

How on earth are the poor meant to make an investment to obtain spare parts etc?

Kind of a strange situation. I actually do want to donate to a worthy educational cause, however... not convinced this is it!

I am struggling to remember the exact case, but the UK Government donated a huge number of Massey Ferguson tractors and other farming equipment to a particular tropical island (wished I could remember the name). The idea was that the locals could use the equipment to clear the land and use it to become self sufficient (if they weren't already?!)

Anyway, long story short. The equipment was excellent, cost a packet, but the tropical climate, pounding heat, humidity and tropical rain storms, boggy, rough terrain contributed to the failure of the vast majority of it. In the end the remaining units had to be plundered for spare parts, but after a very short period of time the whole project ground to a halt as they realised the equipment just wasn't suitable.

Wonder why I am reminded of this story?

 

one laptop per child hummm

the final apocalypse is near !

 

It's interesting to hear comments in this thread about how people should give food instead. I mean, I don't think anyone's arguing that food is more important than a laptop, however, ideally these kids should have both - and securing an education for them is essential as well.

It's a shame to hear that the design on the laptops is so flawed, though.

 

A laptop != education. In this case, I would say that the OLPC actually hinders educational efforts due to monetary funds being diverted to hardware and the need to shoe-horn these things into the educational system.

 

No, a laptop = potential for education. You think this is a negative thing, I do not.

 

well personally I think the OLPC is not for countries which don't have enough food and water. It's a laptop for countries which are some steps ahead, but away from being an industrial nation.

The OLPC has great technology, which doesn't have any other laptop.
- First, the display. You can read from the display anytime even in the direct sunlight. The screen turns black and white for a better contrast and so on.
- The laptop is solid and protected from dust.
- The wireless LAN mesh.

and some other great features. just have a look at this interesting article:
http://www.heise.de/mobil/The-One-Laptop-per-Child-project-enters-its-critical-phase--/artikel/88916

 

Yes, I do think that a laptop can be negative. Even in computer science courses, I have seen the proliferation and accessibility of laptop (and other) computers have a negative impact on education when they are not properly incorporated into the curriculum. Add in the location and general computer literacy of the areas that this program is targeting and I see the laptops causing significantly more harm than good.