Re: [school-discuss] BBC NEWS | Technology | Small box 'to end digital divide'

[tom poe <tompoe@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

So, some time back, a dialogue with Grameen Organization occurred.  The
general idea was to figure out if it was feasible to send 68,000
refurbished computers with FOSS to Bangladesh.  That would enable every
community in the country to have one computer.  The cost was close to
$700 per computer, shipped from a developed nation.  Each community
would get a bill for the $700.

At the other end, the marketing rights for the computers would more than
pay for the "military operation" needed to get 68,000 computers to the
dock, and an "event" held to get volunteers to prepare the computers for
shipping.

Guess where the plan fell down.  :)

Wonder why some mega billionaire doesn't just slam shut the Digital
Divide by donating one ship to haul the computers around the world?! 
What do they cost, USD$500 million?
Tom

On Sat, 2005-04-30 at 09:09, Doug Loss wrote:
> Yet another startup with a thin-client system for developing countries:
> 
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4496901.stm