Comments on: One Laptop Per Child… Possible? http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/ Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:25:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: DOH http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17744 DOH Tue, 19 Sep 2006 18:15:58 +0000 http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17744 According to the report, China has the largest number of Internet users, but the percent of the population is still small. The Internet is still unheard of in rural China where most people live. http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/gyzg/t231597.htm On the contrary, it’s very interesting to note that certain web sites are blocked by the Chinese government. However, many Internet users manage to access blocked web sites using foreign proxy servers. I am not sure if they are required to register in order to access the Interent. Anyone knows? According to the report, China has the largest number of Internet users, but the percent of the population is still small. The Internet is still unheard of in rural China where most people live.
http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/gyzg/t231597.htm
On the contrary, it’s very interesting to note that certain web sites are blocked by the Chinese government. However, many Internet users manage to access blocked web sites using foreign proxy servers. I am not sure if they are required to register in order to access the Interent. Anyone knows?

]]> By: Glenn Lockhart http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17722 Glenn Lockhart Tue, 19 Sep 2006 16:54:04 +0000 http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17722 RLM: Losing our jobs wasn't a serious point with me. But... Actually, French is spoken in much of Africa as well. French jobs could be offshored there. Not to mention work from nearby English speaking countries (the UK, S. Afr and even India). As Friedman's book tells us, the world is getting flat. Commerce isn't necessarily restricted to an arm's reach... but Africa still lags. RLM: Losing our jobs wasn’t a serious point with me. But…

Actually, French is spoken in much of Africa as well. French jobs could be offshored there. Not to mention work from nearby English speaking countries (the UK, S. Afr and even India). As Friedman’s book tells us, the world is getting flat. Commerce isn’t necessarily restricted to an arm’s reach… but Africa still lags.

]]> By: Glenn Lockhart http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17718 Glenn Lockhart Tue, 19 Sep 2006 16:46:34 +0000 http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17718 Hochgesang: I said sorry for not getting the stats stat... "stat" being ER-speak for ASAP. That's what I get for being punny but not funny. China?: I had the same reaction. Am also wondering about India, also with a population of one billion. Maybe we aren't realizing how agricultural much of China still is? Either that or 6.8% is flat-out wrong. Hochgesang: I said sorry for not getting the stats stat… “stat” being ER-speak for ASAP. That’s what I get for being punny but not funny.

China?: I had the same reaction. Am also wondering about India, also with a population of one billion. Maybe we aren’t realizing how agricultural much of China still is? Either that or 6.8% is flat-out wrong.

]]> By: China? http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17702 China? Tue, 19 Sep 2006 15:54:28 +0000 http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17702 Wait, Internet usage in China, is only at 6.8%? That number just seems...wrong. Wait, Internet usage in China, is only at 6.8%? That number just seems…wrong.

]]> By: julie hochgesang http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17679 julie hochgesang Tue, 19 Sep 2006 13:43:00 +0000 http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17679 Thanks, Glenn, for the informative (and not so subtle, haha) stats (stat, whatever). I was actually looking for how many people in the world had access to computers themselves, not just the internet. Although I already know the difficulties of ascertaining such figures... Thanks, Glenn, for the informative (and not so subtle, haha) stats (stat, whatever). I was actually looking for how many people in the world had access to computers themselves, not just the internet. Although I already know the difficulties of ascertaining such figures…

]]> By: David http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17637 David Tue, 19 Sep 2006 08:09:52 +0000 http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17637 I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. The way I read it is that you saying you don't want OLPC to go ahead because it might threaten US jobs. You also appear to be saying that introduction of technology will is in danger of "ruining their lives". If in a few years OLPC target countries develop competitive high-tech industries as a result of this technology, how will it have ruined lives? If the project fails, lives may not be ruined, necessarily, but expectation will have been dashed - which is never a good project outcome. However, if this failure occurs, your fears about US jobs being lost to these countries would be baseless. I could be misreading you here, but you appear to be arguing both sides of the coin here. Would you care to clarify? I’m not sure I understand what you are saying. The way I read it is that you saying you don’t want OLPC to go ahead because it might threaten US jobs. You also appear to be saying that introduction of technology will is in danger of “ruining their lives”.

If in a few years OLPC target countries develop competitive high-tech industries as a result of this technology, how will it have ruined lives?

If the project fails, lives may not be ruined, necessarily, but expectation will have been dashed - which is never a good project outcome. However, if this failure occurs, your fears about US jobs being lost to these countries would be baseless.

I could be misreading you here, but you appear to be arguing both sides of the coin here.

Would you care to clarify?

]]> By: Glenn Lockhart http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17634 Glenn Lockhart Tue, 19 Sep 2006 07:55:53 +0000 http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17634 Ah, then I don't have to explain why I didn't come up with the stats... um, stat. As in ASAP. Graduate students, unite!! Although you asked for access to computers, am assuming you as much meant Internet access? If so... http://www.pewinternet.org/ ... their reports usually feature penetration numbers (please, people)... Internet, digital TVs, cell phone usage, etc etc. According to http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/182/report_display.asp: -73% of Americans (about 147 million adults) are Internet users -42% of Americans are with broadband connectivity (But don't read too much into that. Who knows how many use the Web just to access email.) Another source (xerox from a 2005 report, don't know name) gives Internet penetration in eight countries as: - France: 40.6% - Sweden: 74.6% - UK: 58.5% - USA: 68.8% - Mexico: 11.9% - China: 6.8% - Ghana: 0.8% - Lebanon: 2.3% Needs more penetration, folks. More. Ah, then I don’t have to explain why I didn’t come up with the stats… um, stat. As in ASAP. Graduate students, unite!!

Although you asked for access to computers, am assuming you as much meant Internet access? If so…

http://www.pewinternet.org/ … their reports usually feature penetration numbers (please, people)… Internet, digital TVs, cell phone usage, etc etc.

According to http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF.....splay.asp:
-73% of Americans (about 147 million adults) are Internet users
-42% of Americans are with broadband connectivity

(But don’t read too much into that. Who knows how many use the Web just to access email.)

Another source (xerox from a 2005 report, don’t know name) gives Internet penetration in eight countries as:
- France: 40.6%
- Sweden: 74.6%
- UK: 58.5%
- USA: 68.8%
- Mexico: 11.9%
- China: 6.8%
- Ghana: 0.8%
- Lebanon: 2.3%

Needs more penetration, folks. More.

]]> By: julie hochgesang http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17600 julie hochgesang Tue, 19 Sep 2006 02:52:52 +0000 http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17600 David explains it very well. But I will add a cute little anecdote. The kids at the school I taught at didn't know what digital cameras were. But after the first day we used them, they knew immediately to ask for looking at the back of the camera where the little screen was. They got a kick out of seeing themselves in this tiny little metallic box. When they saw another camera we had (an older manual one), they said SORRY CAMERA YOUR BROKEN. Kids, really humans, are amazingly adept at using tools and adapting. David explains it very well. But I will add a cute little anecdote. The kids at the school I taught at didn’t know what digital cameras were. But after the first day we used them, they knew immediately to ask for looking at the back of the camera where the little screen was. They got a kick out of seeing themselves in this tiny little metallic box. When they saw another camera we had (an older manual one), they said SORRY CAMERA YOUR BROKEN.

Kids, really humans, are amazingly adept at using tools and adapting.

]]> By: julie hochgesang http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17598 julie hochgesang Tue, 19 Sep 2006 02:48:44 +0000 http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17598 (meaning that i don't have time to look further - not that i'm inept at research!) (meaning that i don’t have time to look further - not that i’m inept at research!)

]]> By: julie hochgesang http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17597 julie hochgesang Tue, 19 Sep 2006 02:48:11 +0000 http://www.deafdc.com/blog/julie-hochgesang/2006-09-16/one-laptop-per-child-possible/#comment-17597 Did you find the information? I looked quickly but couldn't find it quickly enough. I am a graduate student after all... :) Did you find the information? I looked quickly but couldn’t find it quickly enough. I am a graduate student after all… :)

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