Slashdot Mirror

That is bad information that's been circulating for decades, from back when that was not really bad information. It originates from a paper by Peter Gutmann during a time when hard drives didn't do the insane signal processing they do today. One zero pass on a drive is sufficient today. This was brought up on Slashdot ten years ago.

I may AppleScript hack to reopen windows when I update a PDF from LaTeX.

If you do, feel free to use my Reload Preview Document script as a starting point.

I need suggestions for educational games

I taught computer literacy in Ghana, West Africa (see my site), and I didn't find much use for games, educational or otherwise. For one, such software usually assumes a native-level English language ability, which I doubt any student in Uganda will have. Also, you have to keep in mind that most students there may never have even seen a computer before. They will likely be intimidated even by the most basic educational software.

You know what program my students really loved? Notepad! None of them had ever used a computer, so the chance just to type their names was a huge thrill. It helped them overcome their fear of the computer and move on to more advanced programs...such as Minesweeper. (Seriously! They loved it.) They also loved Paint for similar reasons; it was a great way for them to learn how to use the mouse. So, instead of fancy games or educational software, I recommend supplying a simple typing tutor with your laptop. The students will likely benefit from and enjoy it far more than any game.

However, I did find that certain educational titles such as The Way Things Work are helpful as visual aids for science lessons. They do not provide much benefit when used by students alone (again, because of the language barrier and intimidation), but when used by a teacher as part of a group lesson, they can be quite useful.

any great ideas on where I can acquire copies of this software?

my drive doesn't work 80% of the time

Then perhaps there is no point donating this laptop. Without a CD-ROM, it will be nearly impossible for the recipient to add new software, upgrade the OS, etc. And I doubt they will have the ability to fix or replace what is likely a proprietary part. I strongly suggest getting the drive replaced before sending it, or at least providing an external one as an alternative. (You can get second-hand ones pretty cheap.) Otherwise, the gift you are sending could be just a liability.

African women love computers, too.

The best answer is in an article I wrote, available here: More than one way to make a difference

You can also find more info about my Peace Corps experience here: Two Years, Two Months

The requirements you listed are spot-on. Note that if you don't have knowledge of Spanish or French, having a science or engineering degree can do just as much to help get you in to the Peace Corps. (Most applicants are liberal arts majors without any technical skills that the Peace Corps needs.)

I could see 3 or 4 months, but 2 years of my life to be a volunteer?

Two years is nothing -- a small fraction of your normal life span -- especially when you consider the impact those two years could have on your life. Think about it: What would you do with those two years in the U.S.? Work a nine-to-five job so you can buy that new computer and a big screen TV? I'd prefer to spend the time traveling the world, making friends, learning a new language, and discovering places I've only seen in National Geographic. But that's just me. If you can only commit three months, try the GeekCorps.

Broadband via cable TV is available, but cable modems are a fairly new thing over there and many apartments don't have the cable lines anyway. (Take a look at any apartment building in Japan and you'll see dozens of those mini satellite dishes perched on the balconies.) However, if you want cable TV and broadband Internet, you can get a pretty good deal by combining the two -- about 80 USD/month. You might need a local friend to help you, though, because most cable providers don't have English-speaking customer service.

If you just want the Internet access, a better option is ADSL, which has exploded in popularity over the last couple of years. Before ordering, you first need to decide whether you want land-line (as opposed to cellular) phone service. If you want a land line, get ADSL Type I, which includes phone service and Internet access. If you plan to get a cell phone in Japan, choose ADSL Type II, which provides Internet access only, but for a lower price.

The cheapest ADSL service is probably Yahoo! Japan BB, but they don't provide any English support, not even for sales. You're better off going with a company that has a dedicated English-speaking support line such as Global OnLine or eAccess. Unfortunately, these providers usually serve only the larger metropolitan areas, so if you're in a suburb or a smaller town, your only choice might be good old NTT. All you have to do is call the English-speaking sales line for NTT (the number depends on whether you live in the east or in the west) and tell them you want ADSL Type II. They'll be happy to hook you up for about 25 USD/month, and you can rent an ADSL modem from them for another 5 USD/month. Important tip: NTT will send you a CD-ROM containing PPPoE drivers that only work with the Japanese version of Windows, so you should download the freeware program RASPPPOE before you go and bring it along with you. It's compatible with NTT's ADSL modems.

There's another catch: Because NTT only provides the physical ADSL connection, you'll need to find an ISP that supports ADSL. I got mine through OCN for about 20 USD/month. They offer sales and support in English.

The Macintosh has about the same percentage of market share in Japan as in the U.S. (in other words, not much), so you can expect the same level of support and availability over there that you'll find here. I expect it's entirely possible to hook up your Mac to a Japanese ADSL modem, but don't expect much technical support if things go wrong. (I had no trouble connecting through my Linux laptop once I got the Roaring Penguin configuration set up right.) As for 802.11b, coverage is almost non-existent, although just about everyone over there does email wirelessly through their cell phone. Text messaging and services like DoCoMo are far more popular than the Internet in Japan, at least for now.

You should visit the ISP Japan FAQ for more details. You might also want to check out my Japan page for tips on living and working in Japan.

• 200 MHz CPU
• 32 MB RAM
• 24 MB storage
• 240x320 color display
• Price: $300

Specs for Microtel PC with 15-inch monitor:

• 800 MHz CPU
• 128 MB RAM
• 10 GB storage
• 1024x768 color display
• Price: $320

The specs of the Microtel PC are so much better, and the price so similar, that I wonder whether a desktop form factor would have been a better design choice. Obviously, the Microtel PC is not portable, but according to the article the computer would be used to "access the Internet, perform transactions, keep track of agricultural prices, and educate children". I don't think portability is a must for those functions.

The only real advantage that the Simputer provides is a built-in text-to-speech feature, but this could be added to the Microtel for free.

I'm not saying that aid agencies should be buying PCs from Wal-Mart and shipping them off to developing countries, but I do think the developers of the Simputer should have put their efforts into producing a similar desktop computer for the villages of, for example, sub-Saharan Africa. The smallest of these villages have no electricity, but many often do, as I learned from my recent experience in the Peace Corps. Thus the benefit of the Simputer's rechargeable batteries isn't really a huge advantage. And if, as the article claims, these villagers want to access the Internet, they're going to need a source of electricity for that anyway.

Even if the Simputer had hardware just as powerful as a desktop PC, there is still the problem of software. Most software today simply cannot run on a 240x320 display. All of these educational and business-transaction programs that the article talked about would have to be redesigned especially for the Simputer. On the other hand, a desktop computer with a full-size monitor opens up the entire world of existing applications. Also, by learning how to use standard desktop computers (and standard software like word processors and spreadsheets), the user is doing more than just calculating the price of his crop. He's picking up an additional skill - computer literacy - that can be applied elsewhere. That's something I tried to accomplish during my Peace Corps service.

But then, that's the real problem, isn't it? Not computer literacy but basic literacy. Providing a Simputer to developing countries is treating the symptoms of the disease, not the cause. These folks need jobs, skills, and education, not processing power. In the village where I worked as a Peace Corps volunteer, the average teacher's salary was around $75 per month. For the price of one Simputer, a village could hire someone to teach reading skills to an entire class for four months.

The Simputer may be a good idea for a few select cases, but overall I think it's a misguided effort.

Trevor

• 200 MHz CPU
• 32 MB RAM
• 24 MB storage
• 240x320 color display
• Price: $300

Specs for Microtel PC with 15-inch monitor:

• 800 MHz CPU
• 128 MB RAM
• 10 GB storage
• 1024x768 color display
• Price: $320

The specs of the Microtel PC are so much better, and the price so similar, that I wonder whether a desktop form factor would have been a better design choice. Obviously, the Microtel PC is not portable, but according to the article the computer would be used to "access the Internet, perform transactions, keep track of agricultural prices, and educate children". I don't think portability is a must for those functions.

The only real advantage that the Simputer provides is a built-in text-to-speech feature, but this could be added to the Microtel for free.

I'm not saying that aid agencies should be buying PCs from Wal-Mart and shipping them off to developing countries, but I do think the developers of the Simputer should have put their efforts into producing a similar desktop computer for the villages of, for example, sub-Saharan Africa. The smallest of these villages have no electricity, but many often do, as I learned from my recent experience in the Peace Corps. Thus the benefit of the Simputer's rechargeable batteries isn't really a huge advantage. And if, as the article claims, these villagers want to access the Internet, they're going to need a source of electricity for that anyway.

Even if the Simputer had hardware just as powerful as a desktop PC, there is still the problem of software. Most software today simply cannot run on a 240x320 display. All of these educational and business-transaction programs that the article talked about would have to be redesigned especially for the Simputer. On the other hand, a desktop computer with a full-size monitor opens up the entire world of existing applications. Also, by learning how to use standard desktop computers (and standard software like word processors and spreadsheets), the user is doing more than just calculating the price of his crop. He's picking up an additional skill - computer literacy - that can be applied elsewhere. That's something I tried to accomplish during my Peace Corps service.

But then, that's the real problem, isn't it? Not computer literacy but basic literacy. Providing a Simputer to developing countries is treating the symptoms of the disease, not the cause. These folks need jobs, skills, and education, not processing power. In the village where I worked as a Peace Corps volunteer, the average teacher's salary was around $75 per month. For the price of one Simputer, a village could hire someone to teach reading skills to an entire class for four months.

The Simputer may be a good idea for a few select cases, but overall I think it's a misguided effort.

Trevor

For pictures of my experiences, see my site. You'll notice that I brought my laptop with me and was able to apply my geek skills by teaching computer classes on the side. You can find more stories about my geeky life in the Peace Corps here.

When I left Ghana for good in August 2001, I still wasn't yet ready to return to the life of a software developer, so I immediately applied for a job as an English teacher with Nova, the largest private school in Japan. As some here have suggested, this is another great way for geeks see the world and learn skills that don't require electricity. For anyone thinking of that route, I've written some tips on deciding whether to join Nova.

Trevor

For pictures of my experiences, see my site. You'll notice that I brought my laptop with me and was able to apply my geek skills by teaching computer classes on the side. You can find more stories about my geeky life in the Peace Corps here.

When I left Ghana for good in August 2001, I still wasn't yet ready to return to the life of a software developer, so I immediately applied for a job as an English teacher with Nova, the largest private school in Japan. As some here have suggested, this is another great way for geeks see the world and learn skills that don't require electricity. For anyone thinking of that route, I've written some tips on deciding whether to join Nova.

Trevor

For pictures of my experiences, see my site. You'll notice that I brought my laptop with me and was able to apply my geek skills by teaching computer classes on the side. You can find more stories about my geeky life in the Peace Corps here.

When I left Ghana for good in August 2001, I still wasn't yet ready to return to the life of a software developer, so I immediately applied for a job as an English teacher with Nova, the largest private school in Japan. As some here have suggested, this is another great way for geeks see the world and learn skills that don't require electricity. For anyone thinking of that route, I've written some tips on deciding whether to join Nova.

Trevor

For pictures of my experiences, see my site. You'll notice that I brought my laptop with me and was able to apply my geek skills by teaching computer classes on the side. You can find more stories about my geeky life in the Peace Corps here.

When I left Ghana for good in August 2001, I still wasn't yet ready to return to the life of a software developer, so I immediately applied for a job as an English teacher with Nova, the largest private school in Japan. As some here have suggested, this is another great way for geeks see the world and learn skills that don't require electricity. For anyone thinking of that route, I've written some tips on deciding whether to join Nova.

Trevor