Simputer Runs Into Problems

dejaffa writes "It seems that an Indian Linux-based "computer for the poor" is having financial issues. This has implications for the world digital divide. The story is here (MSNBC, I know, I know). There were originally great hopes for it, as seen here, but money is proving to be the stumbling block."

Comments

Re:Why are computers necessary in India?

[MORTAR_COMBAT!]

there are more people homeless and starving in America than there are people living in mansions. there are many, many, many more people homeless and starving in India than there are in America. the difference is that in America, the majority of the homeless are homeless because they are either crazy or lazy, while in India, they are born to it, a generation at a time.

projects like this make you wonder, what if every child in America were given a computer. would it really change that much? doubtful, but it might make a little ripple. most of the people who could benefit the most from having a computer are too busy working 80 hours a week at minimum wage jobs to have a chance to use them, regardless of being able to afford them.

Re:of course.

[TheGeneration]

Why should we feed the poor? In a matter of a couple hundred years America managed to transform the wilderness into a land with enough food to feed it's people (and then some). But why should we sell food for less than it costs to make? We should we give it away to free? These starving societies have been around for hundreds, or thousands of years longer than us and yet still find themselves starving?!

This may sound like a troll, but it's not meant to be: Perhaps we should let them die. Obviously their culture has some major defects and it would be far better for them to die and give up their lands to those who would be productive with the land than to allow their lands to continue to be under utilized.

Re:Enough with the stereotypes!

[TheGeneration]

You're kidding right? The Indians don't have a knack for programming anymore than anybody else. In fact, I'd say generally their code is substandard. In India though you can throw 20 coders at a problem for the price of one American Software Engineer. There in lies the benefit of hiring Indians in India.