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Simputer Runs Into Problems

Posted by Hemos on from the does-not-compute dept.

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."

4 of 228 comments (clear)

  1. well, what do you expect? by Transient0 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    when you try to base a real world business plan on sim-dollars(simoleans). The sims may be a pretty impressive environment, but it's not reality yet.

    On the other hand, $200 would be a nice change for a cheap sim-puter. I always thought $999 was a bit steep for an entry-level model.

    --
    lysergically yours
  2. of course. by kipple · · Score: 3, Interesting

    there's plenty of food for the entire human being (as reported by the recent FAO meeting) but people are starving because feeding the poor doesn't pay back.

    there's plenty of money for the simputer but it has financial issues because, well, poor people won't put money into the economy of the internet.

    so sad.

    --
    -- There are two kind of sysadmins: Paranoids and Losers. (adapted from D. Bach)
  3. There may be setbacks to the Simputer, but... by altgrr · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...this article from the BBC details a different approach to the problem of taking computers to the masses - make the internet accessible through one person, who goes round villages on a motorbike with a laptop which has some pre-downloaded web pages at the villagers' request.

    It seems a strange concept: you might think that the things the article mentions the service being used for (local news, crop prices, government forms etc) were already catered for through newspapers and the postal system. But then I don't live out in a rural village in India, so I wouldn't know.

    What both this and the Simputer project show, is that there is demand for such a service, regardless of whether or not we, who are totally isolated from the situation, think there is.

    --


    Like car accidents, most hardware problems are due to driver error.
  4. More path of resistance by r_j_prahad · · Score: 3, Interesting

    There are other problems that will happen as Simputer wretsles its way into market. First, Microsoft is very popular in India, not important why. Second, and much important, is the problem of corruption. To reach the sales goals for a $200 system, Simputer are going to have to have political friends, and that I just cannot see happening. Corruption is so ingrained in Indian government there are even special laws to address it. Microsoft is not unique, just uniquely wealthy.