Slashdot Mirror
State Of The Simputer
2br02b writes "Readers might recall the Simputer (Simple, Inexpensive, Multilingual Computer) whose story Slashdot has been following over the past few years, including its release in October 2002 and most recently the Scientific American article in November. Rediff.com has an informative overview on the status of what was introduced as a low-cost computer for the poor to be sold for under Rs 10000 ($200). Of the two companies that have been given licences, one has yet to put the product on the market while the other is only looking at bulk sales at prices from Rs 12000 to Rs 20000 ($400). Only between 1500 and 2000 Simputers are out on the market."
isn't there a better way to provide computing technology to the third-world masses? perhaps someone should start a program for donating old, outdated computers for the good of poorer nations. (if there isn't already one)
Apart from that fact that I have to wonder whatfor people living in some fuckin slum need a computer!
How about to educate themselves and get out of the slum. I came from a poor rural area not realy a slum. My parents overextended their budget buing a C64 for us when I was in junior high. Many people saw that as a waste of money. My parents saw that as an investment. It paid off. I'm a programmer now.
As x approaches total apathy I couldn't care less.
This is such an age old troll that it is not funny. You can actually post it to every article and slashdot and be on topic. Why buy a new iBook when we could stop world hunger? Why upgrade your kernel when you could be in Africa building houses? There is always something better than we can be doing with our time. If you are so altruistic then what are you doing posting on slashdot?
This is a device that is meant to help close the digital divide. You take for granted how much information is at your fingertips and what advantages there are to having that information. If you are looking for a job where are you going to start? Probably on Monster or HotJobs or some other site. Send out some resumes by email that you typed in your word processor. Now take away your computer and try to do the old fashioned way. Type your resume on a typewriter, pay to have it photocopied, flip through a newspaper and walk door to door only to have them reject you because you don't have computer experience.
Not everything is about helping the poorest of the poor. There are a lot more people out there who need some help too.
"Poor people are generally poor because they are either dumb, lazy, or both"
What a clueless moron you are. That may well be true in the affluent west where if you work hard
you can better yourself but in some countries the children don't get a chance to be educated before they're out in the fields helping their parents
grow food or even supporting their brothers and sisters after their parents have died from disease or war!
"They just want the government to hand them welfare and be done with it. "
Yeah , the welfare systems in africa and india are known to be the best in the world right!
Jesus , get a clue you insular dick!