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Educational Software To Donate With Laptop?

Posted by simoniker on from the doom-not-very-educational dept.

SlartibartfastJunior writes "I will be sending my four-year-old laptop to a school in Uganda this fall. I plan to load up an older version of Windows (or something free), and I need suggestions - what should I load on it? I need suggestions for educational games, educational software, etc. that won't drain my battery too much (since the computer will only be able to recharge at night), won't require a CD (since my drive doesn't work 80% of the time), and won't be too America-centered (most of these children have never been more than ten miles out of their own villages, and wouldn't understand "Oregon Trail"). Also, any great ideas on where I can acquire copies of this software?"

6 of 332 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Civ and SimCity type games by shaitand · · Score: 0, Troll

    In what manner?

    I mean seriously, you can even poorly manage your city and not be able to afford running water and electricity, just like 3rd world nations have done.

  2. Games don't vary power consumption by SoopahMan · · Score: 1, Troll

    Unless a piece of software reads from the CD 90-100% of the time, the type of game or other software will use the same amount of power as any other piece of software. In fact as long as the screen is on the laptop uses the same amount of power whether you're running 5 games or none.

    The reason is because when your Cpu isn't doing anything it's actually burning up a simple "do nothing" command in Windows, not pausing and saving energy like you might think.

    Before a troll points out newer CPUs that slow down to save power: this laptop is 4yrs old.

  3. Confuse the heck out of them by Orion+Blastar · · Score: 0, Troll

    Give them an old version of Slackware Linux, the 1.0 Kernel should do nicely.

    They will most likely reformat the hard drive and install a pirated copy of DOS and Windows 3.X for their third world language anyway.

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  4. Re:how useful? by generic-nerd · · Score: 0, Troll

    linux, HAH WTF makes anyone think that if they cant use windows now, tey will be able to cfg linux for thir use when the laptop arrives!?!?!??!?! Slap a copy of XP on it, open office, open cd, and set the language for their area and let the linux ms-hate-group stfu for once

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  5. Re:Came with a license? by Cloud+9 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Only on /. can a post containing the phrase, "Eat my ass" get +1, Insightful.

    Cheers to you.

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  6. Debian Jr. (duh) by The_Dougster · · Score: 1, Troll

    Just set up a nice debian system, install Debian Jr., and load whatever charset and language that they use there... Ugandan?

    Seems like a no-brainer. What other choice is there?

    Debian Jr

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