Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Peru Orders 260K OLPCs, Mexico to Get 50K

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the see-we're-not-scared dept.

eldavojohn writes "Perhaps in response to recent news that the lawsuit against the OLPC may be a scam, Peru's government has announced they want 260,000 OLPCs and a Mexican billionaire by the name of Carlos Slim has also asked for 50,000 that he wishes to distribute in Mexico. Things are looking good for the OLPC."

3 of 271 comments (clear)

  1. Re:OLPC Needs Appropriate Softare by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Dude, you're comparing apples and washing machines. One is a laptop to teach third world children, the other is a PDA killer. Just because they're both small, cheap and run Linux doesn't mean they're aimed at anything like the same market.

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  2. Re:CompUSA by damn_registrars · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Since Slim owns CompUSA, maybe he's creating new customers.
    Except that the OLPC systems run Linux. What are the chances of finding someone at CompUSA who would know anything about them? Might as well take it to 7/11.

    And I don't think that the OLPC systems have much need for the $20 CompUSA printer cables, either*.


    *I know from having previously worked at CompUSA (#787, Minnetonka, MN) that the markup was at least 10-fold on printer cables, which far, far, exceeded the margin on the printers - or just about anything else in the store except for CD jewel cases.
    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  3. Good For Peru! by GaryPatterson · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I travelled briefly in Peru in 2005 and saw the crushing poverty both in and out of the cities. It's worse out of the cities, and not uncommon to see houses with no electricity and water delivered from wells.

    In Cuzco begging is rife, and the kids usually try to sell something to justify giving them money. Postcards are pretty popular. These kids are smart too, learning enough English to have a conversation and show their sense of humour. I think that giving them an opportunity to learn valuable skills can only be a good thing for them and for their country.