Dvorak Slams OLPC As 'Naive Fiasco'

theodp writes "PC Magazine's John C. Dvorak has a unique take on the cute One Laptop per Child XO-1, deeming the OLPC project a naive fiasco waiting to unfold that sends an insulting 'let them eat cake' message to the world's poor. When it comes down to a choice of providing African kids living in absolute poverty with access to Slashdot or a $200 truckload of rice, Dvorak votes for the latter. Buy ten OLPCs if it assuages your guilt, says Dvorak, but 'I'll donate my money to hunger relief.'"

Comments

Re:he's got a point.

[HanzoSpam]

I know a man who has started a charity dedicated to a single town somewhere in Africa. Money & volunteers head down there twice a year. This year they have drilled a well and built a school. These were projects undertaken WITH the people of the village, so they can become self-supporting, and understand how they were done.

They understand, ok....

From: Mr. Anthony Thambo
Tel: +27-735-871-047
E-mail: a_thambo8@yahoo.com

Dear Sir/Madam,

Firstly, I must solicit your assistance in anticipation you would
champion a cause of this magnitude. We are officials with the
Department of Finance and Economic Affairs South Africa, and we are in
urgent need of a silent partner to assist us transfer the sum of
USD$26.5M (Twenty Six Million Five Hundred Thousand United States
Dollars), accrued to us as commission/kickback from foreign contracts
through our private contacts.

I have been mandated as a matter of trust by my colleagues to look for
an oversea silent partner who can work with us to facilitate transfer
of this fund for investment purposes, because as civil servants and by
virtue of our positions we are prohibited from operating bank
account(s) off-shore. The funds are presently in one of the major
banks here, waiting to be remitted to an oversea beneficiary account
confirmed by us as an associate/receiver.

This transaction, though discrete, will be completed successfully
within a period not longer than two weeks with all the necessary
official documents to authenticate original source of fund, which we
are going to provide and supervise. Your assistance is of paramount
importance, once all documents have been submitted, the bank will
release the funds. For your part in this transaction, we have decided
on a fee of 15% of the entire amount.

I realize that the above may take some time to digest, but in
considering this, please consider the urgency of the situation and how
much is at stake. In the process, I would ask you to also help us to
identify various investment opportunities in your country.

As this is a matter of urgency, I urge you to respond to inform me if
you are able to assist or not, so that I may seek assistance from
elsewhere if you are not able.

I look forward to your earliest response.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. Anthony Thambo.