A Consumer Version of the OLPC Laptop By Christmas?: When Charity & Capitalism Work Together For Good

Ever since I first heard of the One Laptop Per Child project, and of the plan to give laptops to students in developing countries without cost to them, I have wished I could get my hand on one of the OLPC laptops for myself.

Well, it sounds like the OLPC Foundation has heard my plea. They may have a consumer version on the market by Christmas.

This would be especially good for me for three reasons: 1) I love playing with new technology, 2) I love the constructivist educational philosophy of Seymour Papert, on which the laptop's interface design is based, and 3) I've wanted a new Linux-based laptop for several months now, especially one that has better wireless/networking capabilities than my PowerBook. The mesh networking capabilities of the OLPC XO may be just what I'm looking for.

It's hard for me to express just how excited I am about this project. It's rare indeed that capitalism's logic of desire coincides with charity's logic of compassion. But if they really are able to roll out a consumer version of the OLPC by Christmas (and are able to do so in sufficient quantities to meet demand), then I would be able to get what I want, while at the same time supporting the work of the Foundation (since half the purchase price would go directly back into their program).

The only thing that saddens me about the OLPC project is that the computers at first lacked Internet filtering, part of an overly-dogmatic commitment to openness. So, as Reuters reports, Nigerian students used them to browse porn.

Giving kids access to new media is great; but to really have an impact, you need a support system that will guide students to the good, while warding them off from the bad.