Who are you, Ephraim? Have you been to any third world country? Do you know that 100$ can feed a child for nearly a year in a third world country? Have you seen any child go to bed at night hungry? What do you think they dream of? Computers??? I work in the software industry but I know that computers aren't the answer to India's education problems. It's like saying you need a calculator to be good at mathematics. As you may have already guessed, I completely support the education ministers' stance on this one. It's a stupid idea ... and I don't even want to know what the heck this is about - "Not only do computers open up the knowledge of the world but it opens up the mind and spirit to the truth that it is okay to dream and if you do anything is possible". The olpc is undoubtedly another cheap money making scheme in the guise of "educating" the children of this world. And let me fill you in on a little secret ... All you need to dream is a brain. Thank heavens ... the education minister is a bit more sharper than this journalist.

Just plain assuming that a laptop is the best way to spend $100 is naive. If that $100 laptop saves many other costs however it may be an obvious win. E-books should be cheaper than printed books, especially when the administrative costs are factored in.

Of course e-books on a tiny laptop screen are probably not as good as paper books.

In lieu of implicit cost savings it is certainly reasonable for an educator to consider other expenditures such as more teachers, or more scholarship money for secondary schooling.

If you asked me what my guess was, I'd say they laptops are a good idea, but I'm willing to let Mr. Banerjee run his own country, as I'm sure he's researching those issues.

One clarification. The $100 laptop project has rejected all non open-source software. "Donating" is not sufficient in the ideological minds of the project leaders. In their minds the software must be free for everyone, not just the project. That is why Apple and Microsoft cannot donate their OS's.

Actually Apple did offer OSX for free but it was refused for not being totally open source. Likewise that would eliminate Windows.

http://software.silicon.com/os/0,39024651,39154227,00.htm

It is not such a strange idea to reject laptops. Computers may not be more beneficial educationally for kids than pencil and paper, and there is the very real risk of computer addiction. Another risk is companies that will use the laptops to feed advertising to children.

I'm not arguing one way or the other here. Just pointing out that there could be valid reasons for rejecting them. (Rejecting personal laptops is not rejecting computers.)

"Not only do computers open up the knowledge of the world but it opens up the mind and spirit to the truth that it is okay to dream and if you do anything is possible."

Only a nerd could come up with that sort of drivel. I understand and agree with the sentiment out of India, obviously made by far more mature thinkers than the Infoworld writer. Technology and computers are not the answer to learning, mankinds problems or very much really. In fact they and automation are accelerating the debasement of human value for the majority of the planet's inhabitants. But try telling any techo that technology is almost as much at the heart of the problem as it is the solution. They just do not want to know. Why? .. Because it would make them think beyond their own circumstance, and 'needs', and might threaten their jobs.

Mr. Schwartz, I came from India at the age of 13, and have lived in the United States for 10 years. I can confidently say that I have a very good understanding of how the education and economy in India works. If India needed a $100 laptop, it would make them itself by using the plethora of highly educated software engineers available in the subcontinent, and get the hardware manufactured in Southeast Asia.

In fact (and I'm not boasting about India's intellectual capital), because of the advances made in open-source software development and the rapid growth of IT in Southeast Asia, in 15-20 years, YOU might be clamoring for a $100 laptop made in Southeast Asia made with open-source software, instead of the other way around.

Didn't you say something about opening up your mind and dreaming?

I agree with Ephraim. He seems to be getting only the people commenting that don't like the 100 dollar computer. But these people have computers to write thier opinions on, don't they.

It is the same old song. I know what everybody else needs.

Technology is here. And if you can't access it you will be at a disadvantage.

Giving school kids in India computers is as good an idea as giving American kids computers. Or any other kids.

There is always teh segment of any society that wants to go back. At least they don't want someone else keeping up with them!

Laptop for kids is not a bad idea. Kids carry books every day, which makes them tired prevents them from concentrating to the lessons.

I would say a laptop is like a single book for all the subjects. The school | college can then have a better system.