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All<br>
<br>
Apologies in advance for barging in, but I am rather new to this forum
and I have a couple of basic questions I would like to ask if I may.<br>
<br>
I was recently in an African country and I was shocked by how few
youngsters have access to computers, primarily because no one could afford them. I came across this OLPC concept and thought about setting
up a distribution and after care network there.<br>
<br>
My prime goal is provide a whole generation with a truly affordable
computer but I also need to run this as a business that can generate
revenues and support itself. I believe that a 170 USD laptop is within
the reach of a lot of people there, most of them carry prepay cellphones worth
that much or more. I also have few ideas to subsidize the price further for schools, youth centers etc. I have influential business and technical contacts in that country and I
can get funds to set it up if I can put forward a decent business case.
<br>
<br><br>My question is, does a commercial distribution scheme sound like a
viable idea, is it within the spirit of this scheme? If so, who can I
contact to take this further?<br>
<br>Regards<br><br>Sami<br><br>> From: bryan.berry@gmail.com<br>> To: sverma@sfsu.edu<br>> Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:31:33 +0545<br>> CC: its.an.education.project@lists.sugarlabs.org; grassroots@lists.laptop.org<br>> Subject: Re: [Grassroots-l] Is this the "Idea Funnel?"<br>> <br>> On Tue, 2008-08-26 at 10:25 -0700, Sameer Verma wrote:<br>> > IdeaTorrent/Ubuntu Brainstorm is a neat project. It is simple and easy<br>> > to use. What matters though is that once such a mechanism is in place,<br>> > people who propose and/or vote should be as diverse as possible,<br>> > otherwise we get a bunch of developers who pat each other's back (self<br>> > selection bias). I still feel that this project does not involve enough<br>> > educators. <br>> Absolutely, I share that concern<br>> <br>> > That's where majority of the ideas should come from.<br>> Agreed, esp. While kids can tell us what they like and don't like. They<br>> can't tell us what they aren't learning. <br>> <br>> > Educators know challenges in the classroom firsthand. They also know<br>> > what works. So, in implementing ideatorrent or some such thing, the<br>> > barrier to entry for an educator should be minimal.<br>> <br>> absolutely.<br>> <br>> > Once a project gets a lot of votes, the next step becomes crucial. How<br>> > does an idea become a project? Who takes it on? etc. That workflow must<br>> > be established as well.<br>> > <br>> > Sameer<br>> > <br>> <br>> _______________________________________________<br>> Grassroots mailing list<br>> Grassroots@lists.laptop.org<br>> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/grassroots<br><br /><hr />Find out how to make Messenger your very own TV! <a href='http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/101719648/direct/01/' target='_new'>Try it Now!</a></body>
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