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<u><b>Report about Peru Deployment of the XOs/OLPC project</b></u><br>
March, 6. 2008<br>
<br>
Today I have met Mr. Oscar Becerra, he is the person in charge of the
"DIGETE" or "Direccion General de Tecnologias Educativas" (General
Management of Educative Tecnologies). This area depends directly of
the Vice Minister of Pedagogic Management that reports to the Secretary
of Education.<br>
<br>
DIGETE is in charge of keeping the "Huascaran Project", the OLPC
Peruvian project, and other themes included "distance education" (tele
education). Mr. Becerra was very kind and helpfull in providing some
guidelines about how the OLPC project is working in Peru.<br>
<br>
Here some my questions and his answers (conversation was not recorded
so any inaccuracy could be my fault and I am copying this message to
Mr. Becerra so he can rectify, modify or add any extra information).<br>
<br>
<tt><font color="#000099">Question (Javier Rodriguez): the OLPC project
is going to use some of the infrastructure that the Huascaran project
can provide?<br>
</font>Answer (Oscar Becerra): That is not the route that has been
planned. The OLPC XOs machines will have their own method to connect
to the Internet, mainly not related to the Huascaran Project.<br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">Q: How many schools are connected to the
Huascaran project?<br>
</font>A: About 3,000 approximately.<br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">Q: All of them are connected trough VSATs?<br>
</font>A: No, only 900 of them are VSAT connected. The rest use
different ways to access the Internet.<br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">Q: Is the Huascaran project a consolidated
project? Stabilized? Working without problems?<br>
</font>A: Yes, it works with total stability since some years ago.<br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">Q: ... About the OLPC' XOs in Peru.. are they
going to be connected to the Internet by VSATs?<br>
</font>A: No. That is not the plan. The XOs will record their request
in USBs that will be "collected" by the teacher in his XO or in a
School Server. Then the teacher will travel to the nearest "internet
capable" point and send its request. This travel can be once by day,
once by week, once by month or once every three months. That depends
on the location and environment conditions of the village and the
location of the nearest internet point. There are many "Internet
Cafes" (cabinas) in the remote villages, one can be surprised about
where you will find an Internet Cafe <font color="#000099"><i>(I
translate "cabinas" as "Internet Cafe" because for Americans this could
be the most accurate image... but no cafe there! only cheap computers
(normally) connected to the internet).</i></font><br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">Q:... Are the "Internet Cafes" going to have the
computers ready to "get the USB" and "pass" the request of information
to the Internet? this "Internet Cafes" work with Windows and not with
"Linux"... ?<br>
</font>A: That is not the only way. The teacher can travel to the
nearest UGEL, the UGEL must have a computer that is able to get the USB
from the teacher and do all needed requests. <i><font color="#000099">(there
are 250 UGELS approximately in all Peru. An UGEL is a local
administrative office of the Ministry of Education, they manage
directly all the schools in some area).<br>
</font></i><br>
<font color="#000099">Q: What is the protocol that the computers will
be using to develop this "USB" back & forth operation ? UUCP or
something similar to Wizzy?<br>
</font>A: That is a technical question. Walter Bender or other members
of the OLPC team in Peru can answer such detailed aspect of the
installation.<br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">Q: Are the "School Servers" totally developed?
What kind of help do you need in the technical aspect to help the
project ?<br>
</font>A: There is a full team of talented OLPC people here in Peru.
School Servers are working in this moment. If there is something that
needs help the OLPC team leaded by Walter Bender is the one that must
be consulted. They can tell what kind of help is needed.<br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">Q: I ask questions about the infrastructure
because there is an international group of interest that is trying to
develop content for the children on Peru or trying to realize what kind
of content is needed in Peru and what they can do to help in the
content development.<br>
</font>A: There are lot of tools included in the XOs. There was more
than 500 applications (software programs) that were ready to be install
on the XOs and we have had to choose which ones will be included. This
tools are so powerful that the same kids and teachers will develop its
own content.<br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">Q: I understand fully the issue about tools for
self-generation of content. My question is more focused on
"traditional" content: like putting at the reach of the children
agricultural, medical, biology issues or themes or any other similar
content, like novels or the universal literature maybe...<br>
</font>A: The XOs and the OLPC program is not intended to be used just
as a "reading" tool.<br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">Q: So there is no need for "traditional" content?<br>
</font>A: We have install about 100 books for children and young people.<br>
<br>
<font color="#000099">Q:If more "traditional" content can be provided
what kind of content should be provided? I ask this because depending
on the "bandwidth" some people can develop flat text files, pdfs, web
presentations, videos or other kind of documents that could be usefull.<br>
</font>A: In that case we think that the PDFs of medium size would be
appropiate for the way that the XOs will connect to the Internet.<br>
<br>
</tt>These are the main issues that I have taken note. After that we
speak a little about how the Internet start in Peru and we disagree in
our memories in a open, friendly and collaborative environment.<br>
<br>
I thank Mr. Becerra because he receive me without a previous
appointment (I went with the idea of getting the appointment for other
day) and I left his office giving thanks to his nice and efficient
secretary Mrs. Mary Millones.<br>
<br>
I have send this same report to Mr. Becerra email. He knows that if he
wants to add or correct this document or do any comment I can forward
the information to the "Library" list of the OLPC an other groups of
interest.<br>
<br>
That is all what I can report. I know that I forgot many key questions
but Mr. Becerra was very open so I trust that this is not the last time
that we can ask direct questions to him.<br>
<br>
Javier Rodriguez<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:info@olpc-peru.info">info@olpc-peru.info</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.olpc-peru.info">http://www.olpc-peru.info</a><br>
Telf. 51-1-967-00520<br>
Address: Calle Artesanos Of. 151. Casilla 106. Surco.<br>
Lima, Peru<br>
<br>
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