A very interesting project, to provide relatively inexpensive laptop computers to millions of young people in developing nations, is nearing completion. Of course, this is a brilliant move on the part of the electronics industry as it will fuel market growth for decades.
The system, based upon a new user-interface, may eventually become a threat Microsoft's dominance of the software industry - this issue has or will be discussed in other forums.
We mustn't ignore the consequenses that the dissemination of this information technology will have for the recipients, and our global society. Like any tool, these laptops could facilitate a huge positive transformation - or they could be coopted by enemies of freedom and democracy.
Reliapundit adds: IMHO: access to the marketplace of ideas is good; if with these laptops they gain access to the WWW, then it WILL have a good effect. Which is why tyrannical regimes - like Iran and China and Cuba - hamper free speech and access to the WWW. The distributors of these laptops ought to make unfettered access to the WWW a precondition of their distribution.
The system, based upon a new user-interface, may eventually become a threat Microsoft's dominance of the software industry - this issue has or will be discussed in other forums.
We mustn't ignore the consequenses that the dissemination of this information technology will have for the recipients, and our global society. Like any tool, these laptops could facilitate a huge positive transformation - or they could be coopted by enemies of freedom and democracy.
Reliapundit adds: IMHO: access to the marketplace of ideas is good; if with these laptops they gain access to the WWW, then it WILL have a good effect. Which is why tyrannical regimes - like Iran and China and Cuba - hamper free speech and access to the WWW. The distributors of these laptops ought to make unfettered access to the WWW a precondition of their distribution.
No comments:
Post a Comment