The Perils of Africa Vs. OLPC

Synopsis for research on the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC):
One Laptop Per Child is an ICT4D association specifically designed to benefit children in developing countries. Chairman Nicholas Negroponte - with the assistance of veteran members of the MIT Media Lab – formed the world renowned OLPC; a non-profit organization, which sole objective is to provide children with the highly stylized OX – 1 computer. Along with Mr. Negroponte efforts to supply children with modern technology ; five core principals are major components of the survival of his program. His principles goes as such : low wages, saturation, connection, unrestrictive/open accessibility, and an expansion of children’s developmental capabilities. My prior knowledge of OLPC was advantageous in searching for data which I firmly believe will support my views of this program. At first, I was greatly impressed by the idea of an organization of such magnitude, taking a genuine interest and an active participation in helping to educate children in countries less fortunate. However, after further research with my group members (Lihui Dai and Ariel Infante) I surmised that I could not agree with the overall context of the project due to the ineffectiveness that it would have on the economic growth and development of the country and its’ people. Crucial issues such as health care, inadequate food supply, shelter, recreation, and the failure to structure an adequate educational system are all topics that have failed to be addressed in their quest to help the youths of these targeted underdeveloped nations. It is through extensive research, that I discovered the painstaking truth of the perils of Africa’s young , as well as children in other third world nations throughout the globe. As sited in the New York Daily News – “More than 14 African countries, the United Nations agency said in its annual World Health Report, child mortality is higher than it was in 1990, with more than 300 children out of every 1,000 born in Sierra Leone dying before the age of 5.” It is therefore, my belief that far greater issues should addressed, and as much as would like to admire Mr. Negroponte’s kind gesture, I am incapable of sharing his vision. Aiding foreign governments with a new means to exploit the poor of these developing nations is absolutely absurd, and I for one, cannot partake in such a scandal. Nations such as Nigeria, were among the first countries to order one million laptop computers, in July 2006. Although, the contract never materialized, the deal resulted in huge losses for the people of Nigeria. $20 million dollars in revenue was exploited, not only by the Nigerian government, but also by Lancor patents. This is turn, opened a flood gate of accusations, and reports of child pornography on the funded laptops claimed to be taken by members of the OLPC program. I would not be so bold as to say, the Nigerian government or OLPC are directly responsible for the faulty program, but it was their lack of research and understanding that has made this program a failure. Consequently, an increase of internet fraud will continue to corrode the world wide web due to "unrestrictive and open accessiblity" with the help of OLPC laptops. In turn, defeating the purpose of the OX-1 computer. Reports from the Financial Crimes Division of the Secret Service receives an average of 100 phones call per day from victims and potential victims. The Nigerian advance fee scheme grosses over a hundred million dollars annually, and the business continues to thrive. This advance fee scheme is designed to specifically target small businesses as well as charities with an occasional letter to the EVP's at the Federal Reserve Banks. The world wide scam involves an unsolicated letter from someone who claims to be a member of the Central Bank of Nigeria or someone who holds political status in the Nigerian government, and even with the assurance of the Nigerian governments denial of any direct connection to these crimes, drastic measures have yet to implimented. Therefore, it is to OLPC's own detriment that they keep these instruments of destruction out of the hands of scam artists. Based on this evidence, neither the Nigerian government, nor OLPC have taken a vested interest in the children of this particular nation, and it with this sense of self awareness that I have opted support against Mr. Negroponte’s efforts.


posted by I. Roland

OLPC is [Not Really] a great program

Yes, OLPC is a noble program to help children in underdeveloped countries. But helping them learn about computers is not going to adjust the current situation. What WILL most probably happen is that the children you speak of will not live long enough to reap the benefits of knowlege. We're already in the 21st century, and life has already been computerized. People can work online, buy clothes online, buy food online, rent movies/games online, and even date online. If that little green laptop can help the child using it to live a life like that, I say go for it, but since it doesn't, OLPC is [not really] a great program.

OLPC is a great program

OLPC is a noble idea to help the children in undeveloped countries. it helps the children in a sense that those children will learn about computer. lets face it, in twenty first century, most probably almost everything will be computerized, so this affordable computers will provide a way for the children to learn and be more up to dated about computer. of course, this program has both pro and con to it. Also , there are other matter that should have more priority than this one, but i think since those matters are not being resolved anyway, there is nothing wrong if this program helps the unprivileged children.

Identifying the Epidemic (In response to below)

Its a poverty epidemic, not an illiteracy epidemic, that the target children of OLPC are stuck in.
What you say is true...if your referring to implementing OLPC here in the United States. Mr. Negroponte said its an "Education Project" and what the US sorely lacks is a decent educational system.
If OLPC were to focus on countries where education is the primary concern for improvement, it would be a success, unfortunately its targeting countries where survival is the primary concern for improvement.
Little green laptops can't help countries survive.

OLPC, a wonderful project

Hi everyone,
Like everyone says OLPC is a great project, i would say the same thing. It is a really beneficial project for the kids of the future. Through this amazing little machine they can learn more than a lot. And if they have internet connection available it would be a blast. Through connected laptops they can search the world wide web and gain knowledge about whats going on around the world and share with each other. Also they dont need to carry the heavy bagpacks with them becuase with the connected laptops its like they are carrying the whole lot informatioon with them all the times.
This green machine is good for teachers as well. They can share with the children each time they learn something through the connected laptops. Also it will keep them up to date with the educational competition around the world.
Overall this OLPC project is wonderful for the kids who have never seen a laptop or any kind of thing like this before and who have never been to school. Hopefully it will help them to learn and give a way to come out from the world of illiteracy.

Bitfrost

In the presentation for my class, I touched on Bitfrost's lack of protection. I want to say more about it. It can damage a user's data, compromising privacy, etc. I think the XO laptop security model is full of holes.
First, it doesn't use typed verification, because the audience are little children. However, i look at the website, http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Bitfrost, and I see no clear way to get in other than using biodata.

This is taken from the website i wrote in.

"Compromising privacy
We see two primary means of software compromising user privacy: the unauthorized sending of user-owned information such as documents and images over the network, and eavesdropping on the user via the laptops' built-in camera and microphone.

Damaging the user's data
A malicious program can attempt to delete or corrupt the user's documents, create large numbers of fake or garbage-filled documents to make it difficult for the user to find her legitimate ones, or attack other system services that deal with data, such as the search service. Indeed, attacking the global indexing service might well become a new venue for spam, that would thus show up every time the user searched for anything on her system. Other attack vectors undoubtedly exist.

Doing bad things to other people
Software might be malicious in ways that do not directly or strongly affect the machine's owner or operator. Examples include performing Denial of Service attacks against the current wireless or wired network (a feat particularly easy on IPv6 networks, which our laptops will operate on by default), becoming a spam relay, or joining a floodnet or other botnet.

Impersonating the user
Malicious software might attempt to abuse the digital identity primitives on the system, such as digital signing, to send messages appearing to come from the user, or to abuse previously authenticated sessions that the user might have created to privileged resources, such as the school server. "

Presentation by Lu, Saba, Pete

This is our presentation which we presented at the "New Media Race". We supported the OLPC organization although some thing can been done better then other but this can be said about everything. Its easier to judge then do it. If anyone thinks that they can't do better job then OLPC organization let them step up the the plate. I (Peter) read several other companies stepping up the plate like Microsoft and Asus. I am sure if we put Mircosoft and Asus in the spot light we will see error in their projects to. In my opinion the more organizations start similar projects which will create competition among them, which will prefect the idea.

Here is a link to our Power Point.

http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dfzxvhjp_0rhwt9gfk