[lug] One laptop per child

[Sean Reifschneider]

On Sat, Dec 02, 2006 at 10:52:30PM -0700, dio2002 at indra.com wrote:
>And again it CAN be that simple.

If you want to simplify it that far, I can provide proof that OLPC will
lead to peace and people being well fed.  Because at BLUG meetings we're
well fed, and they have never ended up in brawling, and nearly everyone has
laptops.  QED.

>Whether or not you slug me (kidding) over this post has nothing to do with

Are you referring to this ancient thread?

   http://archive.lug.boulder.co.us/Week-of-Mon-20000619/003739.html

>and me brother.  It really IS as simple as that.  It's a choice.  You do
>or you don't.  What's difficult or hard about that? :-)...

It's hard because my being a pacifist (not while I was in 'Nam, of course)
doesn't really impact our government attacking other countries.  I don't
really think this is the appropriate forum to get into the discussion of
whether it was justified, let's just say that I believe it was not, and
that I realize others believe it was, and hopefully we can leave it at
that.

However, that's why I say it's not just as simple as an individual choosing
peace.

As someone who "grew up on the internet" (though at that time it was
Usenet, FTP, UUCP, and e-mail without spam), I understand the power of
being able to interact with the luminaries in a field while learning
something.  I was never very strong in the traditional school environment,
but I used other sources of learning and went ahead and achieved anyway.
In the parlance of our times.

Having access to electronic communications can help spread peace, and
provide knowledge and other tools to help provide for basic human needs.
Read about the personal fabrication labs that have been set up in third
worlds for some examples of how providing technological resources can
work wonders.

>Read the posts.  I DO think what they are doing is great.  I DID preface

I did read the posts, don't take my previous message as a personal attack
on you, it was a reply to the thread as a whole.  You just happened to be
at a leaf of that thread, and had some points I wanted to reply to.  Sorry
for the confusion.

>Sometimes when one becomes so enamored with technology, one loses focus
>and perspective with regard to it.  Almost to the point where technology

Indeed.  However, I still think that there was some sentiments expressed
that they were solving the wrong problem, and in general I don't feel that
is productive or deserved to be directed at the OLPC project.

Sean
-- 
 It would be interesting to be a squirel.  They have the cute outfits...  The
 right kind can fly...  -- Evelyn Mitchell, 1998
Sean Reifschneider, Member of Technical Staff <jafo at tummy.com>
tummy.com, ltd. - Linux Consulting since 1995: Ask me about High Availability