Missing the Point
Ynetnews reports on a new “laptop for every palestinian child” project:
An American organization has requested Israel’s assistance in a new initiative similar to the Israeli “computer for every child” project. The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP), an organization committed to the welfare of the Palestinian people, asked that the State help transfer around 1,000 laptop computers to the West Bank city of Ramallah.
The project is led by Nick Negroponte, brother of US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, former director of national intelligence. Its goal is to provide Palestinian students with tools that will help improve thought and independent study, in order to better their learning achievements and the status of their teachers.
While the money would be better spent on new textbooks devoid of anti-Israel incitement, at least it beats the “hammer for every palestinian child” project.
About the Author
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.Filed Under: General
An excerpt from an op-ed written by the President of the ATFP:
Atfp Op-ed: Miscalculation
By Ziad Asali
The Washington Times, Opinion
June 18, 2008
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jun/18/miscalculation/
Since Hamas’ violent takeover of Gaza last June, a pattern of tit-for-tat provocation has defined the organization’s relationship with Israel.
One side launches an attack, the other side responds with disproportionate or indiscriminate force. The period of escalation then tapers off until the next flare-up, which generally involves increased intensity, more civilian casualties and higher-grade weaponry.
Apparently Israel defending itself is offensive to Dr. Asali.
Laptops for every Palestinian child – $Millions
Gutted laptops filled with C4 carried by brainwashed Palbots intent on killing Jews – priceless
Just don’t give em tractors
I’m just thankful it isn’t “a belt of explosives for every Palestinian child.”
No, it’s just a way to get rid of the OLPC aka $100 laptops that Negroponte has been trying to sell off.
His design is so bloated and overpriced that no one will buy them, he’s 100% over his price goal, and they suffer from what is called “creeping features” to the point that they are useless.
It shows you what a committe of rich Americans (MIT students) can do if they are allowed to decide what every poor “third world” kid would want with no reality checks.
It’s loaded with “culturaly imperialistic features”, bad power systems, and over complex screen design and so on.
I really like the idea of giving everyone a really cheap laptop, but it has to fit the limits of the culture and be provided with real support.
I’ve worked on similar projects, and yes you can build a cheap laptop that would be acceptable in an “Islamic Republic” or Beni Baraq for that matter.
Besides my brainstorming people with more money are really working on it, China has a product cooking and India is working on a real $15 laptop, hoping to get donations of the parts and assembly making it a $0 laptop.
Anyone want to build one in Israel?
Geoff.
Didn’t another cybercafe get blown recently? I thought the internet was a bad zionist thing.
I don’t need anymore palestinians on the net. All the flooding of various forums and youtube is already making much of the net unusable.
Thanks alot yuppie students for a bright Idea. Do we need more hate video’s and posters on the internets? Let’s give them all a wikipedia password and instructions too so that history can be changed easier.
Just before shabbat I posted a hurried copy of the above posting and an explanation of why I thought the OLPC was wrong for them. Among other things, I don’t think the “powers that be” will allow them to be on the net.
IMHO WiFi adds cost, complexity and in many places a disturbing access to things no one wants them to have.
http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/
Geoff.