Each Kid In Nigeria To Get A Laptop, page 1

posted on Nov, 18 2005 @ 11:43 AM

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Looks like each Nigerian child will get a free laptop early next year. There are strong signals that this will be the case. While this might be a noble project to boost education in Nigeria I can´t help but think about all those numerous Nigeria-letters I have received over the years. But I guess I should not fear...

AllAfrica.com: Laptop for Each Nigerian Kid

November 18, 2005

NIGERIA and five other countries have been named the first beneficiaries of the One-Laptop-One-Child Initiative. Others are Egypt, India, Brazil, China and Thailand. Chairman of the initiative, Professor Nicholas Negroponte who disclosed this in Tunis Wednesday, said the laptops would be distributed through various governments of benefitting nations.

Initial distribution of the laptops is expected by first quarter of next year, when the Nigerian authority is expected to buy into the idea, although interest has been shown by the government.

"The President is active and has indicated interest that he would like to have the $100 laptops as soon as possible," he said, even as the project team is expected in Nigeria next week to further discussion on the initiative.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

"Dear please mister X, I am Doctor King Kong Mumbele, Son of the previous Queen of Nigeria who had to go undercover for several reasons. I like to please get your bank account so I can give lots of money to you and your lovely family and blahblah..."

Well, lets see if they do get their laptops. It doesn´t necessarily have to be bad. After all we do know what to do with these emails now, don´t we?

Englishman_in_Spain

posted on Nov, 18 2005 @ 12:42 PM

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Yes Hellmutt, I too have had these sophisticated scam e mails from Nigeria and exactly the same thought crossed my mind.

It is sad that, almost every time I see something about Nigeria, I am mindful of the fact that there is every possibility of just another sophisticated con trick in the offing. Having worked in a bank for many years in England, I lost count of the number of international attempted frauds I came across, nearly always originating from the same place, Nigeria.

If only these people put their efforts into legitimate enterprise, they would be world beaters.

ludaChris

posted on Nov, 18 2005 @ 03:28 PM

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I hate scams, and the dickheads who pull them. But being the kind-hearted person I am, I always hate when I asky myself if it isnt, and I do love to help those who cant help themselves. And it takes a sick individual to take advantage of the greatest of human qualities, Generosity. I do believe that this one is a scam. I wish i could catch these guys and really lay one into them, maybe break a rib or two. But for now I just wont be sending them anything.

[edit on 11/18/2005 by ludaChris]

Umbrax

posted on Nov, 18 2005 @ 03:32 PM

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You guys concerned with those scams should check out 419eater.com

As for the children of Nigeria, Egypt, India, Brazil, China and Thailand, I hope this gives them a boost in their education.

AgentSmith

posted on Nov, 18 2005 @ 03:59 PM

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This is a very good thing (unless we got more e-mails), but I think it makes it even more a shame that our education system in the UK is a shambles and a joke when what we would consider 3rd world countries are able to get resources like this. I don't know what the education is like in other countries around the world as it is not something I study, but I know that here, standards have dropped significantly.

FLYIN HIGH

posted on Nov, 19 2005 @ 04:47 AM

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I kind of thought that they would get a hot meal or some clean drinking water first. What in the world are they going to do with a laptop? I think the money spent on the laptops could be well used in other areas of these kids lives. I see nothing wrong with getting a good education but in this part of the world (Nigeria ) from the reading I've done and following the stories and such in the newspapers, these kids would be better suited to a regular school, sanitary living conditions, and meals would be much better than just by giving them a L/T.
Then you have to consider the warring factions in this area of the world who perhaps would take away the the L/T's and sell them on the black market. Pun not intended.

Figher Master FIN

posted on Nov, 19 2005 @ 05:15 AM

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Yeah, It was in the news a couple of days ago... The computer is really awesome, it's green and it only costs 85 $... Super cool...

Klepto

posted on Nov, 19 2005 @ 05:39 AM

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I remember seeing on tv just 2 days ago about this and an individual stated quite correctly that although they appreciate the offer, these people only need the basics in life and require more important support for things such as AIDS which is widespread in these areas.

The colour is apparently to prevent it being stolen as this intended for use by students, all of which will receive one.

Opus

posted on Nov, 19 2005 @ 11:37 AM

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Wait China’s getting laptops. I thought China is like some sort of economic juggernaught.

ShadowXIX

posted on Nov, 19 2005 @ 12:01 PM

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Originally posted by Opus
Wait China’s getting laptops. I thought China is like some sort of economic juggernaught.

$85 laptops? China is probably the ones making them.

Still theres alot of kids in China going to take alot of laptops

TheBandit795

posted on Nov, 19 2005 @ 05:04 PM

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Originally posted by FLYIN HIGH
I kind of thought that they would get a hot meal or some clean drinking water first. What in the world are they going to do with a laptop? I think the money spent on the laptops could be well used in other areas of these kids lives. I see nothing wrong with getting a good education but in this part of the world (Nigeria ) from the reading I've done and following the stories and such in the newspapers, these kids would be better suited to a regular school, sanitary living conditions, and meals would be much better than just by giving them a L/T.

There are quite some kids living there in Nigeria who do have those primary needs taken care of. I know some of them who are living regular lives.

ulshadow

posted on Nov, 19 2005 @ 05:12 PM

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$85! for a laptop... either they are made from slave labor, or they use window 95. But never less, where do i get one of those back here in the states?

Leveller

posted on Nov, 19 2005 @ 05:12 PM

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Originally posted by Umbrax
You guys concerned with those scams should check out 419eater.com

Cracking site. And it was there that I first started scam-baiting.

But back to topic.

One laptop, one child?

Education is all very well and good but for a Third World nation shouldn't the aim be "One full belly, one child"?

sardion2000

posted on Nov, 19 2005 @ 08:09 PM

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Originally posted by ulshadow
$85! for a laptop... either they are made from slave labor, or they use window 95. But never less, where do i get one of those back here in the states?

You won't they will cost something like 225 dollars in Develeped nations I believe. Here is a link detailing the plan more indepth.

www.worldchanging.com...
www.worldchanging.com...

ShadowXIX

posted on Nov, 19 2005 @ 08:11 PM

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Thanks for the pictures of it sardion2000

I see its got a nice hand generator that is handy (pardon the pun) in places where you cant always recharge at a walll socket.

I have seen radios in third world nations that use the same hand generator along will solar power i think.

ulshadow

posted on Nov, 20 2005 @ 07:53 AM

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wait... you can power it with your hand by turning that thing? wow that is cool, you never have to rechange, you just use your hand to turn it.

very cool.

St Udio

posted on Nov, 20 2005 @ 09:35 AM

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i finally seen it on the 10:00 AM segment of Sunday MsNBC...

ah-ha, give 'em a inexpensive starter-kit and they'll...
(i think the tobacco industry was the 1st to use this strategy...)

i don't think the 'computer' is capable of accessing the www.
but it is a nice, shiny object for the young and are part of the populations that are in continual migration mode....
because roller-blades or wind-sails
, although useful, would not be acceptable items in the UNs eyes
in the redistribution of wealth paradigm.

..........

ADD: btw, it will be next year before all the wheels can be greased, to actually distribute these 'laptops'

[edit on 20-11-2005 by St Udio]

ShadowXIX

posted on Nov, 20 2005 @ 01:53 PM

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Originally posted by ulshadow
wait... you can power it with your hand by turning that thing? wow that is cool, you never have to rechange, you just use your hand to turn it.

very cool.

Yeah its a pretty cool concept for people that dont always have access to normal electric power grids. I have to wonder how much cranking is required to power a lap top as I believe they are quite power hungry when compared to radios.

This radio for example

The Hand-Crank Power Generator charges the internal rechargeable Ni-MH battery packand just 90 seconds of cranking provides up to fifteen minutes of radio play

I mean thats not ideal but works if you have no access to chargers.

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sardion2000

posted on Nov, 20 2005 @ 06:03 PM

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1 Minute for around 40 minutes of use (due to the fact that it uses EInk and Flash Technology use very little power)

The biggest cost saver in this laptop is that it uses exclusively Open Source software (shipped with all the dev tools to boot) so hopefully if they can get this to say half a billion people a small percentage will literally flood the market with new OS contributers. 1% of 500,000,000 is well allot of new programmers.