Thursday, October 12, 2006

Laptops!















Aljazeera news article

Last year at a computer expo in Tunisia they came out with these cute little laptops intended for kids as a non-profit One Laptop per Child project. Now the organization will be piloting the project in Libya, expecting it to be completed by June 2008. Test models will be sent out as early as November of this year. It's hoped that in Libya the organization will provide: 1.2 million computers, a server in each school, a team of technical advisers, satellite internet service and other infrastructure.

The laptops are cute; small, bright green (not because it's the national flag's colour), run on Linux, and even run without electricity - using a handcrank or foot pedal when there is no electricity. The no electricity is a good thing because many public schools even in the capital don't have proper electricity in the classrooms.

I'm excited that Libyan kids will be getting the oportunity to become computer literate. It's also good for all those that have graduated as computer programmers and engineers from universities and institutes to be employed as teachers.

Of course the pessimistic side of me wonders how many of the laptops will find themselves on the blackmarket, and how will the children in outlying areas learn to use computers if there isn't anyone in the village or area that can teach them. Will students just waste their time on chat and games and forgo the richer side of the internet; research and the world of learning?

But pessimism aside, I'm looking forward to this new development into technology in Libya. Will we see improvement in internet services here? Will Libyans have a future as leaders in the world of IT? The possibilities are endless.

And hey! I've got six kids! Yeah! Do we get six laptops!?! I'm so excited! I can't wait!

7 comments:

  1. WoW! What wonderful news!! I love hearing about how life is changing for the good in Libya. The future looks to be filling with great things for the young people of Libya.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A lot of criticisms faced this laptop after Tunis Summit! Particularly due to the quasi impossibility to upgrade the softwares present in this mini laptop and to the problems pupils may face if a technical problem happens.
    A new Technology appreared and now the tendency is for placing monitors in the schools and connecting them with a central unit where all the maintainence can be done much more easily.
    This technology is actually implemented in Rwanda !!

    ReplyDelete
  3. hope this project make succes in shaa allah.
    cause it will be a big step...really big.

    so we'll wait and see

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey, I struggle to get three here in the usa for 6 kids to share. But I hope this works my friend in CA sent me an email on this and I was proud of Libyas strive to bring the country into the new century. Yes technology will be an issue but it is a start.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello there KhadijaTeri, thanks for dropping by my blog and for the birthday wishes! Great to see more bloggers in Libya out there. FYI, the company I'm working for here in Tripoli is the one that initiated the laptop project.:D

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bedouin - OOOhhhhh! Nice! Does that mean I now have 'wasta' and get laptops for all my kids? - seriously I'm looking forward to seeing success with this project. Good luck and keep up the hard work!

    ReplyDelete

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