Nigeria orders first million OLPC laptops

Nigeria orders first million OLPC laptops

Daniel Fleshbourne on 26 July 2006 - 11:35 · 30 comments & 10703 views

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Nigeria has officially ordered and paid for one million of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) devices, according to the Nigerian Vanguard newspaper. The deal is the first actual order for the project that aims to provide Linux-powered laptops to children in developing economies. Production of the devices will start once five to 10 million have been ordered and paid for, according to the OLPC website.

OLPC deals directly with governments in China, India, Brazil, Argentina, Egypt, Nigeria and Thailand. Other nations are said to be close to placing orders. The computer is commonly referred to as the $100 laptop, but the first units are likely to cost around $140.

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(1 reply) #1 Sam on 26 Jul 2006 - 11:43

Good. More spammers.

#1.1 Marshalus on 26 Jul 2006 - 11:47

Quote - Sam said @ #1

Good. More spammers.

Yes, because 10 year old kids with hand crank powered, ad-hoc connected, laptops are really the problem with spam.

#2 shadowmatt on 26 Jul 2006 - 11:52

It has been documented in the past by such sources as the BBC and CNN that is children, below 18, that spend all day in internet cafes in Nigeria scamming ebay sellers & buyers, paypal scams, spamming, capturing email addresses for future attacks.

#3 moglenstar on 26 Jul 2006 - 12:02

this'll increase the 419 scams tenfold :/

#4 Lowdar on 26 Jul 2006 - 12:11

Roll on the cons.

(2 replies) #5 Fubar on 26 Jul 2006 - 12:18

wow , you lot realy do have your heads up your own arses , this will help kids n poorer countrys , how idiotic of you lot

#5.1 Netrack on 26 Jul 2006 - 12:27

They are jokes, lighten up.

#5.2 quadz0 on 26 Jul 2006 - 21:54

Quote - Fubar said @ #5

wow , you lot realy do have your heads up your own arses , this will help kids n poorer countrys , how idiotic of you lot

what i was thinking

(4 replies) #6 GShapiro on 26 Jul 2006 - 12:42

$140.00??? Wonder how much food, clothing, etc. that would buy for these poor folks. Seems to me that priorities are a little mixed up.

#6.1 EddieZ on 26 Jul 2006 - 12:51

I support your point of view.

The argument will be that without internet access they miss opportunities to enhance their lives, thus lacking opportunities to feed themselves.

Seems to me that this is a huge jump. Just feed them and teach them how to grow food and stuff in a politically balanced country. There is enough (not 'more than ...'

resources in poor countries, only gouvernments are acting to enrich themselves. The probably welcome these toys: they keep the people satisfied and gouvernments can always comment: "we got them the means to enhance their lives but they themselves failed in doing that. It's not our fault".

So stop with these initiatives from the 21 st century and get those third world countries in the 20 th century first.

#6.2 markjensen on 26 Jul 2006 - 13:09

Ahhh, yes. The ultra-polarized dichotomy. People in the world are either livin' large, or they are starving to death and lacking clothes.

There are people in-between, you know. I hate to link to wikipedia as a reference, but just so you are aware that such things as "cities" exist in that country...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria#Cities

#6.3 GShapiro on 26 Jul 2006 - 13:17

Quote - markjensen said @ #1.2

Point taken. But I would think that a hand crank to provide power to the computer sort of indicates that these are going to the less fortunate in Nigeria.

#6.4 Daffy_Duck on 26 Jul 2006 - 15:58

"$140.00??? Wonder how much food, clothing, etc. that would buy for these poor folks. Seems to me that priorities are a little mixed up."

It's not an expense, it's an investment. Just think of how much money they can scam from gullible Americans by giving away computers like this.

(1 reply) #7 SniperX on 26 Jul 2006 - 12:54

Was it an order, or was it an order with "The funds will be passed to you from the acount of the late......"

#7.1 Richardo on 26 Jul 2006 - 14:51

Exactly.

(3 replies) #8 nigor on 26 Jul 2006 - 13:25

I fail to see how such computers would enhance their lives and open new opportunities. Consider this: A kid gets a $100 laptop, cranks it up and enlightens himself to a point where he can touch buddha. He then, when all grown up 'n' all, finds a job posting in US for a 'puter job. He flies to US and comes for a job interview where I am the interviewer. I tell the gentlemen to turn on the computer that I have set up for him and show me his skills. He would then stay puzzled not knowing what to do due to the absence of the crank on the computer. Wouldnt that be akward for him? I think so. Thats is why this is not such a good idea.

#8.1 simon360 on 26 Jul 2006 - 13:39

You honestly think that these kids are that uninformed? "Uh, what's electricity?"

#8.2 Smigit on 26 Jul 2006 - 14:29

If they are applying for a job in the US they'd have some knowledge and they can research it if they need to. The PC's seem intended for young kids, not as a PC for when they are grown up. It doesnt mean that over the years they wont have access to a propper PC. They may not be that well off in Nigeria but I dont think the situation is as bad as some people are making out (thats not to say its all good by any long shot either). But the PC obviously isnt made for people in straw huts that hunt for food with spears.

#8.3 Unplugged on 26 Jul 2006 - 15:02

Because more of them will be able to learn the 419 trade and walk around wearing trainers, bling bling and other junk while proclaiming "Hey.... popsie gotta eat"

(1 reply) #9 Quick Reply on 26 Jul 2006 - 13:42

So Nigeria is buying 1,000,000 laptops @ $140 each. That's 140 MILLION dollars they are spending on laptops. If they had that kind of money sitting around, why arn't they spending it on the essentials. I don't think that these 'Nigerian' scams are really from Nigeria, but rather from scammers pretending to be from Nigeria. In any case, I don't think that this many laptops would be needed to educate the poor, and I don't understand why the makers are waiting for 10,000,000 orders (1.4 BILLION dollars) before they start production, surely this should be enough to start production.

#9.1 Smigit on 26 Jul 2006 - 14:31

You have to spend money to make money. If say 10% of the children who get these PC's benefit from them and are able to learn skills they otherwise would have trouble getting then perhaps in the long run it's a worthwhile investment. If you just throw food at the poor it'll last so long.

Like they say, give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, give a man a fishing rod and he'll eat for a lifetime.

#10 leesmithg on 26 Jul 2006 - 14:08

Unemployment is at 40% for the male adult population.

The money should be invested in job creation.

#11 jwjw1 on 26 Jul 2006 - 14:15

LOL....some Nigerian will now run a 'scamming' operation on e-bay to sell this laptops for 500.00...besides you actually think Nigeria paid for these...I bet the UN or some other charity did.

(1 reply) #12 Richardo on 26 Jul 2006 - 14:50

So they've paid for them and not got them yet...
Maybe OLPC should distribute that money to the 419 targets that have been ripped off.

The negativity toward Nigeria present here isn't surprising considering their track record of scamming people

#12.1 DirtyLarry on 26 Jul 2006 - 15:09

Quote - Richardo said @ #12

So they've paid for them and not got them yet...
The negativity toward Nigeria present here isn't surprising considering their track record of scamming people

To instantly think Scam when one mentions Nigeria is the along the same lines of thinking every American supports Bush... it just is not the truth.
So this means one stereotype has now taken over for an entire country?
Seems rather close minded to me...

#13 Stunna on 26 Jul 2006 - 15:42

This really is the year of linux.

(1 reply) #14 SimplyPotatoes on 26 Jul 2006 - 15:58

Nigeria made a smart decision, technology will educate thus yield more intelligence into their community 10-20years from now when perhaps it may become another India.

Last edited by SimplyPotatoes on 26 Jul 2006 - 16:03

#14.1 jwjw1 on 26 Jul 2006 - 16:39

more 'out sourcing'?

#15 Relativity_17 on 26 Jul 2006 - 16:02

So...

Are they paying for these via Western Union?

Just kidding. Always nice to see technology spreading.

#16 Simon Thulbourn on 26 Jul 2006 - 22:13

Haha, this is going to turn out to be the worlds biggest scam...

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Nigeria orders first million OLPC laptops

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