Computersight -

The main goal of the OLPC foundation is not only to provide cheap, simple laptops to children, but to close the gap between the computer illiterate children of developing countries so they will have the same opportunities as children in developed countries.

What is the OLPC laptop?

The OLPC laptop, called XO, it’s a very simple, Linux-based color screen laptop, it features no hard disk but a flash memory, a lot of programs called “Activities”, wireless Internet access where available, and the most interesting feature of all, a collaborative environment where the child can connect whether their teacher, fellow classmates or other XO users within the specified connection range. They can share activities, do projects together and learn things together.

This laptop was given to children in different parts of the world, in most of the cases paid by the local government and/or NGO’s, but in all cases, it was given to the child for free, and it’s theirs to keep.

In this particular case, Uruguay is the piloting experience in the world where every child in the primary state school system in the country has been given their own XO. My son was one of them and here’s his picture.

Image Copyright Paola Grochi

The advantages of the “Green Laptop”

First of all, if the child has no computer experience, as it is my son’s case (because the computer at home is Mommy’s job, that’s why he’s not allowed to use it, however, some other six and seven yr old children are very used to regular Windows PC and Internet gaming mainly, which I strongly disapprove of), as I was saying, if the child is not experienced with computers, then he or she will find the graphic interface very intuitive and easy-to-use (if they have NO previous experience, when I first tried it out I had a very hard time!), plenty of “Activities” such as a word processor, educational games, a camera to take photos and videos, a spreadsheet, a Paint-like image editor, a library, some programming languages, a chat environment to be used with other XO users, some music editors and more. All the activities are based on a programming environment included in the XO, therefore, any child is able to experiment with the programming language and produce new programs.

Depending on their age, there are activities suitable to their intellectual development.

It is also a quite sturdy, strong laptop, great for kid’s use, and with a screen easy to read in the sun. By the way, the screen can rotate and even fold itself on the keyboard, converting it in a kind of e-book.

It also has the ability to connect to the Internet, and every school in the country has been provided with a special, kid-friendly Internet wireless access, therefore the school net is monitored and safe for kids to use.

Being Linux-based, it’s virtually virus-free, and since it’s a restricted, simple system, the child can freely experiment with all software and as a parent, you’ll be sure everything will be fine after you turn it off and on again. Something I wouldn’t dare doing in my computer! (Oh, good ol’ DOS days!)

The downside of the XO

Older kids might have a hard time when they start using the XO, especially because it’s a far cry from your everyday, Windows-based PC. Activities (programs) have very little help files if they do, but, on the other side, it allows the child to experiment freely and safely.

Internet access is quite restricted in terms of distance, and if you’re two blocks from the school you’ll lose signal, and in case you have wireless Internet access at home you won’t have protected, kids-safe Internet.

It’s a rather slow PC, its filing system is a bit confusing to use at first, but after you tackle that, you can also use pen-drive to store your child’s work.

In conclusion, I feel it is a great opportunity for every child, regardless of his or her economic, cultural and social background to be able to own and freely use their own computer.