- 07 May 2012
My very first computer
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My very first computer
Umar Saif says MIT’s One Laptop per Child (OLPC) and Intel’s Classmate PC programmes were huge successes. How so?
LAHORE: This is with reference to Umar Saif’s article “My very first computer” (May 8). I recall reading about BitMate last year, when it received some attention outside Pakistan (and thus subsequently in Pakistan). Umar Saif was a source of pride for many Pakistanis at that time. However, to be honest, after reading his article, I may have to change my opinion. This is not because he appears to be a propaganda arm of the Punjab government (read: PML-N), but rather because of his ill-thought ideas despite appearing to be highly educated.
He says that MIT’s One Laptop per Child (OLPC) and Intel’s Classmate PC programmes were huge successes. How so? And what makes him believe that such programmes can be successful in Punjab too? We have already seen that in some cases laptops being handed out by the Punjab government were being sold in the secondary market, which proves that the programme was only successful in transferring taxpayers’ money into the pockets of certain entities and helped the PML-N garner some positive headlines.
It is sad to see such thinking and logic coming from people working at, arguably, the finest academic institution in Pakistan.
Omar Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, May 11th, 2012.
Reader Comments (3)
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It is very sad that the propoganda mindset can not see the youth of Pakistan flourish.
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One Khan came to the rescue to defend another Khan. Claiming and providing evidence are two different things. The writer only claimed and did not provide any evidence. OLPC and Intel Classmates are one of the best schemes. It is pretty disgusting that in order to defend one party ( read PTI) the writer actually stooped low and I hope OLPC and Intel should give him an appropriate answer to his Claim that their schemes were failiures so that he could mud sling less for Petty Political Objectives.
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The actual data from OLPC deployments contradicts the assertion that it is a waste of taxpayers monrey to give laptops to children because they will just sold on the black market. With over 2 million laptops distributed, less than 1% have gone missing. This is part due to the extraordinary security system embedded in the OLPC XO hardware and software, but also due to the change in culture that the OLPC program brings about in the communities in which it is deployed.
Regarding return on investment, perhaps the most encouraging statistic from the field is the fact that 10% of the “apps” run on the laptops have been developed by pre-teen children, an indicator that children participating in OLPC programs are able to unleash their creative and entrepreneurial spirits. Can we ask for a better outcome?
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