brad fuller

And Damon, my whole point is, of course, you don’t need a laptop when you’re in need of food and medical supplies. You might want someone with a simple computer who could communicate and organize self-sufficient access to these supplies (that’s separate from wanting a music sequencer, yes, I understand).

I agree there’s a danger of fabricating need where it doesn’t exist. But I’m sure there are parts of the world — including places in the U.S. — who could use computers, who could take advantage of musical tools, and who are hindered by cost. The flipside of this is, why shouldn’t we think about the economy of the technology we use, and how it can scale? I don’t think there’s any harm in pushing the envelope and using expensive technologies or I wouldn’t spend the time I do writing about them, but likewise, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with looking for innovation in cost, as well. Forcing this down anyone’s throats would be a bad idea, but I don’t think anyone here is suggesting that (meaning readers here, OLPC project aside). From a technological development standpoint, there is still plenty to be learned.

And, honestly, I’m more interested in the element of developing inexpensive learning tools for children wanting to experiment with music and sound. I think that’s an issue worth exploring and debating. And I think it can probably be done on some level without unraveling global hunger and aid issues, really.

These conversations are really easy, unless you are willing to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. You give poor people a sequencer (or a unix machine), and the first thing they will try to do is sell it to buy supplies, but will not be able to cause everyone around them is trying to do the same things. People are more interested in what they need than what you think they should have.

Would i like a sequencer and a unix machine? Yes! Because I am not in need of food and medical supplies. This strikes me as a case of someone giving someone else what THEY would want given to them. And for Christmas, I have plans to purchase my mom a new pipe for my Suzuki.

And I am all for helping out the disadvantaged. But if you do not give them what they need most, your efforts to help have come up vain.

I’ll make another point — computers are tools of communication, which is an essential ingredient in empowerment. It’s not just a crazy utopian vision; this is something that is real and productive all over the world for the same reason these technologies serve us here.

Unfortunately, there’s no response on the question of urban U.S. areas. Have you heard anything in regards to that? I also think of rural areas like eastern Kentucky. Then again, with open sourced tools, I can imagine these are ideas that could spread (and might indeed support cottage industries in these locations).

Peter

Nobody’s saying that we should deny access to music education or even to tools. I think the real argument is whether or not we should be asking the countries themselves to pony up at least $100 million for a tool that doesn’t necessarily provide that education in a good, sustainable, reliable fashion.

I’m not an economist or a learning expert, but I do work for the learning arm of the World Bank. Part of my job is to watch and take notes on almost every single conference sponsored by or held at the Bank. I can assure you, if anyone is calling for cheap laptops, they are far outweighed by those who are just trying to get kids to school in the first place, particularly girls who are often excluded from education in the poor nations. Let’s do that before we start trying to buy them a laptop–or more accurately in this case, ask them to buy themselves a laptop.