I am considering buying one and donating one, but I still wonder if giving a laptop to a poor child in the third world really helps them vs. doing something else like improving their education or health care by $200, or maybe giving $200 worth of microloans.
That was before they were more desperate for money- apparently they have not yet secured an order. They have to resort to selling in the US to raise money and keep the volume up to keep production costs down.
It's not the worst way to raise funds; there's been enough curiosity raised that they should get several takers on that offer (I know I'll participate when I get the chance in November).
Staff members of the laptop project were concerned that American children might try the pared-down machines and find them lacking compared to their Apple, Hewlett-Packard or Dell laptops. Then, in this era of immediate global communications, they might post their criticisms on Web sites and blogs read around the world, damaging the reputation of the XO Laptop, the project staff worried.
Strange, because so many of the initial reviews were overwhelmingly positive.
Also, it contradicts the official line given in February, which was "they want to focus the production output to kids who need them".
