JTD wrote:
On Tuesday 17 January 2006 4:26 pm, Abhishek Daga wrote:
If u think of a $100 laptop and GNU software as a universal tool for economic activity u can imagine the multiplier effect it has on economies. Mark has truly grasped the GNU philosophy and realised how universal a tool a pc and good software is.
If this combination of laptop+gnuware+telecom has to really make a positive impact in the most underdeveloped regions of the developing nations we need electricity to run these laptops which is unfortunately more off than on.
Excuse me JTD and Abhi, but we are going in the same direction of thought as did Mr. Chandrababu Naidu who promoted the IT revolution. What happened? The poor were still poor and are still poor and commiting suicides in AP. Another point, those who use linux are not the poor people who are entering computer literacy. That section of people still use M$, thanks to rampant piracy and cheap hardware thats more M$ friendly. A poor or lower middle class assembler in India or Asia may not have any knowledge of Linux, but he still learns from his friends how to create FAT32 partitions and run 'setup.exe'. Thats what really clicks with people. With M$ compounding the problem by donating computers to schools and colleges, this Linux vision still looks distant. I am sorry if I sound negative.
It is supposed to have a hand cranked generator. Also another SAfrican sells a hand generator which is quite a rage with the rucksackers.
I just love free electricity. :)
But I am sure there is someone out there who has figured out a way to charge these using solar energy.
Sometime back I had posted a concept of using a solar parabolic reflector furnace to boil water and use the steam to power turbines to produce bulk electricity and also use this technology to convert salt or polluted water into potable water for rural areas. I wonder if anyone in IIT would be interested to make a working prototype. A final year project or something like that?
I remember reading about a basic manual charger for cellphones designed at IIT.
Regards,
Rony.
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