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[Reid Felske]

Hi to everyone,

My name is Reid Felske, and I reside in Victoria, B.C., Canada. My company does business with high schools across Canada, and we are very interested in creating a program to donate a large number of laptops through an association with OLPC. We are eager to start up a program with the schools and students my company works with. We are positioned  to donate thousands of laptops over the coming years By getting Canadian schools and students aware of the OLPC will bring more exposure to the program, and educating our young people to be more involved in assisting their less fortunate peers in third world countries.

However, I have become extremely frustrated. After much effort, I have not been able to get any response from OLPC  regarding how to get involved in the process. I have searched the "How to be a Contributer" section and have sent emails. I have not received any response after trying off and on for six months. I consider the OLPC to be an amazing project, offering huge benefits to children in poor and repressed countries. Education is the key to creating a better world, but OLPC has got to become become more proficient in replying to and working with interested donor groups. Thousands of opportunities will be missed if these procedures do not change and become more responsive and pro-active.

I would appreciate it if someone would direct me to an individual or group who could help my company become an active member in this great undertaking.

I look forward to hearing from you.

[GregYohn]

Hello!

Basically, thousands are not sufficient enough for OLPC to be interested in your donation for Canada! If you represented a government, then they would be interested!

Really, the XO is not meant for families that have access to electricity already! When the students in the same school have computers with Microsoft, the XO falls flat! Your intention to help students is good, but when the other students use Microsoft and you use Sugar, that begins to show the problems.

[mavrothal]

Really, the XO is not meant for families that have access to electricity already! When the students in the same school have computers with Microsoft, the XO falls flat! Your intention to help students is good, but when the other students use Microsoft and you use Sugar, that begins to show the problems.

Really, I do not get this. The inability to offer laptop to a community on your own scale is a BIG problem and should be addressed as such.
What on earth Microsoft has to do with this?

A lot of Schools with electricity use Apple computers and some of them have MSOffice, but when was the last time that the project in your elementary school required Office?
Is a write-up in docx format on how to create an Access database of Powerpoint files with embedded Excel graphics, common in your school district elementary?
Do you know of any study that Windows is easier to learn than Sugar or any other OS for that matter?
Do you know of any education curriculum developed or under development for Windows?
Is there any indication that MSOffice knowledge gives you  better job opportunities than Linux (when your aspirations do not stop at secretarial work)?
Do you know of many/any Linux user having problems using Windows?  I know A LOT with the opposite problem. Does this tell you anything about how windows "educates" its users even in computer use?
Do not confuse, familiarity, popularity or even hardware/software specs with educational ability and potential.
If you have any information on how and why Windows is a better  elementary school educational computer, please come forward.
This is not about driving a Mercedes or a Pinto, is about learning how to drive. Besides most of the Mercedes drivers are really lousy drivers.

[AuntiMame]

After much effort, I have not been able to get any response from OLPC  regarding how to get involved in the process. I have searched the "How to be a Contributer" section and have sent emails. I have not received any response after trying off and on for six months.

Reid,
I don't know if I can be of any help in facilitating contact, but if you send me a message with the names of the people at OLPC you have contacted I might be able to find a new path/contact for you.

Aunti

[Wayan Vota]

Sad to say that Reid's experience is not new.  Just check out the Donors Category on OLPC News for multiple failures by OLPC to care about anyone but government officials who promise (yet rarely deliver) orders of tens of thousands of XO laptops

[GregYohn]

Hello!

Children without access to any computers is the role of the XO. Going to a local internet cafe and playing games there is where many without a computer outside of the USA & Canada use to make use of a computer. The XO was built for children that never saw a computer. If children have access to the X Box or other video games in their home, they will be disappointed. I was outside of the country and although the children were from poor homes, their peers still used the computers available around the corner. I saw this happening in South America and Asia. Other computers available to have Windows can also run Sugar/Linux, if it's so good. Those other machines use more electricity, but for people in North America the cost of electricity is not a concern.

[mavrothal]

Hello!   

This can be a long discussion unrelated to this thread. What about a new one where you can post the same complain over and over instead of just bringing it up out of the blue everywhere.

[Reid Felske]

I think my previous posting confused a lot of people. My company will be purchasing the XO and donating to the OLPC as a participating donor member. I also realize that the laptops do not operate on electricity. By making the students in my customer schools aware of OLPC, I am hoping they, as a group, will also participate as donors independently. Isn't the key to this program worldwide awareness?

My company will be donating 10 - 15% of our profits to purchase these computers. I am quite aware that the computers will not be going to Canadian students. The receiver is determined by OLPC. I simply want to start a regional program my company will contribute large $$ too, and hope I can inspire a large number of schools to contribute as well. This is not complicated!

The one response that stated a few thousand laptops is not worth OLPC's time is repulsive. If only one child can be helped then it is worthwhile. Most countries and their politicians are  self serving, corrupt, or both. To depend solely on this source for success is naive.

Considering the present worldwide economic implosion, many governments will surely back away from organizations like OLPC and take care of their own economic woes. As the owner of a company that is relatively unaffected by the present economic crash, I am fortunate to be positioned to donate and participate in any small way I can.

Finally, although I have received a few appreciated responses, I still do not have an email address or name of a contact group or individual that will respond to my request to support this program.

Regards,
Reid

[Wayan Vota]

Reid,

Do not be repulsed by those that say that OLPC doesn't care about you because you're only thinking a few thousand laptops - that is how OLPC things, we are only the realistic messengers.

Again, you are not the first nor the first to be frustrated with OLPC's (lack of) relations with non-governmental donors.  Just how OLPC acts.  Oh and to be clear, very few of us here feel that this is a good thing.

[GregYohn]

You have a couple of options!

1) Donate directly to OLPC and they can distribute the XO computers.

2) Donate directly to a school with students far away from the electric grid.

The first method is the easiest to handle.

The second method requires much planning to implement it.

Personally, I would like to participate in option 2, but the realities of implementing a successful program are rather challenging. Too many times people go to places around the globe to visit, when they should have stayed home and donated their travel expenses to the project they visited.

[Reid Felske]

Thanks to all those who are guiding through this donor process.

Like many people, I first became aware of the OLPC program when I watched the documentary on Public TV. As my company deals in the "education environment", I was very inspired, and  believe one of the biggest global problems we face today is ignorance.  OLPC  directly addresses this problem, and the laptop acts as a magnet to attract the impoverished children back to the school house to learn.

Donating money to causes carries the risk that only a percentage will actually reach its true mark, and donating money to third world governments only guarantees a paycheck for corrupt politicians. Please do not view me as cynical, I prefer pragmatic, and aware of the real world we live in.

Questions:
1.) How do I go about purchasing the OLPC documentary to show to thousands of Canadian students?
2.) How do I purchase an OLPC laptop which will allow me to demonstrate to Canadian students how the laptop works. Having a laptop to demonstrate is critical?
3.) How do I go about purchasing OLPC information brochures for distribution to schools?

My last question is: If I donate money to OLPC, what assurance do I have the money is going to be used to purchase laptops? I would rather have each participating school designate a destination for the laptops, and also pay the cost to ship them. This way I would know that 100% of the money is going to be used for its intended purpose.

Reid

[AuntiMame]

Questions:
1.) How do I go about purchasing the OLPC documentary to show to thousands of Canadian students?
2.) How do I purchase an OLPC laptop which will allow me to demonstrate to Canadian students how the laptop works. Having a laptop to demonstrate is critical?
3.) How do I go about purchasing OLPC information brochures for distribution to schools?

My last question is: If I donate money to OLPC, what assurance do I have the money is going to be used to purchase laptops?

1. I got a copy of the "60 Minutes" interview with Nicholas Negroponte on DVD from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/60-Minutes-Laptop-Child-2007/dp/B000QXCPKE/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1224894661&sr=8-8

2. The GiveOne, Get One (G1G1) is being run by Amazon this year, but they wont ship computers to Canada. You'll either have to get a friend in the states to be the "receiver" and then forward it on to you... or you could buy one on eBay or Craigslist. There is a program where you an ask OLPC for a loaner to work on a project, but I can't find the link at wiki.laptop.org. There is a Toronto user's group and a Vancouver group, too. http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Canada

3. OLPC doesn't have much in the way of brochures. You can find some here:
   http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Posters
   http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Category:Brochures_and_flyers


4. I can't speak for OLPC, nor do I know the ratio of $in fro donors to $out to countries, but I do know the organization is extremely lean. There can't be more than 30 employees - almost all of whom are engineers. And their offices, while pleasant, are not the dot-com Taj Mahals that some organizations have. And they rely very heavily on community contribution for content and software.

Just my take on things,
Aunti

[Wayan Vota]

1.) How do I go about purchasing the OLPC documentary to show to thousands of Canadian students?

Not sure which OLPC documentary you are referring to - is there another one besides the 60 Minutes one?  If so, why wasn't I in it too?

2.) How do I purchase an OLPC laptop which will allow me to demonstrate to Canadian students how the laptop works. Having a laptop to demonstrate is critical?

Sadly, OLPC forgers that Canadians are people too.  You can always try eBay, which will have G1G1 2007 and 2008 XO's for shipment to any country you want.

3.) How do I go about purchasing OLPC information brochures for distribution to schools?

No need to buy them, you can download the many we've made:
http://www.olpcnews.com/forum/index.php?topic=84.msg2008
http://www.olpcnews.com/sales_talk/g1g1/olpc_starbucks_envy.html

My last question is: If I donate money to OLPC, what assurance do I have the money is going to be used to purchase laptops? I would rather have each participating school designate a destination for the laptops, and also pay the cost to ship them. This way I would know that 100% of the money is going to be used for its intended purpose.

This is an issue we've wondered about too.  Especially since GG1v2 will not really be buying a second computer: http://www.olpcnews.com/sales_talk/g1g1/give_almost_1_get_1.html

[CleverGirl]

Reid,

I can introduce you to a couple of people here in Canada who are already supporting OLPCs in a few schools (mostly adhoc, but one of them is a major Canadian company).  Send me an email & then I will send you some contacts.

Everything about contacting OLPC from a Canadian perspective (in Canada) has been frustrating this way. 

It is too bad, really. There is significant possibility for the use of OLPCs in the Far North (esp.) and rural areas... and, frankly, urban schools if one focuses on it as a learning tool rather than as a computer, IMO.  And, clearly, the type of campaign you are considering would be a real opportunity for Canadian children to learn about the use of learning technologies in the developing world.

Don't lose heart... it *is* possible.

Clevergirl.