One Laptop Per Child

In time for the Christmas season, the One Laptop per Child Campaign has announced its launch of the "Buy One Get One Program." The One Laptop Per Child program initially started out as the $100 Laptop program initiative, but problems with the founder and Intel prevented the project from moving forward. Eventually the One Laptopr Per Child People struck a deal that allowed the laptops the program offered for $200 dollars to developing countries.

The designers decided to build rugged, durable laptops that used Linux as their operation system and had wireless networking capabilities brought in. There was only one problem, there was a demand for the laptops in both the United States and Canada wanted one. To this end, they offered the give one, get one program in which a person in either country may purchase two laptops and one is sent to a person in a developing country. Under the Give One Get One Program, the person purchases two laptops and one is sent to the donor and another to a child in a developing world.

The reasons people in these countries might want and XO Laptop are One Laptop per Child Laptops incorporate features that are not found in the more expensive laptops found in a Wal-Mart or similar store. The laptops are rugged and spill proof, although they have less capability than the average $400 Wal-Mart laptop. Currently the Give One Get One Program is limited to only to the month of November, but consumers can only hope that the give one get one program continues beyond November and becomes a way to fund the program beyond the initial Holiday season.

The charitable efforts of the XO Laptop - the computers the One Laptop Per Child Foundation should not be ignored, but for United States consumers, such as myself who have had their own laptop ruined by a careless spill, they would be willing to pay for a laptop that would not be destroyed by bumping a carelessly places glass of water, or worse coffee onto their computer.

Although the XO Laptops are designed for Children, the networking features and the capability to change the software to suit the users need (as well as being a Windows-free environment) make me hope the Give One Get One Program of the One Child Per Laptop Program continue. Clumsy web writers everywhere could use one and would not mind helping out a child in a developing nation so as not to be without their laptop - especially when they prefer to use their desktop computers for more powerful gaming applications. People who wish to purchase an XO Laptop or give to the One Child Per Laptop program can check out information at www.laptopgiving.org