The $100 laptop closer to reality

[mailinglist at endosquid.com (Brendan)]

On Thursday 29 September 2005 11:29 am, Jeff Kinz wrote:
> I have a more positive outlook.  Eventually technology will enable
> schools to tutor each student individually, with a curriculum that will
> be specifically customized to the approach that works best for that
> students individual brain wiring. As for things like IM being a

This *will* be great. We aren't anywhere near there though.

> distraction, (making kids "stupider") eventually the kids themselves
> learn how to manage this. (And most school environments will probably
> just shut it off/filter it.)

Through WiFi on a fieldtrip? That would be somethin' to see.
If you couldn't install things on the laptop except for approved apps or if 
the ports were blocked inside the school, yeah.

> > The book monopoly/lobby/scam-artists are never, ever going to allow a 25
> > dollar, self-updating PDF file. Forget that dream, when they are making
> > 100-150 per book, per student, per class. No way are they going to ditch
> > *that* revenue-stream.
>
> As long as they have a choice, they won't.  Most colleges/Universities
> let the instructor choose the text for the class. Often the text will
> be one the instructor or a friend of their's has written.....

My father has been a professor for 40 years. He is rarely given full choices 
in his books. He is usually given a range or no choice at all. Typically 
schools have deals with manufacturers/companies that produce the books.