Lappy new year!

great news, more freebies - maybe i get two along with the two desktops i have already, lol. Also computers are needed for school homework these days even for the 7-14yr olds. Very often internet specific questions and information is required.
 
Strife212 said:
There is no one, no one (in the UK) who cannot afford a PC anyway.

I know for a fact even someone with no income whatsoever could easily get a basic PC with the money they get off the government, if they don't waste it all constantly.
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Very true, 5 years ago i was out of work and on JSA and Housing benefit, in the 4 months I was out of work I managed to scrounge enough money to buy a fairly decent system at the time, certainly good enough to play games of the time on.

Imho the government give far to much to people and get nothing in return, I managed perfectly fine living on ~£15 a week and I smoked back then also, but they gave ~120 every 2 weeks so always had money spare.
 
mattheman said:
what about handing over old government computers, ofcourse replace the hdd, they be cheaper, and reduce the green house gas.
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Because if you genuinely want a scheme like this to work and give disadvantaged children access to IT you can't just plonk a piece of equipment in their homes and expect them to get on with it. If it's to continue to provide a benefit to the child through there time in school it needs to last. Can you imagine the logistics of maintaining a fleet of 4+ year old computers all needing different parts out in the community (especialy when the computer is being used by non experts). A thin client will last for years and if it fails can just be swapped out.
 
There should be a ban on posting Daily Mail articles in GD, it just upsets everyone. The usual suspects go into SEND THEM BACK/LOL LABOUR mode and everyone else is left looking a little :confused:
 
Can't help feeling a little bit jealous (honesty ?) tbh, I'm in a low income job and it took me ages to save up for my first laptop.

Hopefully though at the very least it well help some of those kids with their school work, I guess that's what's important, I do worry though that some parents might might abuse this scheme and keep the laptop for themselves or sell it.
 
I cant remember the intricate details and I am undecided as to whether i support the HAP, but i can add details.

The Home Access Programme was agreed ages ago, 20 months ago i think, so its hasnt been a just a vote thing. Although the given the timing they may be taking advantage of it.

A notebook was specified, to allow the child to take their learning device to and from school.

The price includes 12 months all inclusive interernet connectivity. Most suppliers are providing this by way of of USB dongle with the internet delivered vie mobile broadband. This was also to try and solve the issue of families of lower income not having access to the internet.

The price also includes 3 years warranty, and if i remember rightly the terms were on site.

When the BOM costs were analysed, it was virtually impossible, for anyone to provide a solution that wasnt a netbook.
 
How do they expect to give some of these people internet access, 3/4 of the people I know (not friends) who would probably get this offer can't get a phone line, cable, mobile contract (dongle net access) due to bad credit, repeatedly ripping off phone companies by running up bills and never paying etc.
 
Jokester said:
Should be plenty of cheap laptops on the auction sites in the new year then.
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Yep, I look forward to buying one.

£528 is a very precise figure and well over what a laptop costs, so I suspect there to be more to this than we've been told. Isn't the eeepc 701 basically designed for this? I think it even had "one laptop per child initiative" written on it.

Didn't read until the end of page three, mobile broadband and a three year warranty would do it. Is it wrong that I stereotype the poor as likely to drop/throw down stairs/pour beer on a free laptop? Anything handed out for free has no value and is treated as such, at least charge £20 for the damned things.
 
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I thought we were supposed to be a capitalist nation.

Laptops for the poor, broadband for the needy... how does this benefit me?
 
I wouldn't be at all surprised if someone is being lobbied here. Either that or somebody in government owns significant shares in Comet.

I always laughed at America and thought 'well at least our politicians aren't lobbied by big business'. Shame that's the way it's going.
 
aardvark said:
jesus.

(meant as an exclamation, not a 'thanks for the info')
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Always wondered why people use the name Jesus as a swear/power/cuss/whatever word?

Why use someone's name? ...and why Jesus and not Mohammed or Buddha?

A case of everybody else does, so why not?

Bit off topic, I know.
 
I can see no real issue with the principle behind it, but I do worry about the execution. Computers are pretty much becoming a standard requirement for education these days and if you have a sub-section of society without a computer and internet access then they are going to fall even further behind than they already are.
 
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