The New Internet Users.. all 40 million

So, you've probably heard about the "One Laptop Per Child" movement..  It's really one of the most impressively ambitious and organized efforts I've seen in a long time, with some reallllly cool missions.  I want to rant about it a little bit since I wake up at night thinking about it.

I've been following it in the news for a while, intrigued and more intrigued as these laptops are really finding their way into the hands of 10 million developing-nation children.  In a nutshell, this organization is making boatloads of these specially-designed computers they can make for $100, and delivering them to millions of children in developing countries such as Rwanda, Argentina, Nigeria, Cambodia, and many more.

I have to say my first thoughts, as a designer for the web, were something like "holy crap! how am I supposed to design for potentially 40 million new users with unconventional computers, no experience with the web, and a new OS??" (safely assuming families and friends of the 10 million children with computers will dabble as well)

I mean, omg...  What about everything we knew about statistics?  I was looking forward to the final 5% of non-high-speed internet users dwindling away into the past.  I could almost assume a certain degree of fast-loading times and screen resolutions and user-understanding.  My lesson is learned.

The first time "Sugar OS" shows up on my google analytics I think my head will explode.

I know that considerations for accessibility are already being made.  But are they going to take precedence over the iPhone?  Something tells me not so much.

Now what about Pay per Click and Pay per Influence advertising?  40 million new clickers (that's more than the population of Canada!) with, at least currently, no real intention to purchase?  Are we going to start being a lot more selective about where the clicks are coming from?  Is that a sad assumption we'll have to make about these users?  Or, maybe not for long...?

You hear it all of the time, "I went to that developing nation community, and that family with nothing was happier than mine"...  Because, of course, they hadn't been exposed to so much wanting, hadn't been growing up bombarded with advertisements telling them if they don't have a cool car they won't be popular or happy, no social pressure to aquire an Audi or an iPod even.
Pay per Long-Term Influence...?

So, I want to talk about the long-term creative power of these new users, suddenly exposed to all of these new desires and a new hope and means to get it.  They're not just going to use the computers to peruse the internet and see ads, they're also learning programming skills, not to mention the access to e-books of all kinds.
It seems to me like the global impact of this is huge.

I expect to look on Kiva soon and see investment requests for "The Cambodian Geek Squad", and the new startup company of Video Game Programmers in Rwanda.

I'm also very excited I can finally Skype or Aim or Twitter with someone growing up in a developing nation.  Plane rides are expensive.  Very, very cool.

Ranting continues....

And when I say specially designed, I'm not even scratching the surface - "It will also tolerate alternate power-charging sources, such as car batteries.

In addition, —for use at home and where power is not available—the XO can be hand powered. It will come with at least two of three options: a crank, a pedal, or a pull-cord. It is also possible that children could have a second battery for group charging at school while they are using their laptop in class."

Now that's thinking!!!  I don't know why that isn't a standard feature of all laptops, right?  How often am I in the middle of nowhere and my laptop battery dies?  I would happily hand crank my way back to a functioning computer!!




From Wikipedia:

This is the wiki for the One Laptop per Child association. The mission of this non-profit association is to develop a low-cost laptop—the "$100 Laptop"—a technology that could revolutionize how we educate the world's children. Our goal is to provide children around the world with new opportunities to explore, experiment, and express themselves.

Why do children in developing nations need laptops? Laptops are both a window and a tool: a window into the world and a tool with which to think. They are a wonderful way for all children to learn learning through independent interaction and exploration.

And also,

This is the wiki for the One Laptop per Child association. The mission of this non-profit association is to develop a low-cost laptop—the "$100 Laptop"—a technology that could revolutionize how we educate the world's children. Our goal is to provide children around the world with new opportunities to explore, experiment, and express themselves.

Why do children in developing nations need laptops? Laptops are both a window and a tool: a window into the world and a tool with which to think. They are a wonderful way for all children to learn learning through independent interaction and exploration.

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/One_Laptop_per_Child