Here's another plan to narrow the worldwide digital divide:
equip Playstations with Linux and let them loose in the Third
World.
"People in developing nations could soon be using modified Linux
game consoles equipped with satellite links to help them learn
about vital health issues. The project, sponsored by Western and
Asian business leaders working through the World Economic Forum
(WEF), aims to narrow the so-called digital divide....
"The ideal device for the project would be Sony's PlayStation
console, according to [project founder John] Gage. The console
already supports Linux and Sun's Java programming language. In
addition, a hard disk can be connected to the device using the
IEEE1394 fire wire port."
"'The PlayStation, $300 with a DVD-player and it runs Linux and
Java, it's huge. Why would you ever put a PC someplace? It breaks
all the time. You would spend more time fixing it than teaching
(how to use it),' said Gage. 'These things (the PlayStation
consoles) are designed for 12-year-olds and are really
powerful.'"
