Playpower, which is an organization set up by researchers from the US, Brazil and India, is developing educational games used with simple 8-bit computers for developing countries. On the background, those simple machines are sold with cheap price; around $10 each because wealthier nations stopped using it years ago, so that Playpower can create games without highly cost.
In my opinion, Playpowers’ idea is remarkable not only for business, but also for environment and society. For the business, generally, when an IT company starts to create software or games, they need a huge cost for introducing newest machines, on the other hands this company can create it without those cost by using old machines. Also for the environment, using simple 8-bit computers for new products is a kind of recycle. At last for society, their products might be useful and helpful for developing countries children.
Can you find any demerit of their activities?
__________
References
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20127006.200-programs-wanted-for-oldstyle-chips.html
Monday 23 March 2009
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It sounds like a good idea. However, I wonder what kinds of 'educational' games they have in mind. Sometimes, companies just say this to get support because who would object to a project that was 'educational' in nature. Also, I hope it's not a case of wealthier countries dumping computer 'garbage' onto developing countries and charging them for it. I don't know much about computers, but if this 8-bit computers are like 30 years old, well, I don't know if they'll be much use for kids in developing countries, because whatever knowledge they get from it will be so outdated! And as for computer games, well, I think they'd be better off without them.
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