Cheap laptops: Boon for students or bone of contention?

For the last five years, microchip manufacturers and software publishers have competed to build an efficient and inexpensive computer that could allow students in developing nations to connect to the Internet and take advantage of the learning opportunities it offers. Over time, the contest between rival technologies has evolved into a struggle of opposing ideologies. For an overview of the issues involved, see the essay by Waleed Al-Shobakky that appears at the AllAfrica.com website.

One Laptop Per Child gains ground

A useful summary of the current state of the competition may be found in The Register (UK).