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This story misses a lot of points about the disadvantage that persists. It’s not that the wealth gap prevents people from buying computers. This hasn’t been tru

This story misses a lot of points about the disadvantage that persists. It’s not that the wealth gap prevents people from buying computers. This hasn’t been true in US for over a decade - one can buy a fully programming capable machine for $300-$400. Better yet, you can rent Amazon or Google servers for a few cents at a time. I never imagined that as a kid. Where there is will, there is a way. My first experience with computers was in a relic of Soviet Science agency, when I was 5. Until 2000s, it was a struggle just to get equipment to connect to the internet (pulse phone lines burned out tone dial-up modems). The advantage I had is that I knew about computers and the power they held. I knew that math was the gateway to programming. I didn’t have funds for a fancy new IBM or Apple, but I had knowledge enough to make things work. I still meet people today on a daily basis that regard computer work as some kind of borderline magic that they can never comprehend. This is the real disadvantage. I mostly blame our education system and the teachers that tell kids it’s ok to not understand, that they are just “not good” at something. If we can solve this attitude that mediocrity is ok, we’ll make a lot of peoples lives better.

hellweaver666 8y ago
your privilege is showing ;) Seriously though. Lots of people are living pay check to pay check and drowning in payday loans just to get through the month. $300 isn't something that they have spare to blow on a computer. In this day and age there isn't even a need to - not when they can get a €100 Android phone that will give them internet access to do everything they want. Of course... creating a business from a phone is all but impossible and this is why we don't see many people from poor backgrounds becoming tech billionaires.
- sologoub 8y ago
  I have gone without many meals as a kid, you don’t know what you are talking about. Try living on less than $80 a month. We made it work and I got a good education.
- repolfx 8y ago
  That's an absurd theory. Firstly, you can buy computers for $30 if you need to. But even if you want to get a laptop instead, the difference between $300 and $100 is not significant if you care about saving for it. The idea that poor people can't afford a computer is delusional - I've been to regions of Mexico and China that are dirt poor and they have flat screen TVs. In fact I've encountered lots of TVs in places much poorer than the USA. If they can buy that they can buy a different kind of screen without a doubt. Poverty is not an excuse for a lack of computer knowledge these days. Back in the 1980's, sure.
pwinnski 8y ago
I know someone who skips meals to make rent. She's about to start a second job, since her first can only give her 40 hours per week. A one-time $300-$400 could be life-changing for her. Your larger point is still interesting, but it is still true that the wealth gap prevents people from buying computers.
- sologoub 8y ago
  Ok, there are public libraries in US in most places that have them. Most schools have at least a handful. When I was going to school, we had one outdated 286 for hundreds of kids. Not until parents donated a few more were we able to build up a classroom with 5 machines. US is so infinitely better off than most other places, it really bothers me how little we appreciate it. This same misery no longer is true in most of Eastern Europe, but still plays out daily in many other countries. People there make it work, but knowledge does empower and many lack that knowledge.

hellweaver666 8y ago

your privilege is showing ;) Seriously though. Lots of people are living pay check to pay check and drowning in payday loans just to get through the month. $300 isn't something that they have spare to blow on a computer. In this day and age there isn't even a need to - not when they can get a €100 Android phone that will give them internet access to do everything they want. Of course... creating a business from a phone is all but impossible and this is why we don't see many people from poor backgrounds becoming tech billionaires.

sologoub 8y ago
I have gone without many meals as a kid, you don’t know what you are talking about. Try living on less than $80 a month. We made it work and I got a good education.
repolfx 8y ago
That's an absurd theory. Firstly, you can buy computers for $30 if you need to. But even if you want to get a laptop instead, the difference between $300 and $100 is not significant if you care about saving for it. The idea that poor people can't afford a computer is delusional - I've been to regions of Mexico and China that are dirt poor and they have flat screen TVs. In fact I've encountered lots of TVs in places much poorer than the USA. If they can buy that they can buy a different kind of screen without a doubt. Poverty is not an excuse for a lack of computer knowledge these days. Back in the 1980's, sure.

pwinnski 8y ago

I know someone who skips meals to make rent. She's about to start a second job, since her first can only give her 40 hours per week. A one-time $300-$400 could be life-changing for her. Your larger point is still interesting, but it is still true that the wealth gap prevents people from buying computers.

sologoub 8y ago
Ok, there are public libraries in US in most places that have them. Most schools have at least a handful. When I was going to school, we had one outdated 286 for hundreds of kids. Not until parents donated a few more were we able to build up a classroom with 5 machines. US is so infinitely better off than most other places, it really bothers me how little we appreciate it. This same misery no longer is true in most of Eastern Europe, but still plays out daily in many other countries. People there make it work, but knowledge does empower and many lack that knowledge.