You got a lot of downvotes, but I actually upvoted you since I think that fits within HN's guidelines of a comment that creates a lot of discussion. I think so

You got a lot of downvotes, but I actually upvoted you since I think that fits within HN's guidelines of a comment that creates a lot of discussion. I think something you are overlooking is that this is like hardware we used to use 10 years ago. And we (the 1st world) were pretty darn productive with that kind of hardware and the software that could run on it. There's no reason in the world why something equivalent wouldn't be just as beneficial for the developing world. >I ask though why do they have to get crap? Because they are poor. Cheap stuff is usually crappy stuff. If your price-point is $99, in an industry where the average is ~$1000, and you want to fit into that low price-point, you end up with low-end stuff - period. Put another way, a $3000 laptop still costs $3000 (maybe more) in the developing world. There's no "3rd world discount" just because they live in the 3rd world. AND we've already tried subsidizing decent hardware/software through the OLPC program and that hasn't exactly turned out like anybody hoped. To a rural farmer in Africa who wants to keep track of his harvest schedule, balance the books and gaining access to the Internet so he can comparison shop from seed suppliers, $3000 may as well be $infinity and he'll just continue to muddle along -- heck, $500 may as well be $infinity depending on the case. But $99 is something you can squeeze out of being a bit more frugal on the petrol usage in the tiller for a few months.