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Gordon Brown Wants to Give U.K.’s Poor Free Laptops and Internet

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Posted on Jan 12, 2010

The British PM has announced a plan to spend the equivalent of nearly half a billion dollars providing free laptops and broadbrand Internet access to 270,000 low-income families. The program will need parliament’s blessing.

We can think of loads of great things to do with a laptop and a broadband connection—Truthdig, Netflix and “World of Warcraft” come to mind—but the Brits are after something much duller. The giveaway is part of a larger plan to guarantee parents the ability to monitor their children’s progress at school.

Whatever. As long as these things can browse Cute Overload, we’re all good, Gordon.  —PZS

The Guardian via Engadget:

The premier told the annual Learning and Technology World Forum on the first day of its two-day conference in central London that the government recognised parents’ need for “rich, varied and easily accessible information” on the progress, behaviour and attendance of their children.

“That is why we have said that from 2010 all secondary schools – and from 2012 all primary schools – will guarantee reporting online to parents,” he said. “So the mother who’s worried about her son struggling with his reading can find out more about how she can help, or the dad who works long hours and can’t make a parents’ evening can keep in touch with his daughter’s progress, at whatever time of the day or night that he’s free.”

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By samuel, March 17, 2011 at 8:03 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I know it seems weird but It is my desperate attempt. My name is Samuel and I leave in Eritrea (A country in East Africa). I am computer science graduate and I am passionate to develop my field but I could not get appropriate job moreover since I don’t have laptop. It is hard for met to develop my field. So I beg any body if he could give me free laptop or PC. Contact me on .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

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Leefeller's avatar

By Leefeller, January 13, 2010 at 8:42 am Link to this comment

Bouncing around TD, was just reading an other article, saying watching television can be bad for your health and may cause premature demising.

So one may conclude sitting in front of a computer is much more healthy, especially if one types with their feep!

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thecrow's avatar

By thecrow, January 13, 2010 at 8:20 am Link to this comment

Careful, Mr. Brown. You don’t want the proles exposed to crazy stuff like this, do you?

http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/memory-holes-in-the-floor/

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By tomack, January 13, 2010 at 8:20 am Link to this comment

Brilliant!

Brilliant!

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By rollzone, January 12, 2010 at 3:06 pm Link to this comment

hello. if he is able to do this, i submit his name for
the humanitarian of the year award. if he is able to
continue this program as foreign aid to countries able
to support this- i would nominate him for a lifetime
achievement award. i am a novice on the internet, and
am not yet using all the advantages it personally
provides me as an individual. the educational
opportunities are unlimited. personal business has
advantages. shopping has advantages. introducing
children into this arena: gives them an unmeasurable
boost for their social and personal lives. well done.

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