Thanksgiving GoGo, share your geekness
... written for Panbo by Ben Ellison and posted on Nov 22, 2007
So one of many things I’m feeling thankful for on this Thanksgiving day (here in the states) is the computer and Internet technology I’m still fascinated by, and which is crucial to the way I enjoyably make my living. So I decided to participate in the One Laptop Per Child GoGo program. GoGo stands for “Give one, Get one” and means my $400 will get a nifty seeming XO laptop (Pogue take here) given to a child in the third world, plus one sent here to Panbo World Headquarters. Who knows, maybe some of the component technology—like the small but high res and inexpensive sunlight viewable display—will be useful on boats. Plus I’ve got a geekish little nephew who may soon be ready for his first computer. Maybe you too should GoGo?
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So, you say that $400 buys two laptops with sunlight readable displays? And I believe, according to the PBS documentary on this subject, these machines are water resistant as well.
Tell me than, why are sunlight readable, VGA 12.1" computer screens for mounting at the helm $3500? This is just the display for hooking up to a laptop not a chartplotter. I have heard all the industry excusses for the outragious price of a bright, water resistant, computer screen, but never believed a word of it. If Garmin, Furnuo, Simrad and others can make a complete radar/chartplotter screen with a load of features for $3500 why can't I buy a single featureless screen for just $400?