iPad vs OLPC and the Ridiculousness of Tech Expectations

I think I’ve now used ‘ridiculous’ or some form of it so many times in reference to iPad and technology as to lose all meaningfulness.  It’s just that articles such as this one at Gartner infuriate me, as they seem to be based purely on enthusiasm and not reality.  I’m all for enthusiasm and setting fire to the world, and I am not at all a luddite, but let’s not confuse the purpose and function of technology for that of people and institutions.  Technology is NOT development.  It is simply a tool for development.  Nor will the mere appearance of technology lead to development (actually, if we define development as the rise in living standards, Jane Jacobs makes a powerful argument that technology can underdevelop or even un-develop).  In any case, there’s more about the post over at D&S.

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