ICANN spy writes: “”Hey frank Guess what I saw down in LA. . .the OLPC laptop (you know laptop.org) and guess who was toting it around showing it off at the registrar constituency .. . . 
yep ! Vint ! So ‘the GOOG’ is heavily involved in this project is my guess. They seem to be taking a cue from history and the route that the catholics did and giving all the “poor and unfortunate”.. a bible that ‘they’ wrote. . . “”
***FS*** A laptop for every child.. That’s noble. A chance to mold a generation of users, getting them comfortable with your OS, browser and search.. that’s commercially wiley. I wonder what kind of PPC listings those third world IP addresses and ‘green machine’ MAC addresses are going to be served?
As a sidebar, I was watching an ad on latenight TV for 
video professor CD’s .. teaching folks how to use a computer.. (If you live in North America and watch cable TV, you’ve probably heard of this). It suddenly occurred to me that those video professor folks could have changed the dynamic of their company if they had users agree to use “their” error search and struck a third party subsyndication deal with Yahoo or Google to monetize the searches.
Monetizing eyeballs has shown itself to be one of the most consistent way to generate revenues on the Internet and if ICANN spy’s hypothesis of Google involved in the $100 laptop is correct then there is likely a long-run benefit to the company. The lure of opportunity often brings out the best in corporate sponsors.. here’s to hoping it helps close global income gaps and improve living standards as more information comes to more people.
http://www.zonbu.com
One of the main themes at ICANN was “Sell to the Chinese”. They have the Olympics coming and the money. ICANN operates just like the Swiss IOC. They now spend years deciding which third-world cab driver will “win” their next lottery. They then trot off to that country for a free ride.
Frank might want to buy a cab in the Caymans and
invite the ICANN team down for a ride.
http://www.zonbu.com
OK, well I love the usual Google skepticism and cynicsm, but I think we should give Vint Cerf a break! Could it possibly be that he’s genuinely interested in helping poor people get PCs?
Google may be a self-interested hypocritical cash generating monster, and all, but that doesn’t mean we need to assume that about every person associated with them is motivated by the same institutional greed.
***FS*** Y’know That’s a fair comment John. Vint is a decent guy.. It could be that Google is doing something purely benevolent here too.
I think it is pretty appalling to compare an effort provide those in need with inexpensive computing resources to Catholic’s giving out Bibles. Maybe if “ICANN Spy” actually took 5 minutes to read about the laptop.org project they would not make such an offensive comment?
I thought this blog had higher standards with regard to who you are giving “air time” to.
I didn’t know Vint Cerf needed Google’s approval for anything. Perhaps he personally likes the idea of a cheap laptop for developing countries?
“poor and unfortunate”
“bible”
” ‘they’ wrote”
Seriously the hyperbole and self-righteousness of the domainer community is ridiculous.
Hi,
IMHO…as always…
Vint Cerf…no problem given VC a ‘break’…
But,
Give me a ^%$$# break!…
Google…”do no evil”???
They are trying to ‘divide’(divvy up) up the Internet world (with them as King)…
And none of us are going to get our fair share…unless you consider ‘bread and water and a 20 hour work week’… your fair share.
Peace!
Dan
Correction…
“20 hour work DAY”
for the post above,,,
sorry,
Dan
I haven’t watched video professor’s CD, but I did order “Gab & Max’s Internet Thing.”
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PPsUmhqncAg
I will be more convinced about the Philanthropy when I see there is actually an Address Bar in the browser of this OLPC laptop. Last I heard was it was a cut down version geared only to Search.
60 Minutes feature on the laptop, and the “competition” can be found here:
http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/69/one_laptop_per_child?comment_offset=21
I think that Google (is) really trying to “help” those in need…
[Yes...as well as help themselves, by teaching and(allowing) only one way to search]
Simply because I also look – at the non existent buying power of the people that get these free laptops and think
Who would pay for that traffic in Sponsored listings? No one, And how can Google make money doing that
Maybe Using by using other Companies that want to help as well?
Via some kind of Donation/click Programs(to various causes)in lieu of a payment/per/click to Google?
Maybe some matching Donation Program will emerge set up by Google, that they will also use, to offset earnings, so that in reality all this “Philanthropy” doesn’t cost them anything.
Seems to be a win-win situation for (all involved with Google) and with Google coming out on top as the biggest Winner, retaining (and gaining) more of the Worlds Internet Users.
There is one saving grace for people with Direct Navigation Domains…(to me)
You have to keep in mind…that the more visitors Google gets, the more diluted their traffic becomes, and the more valuable a targeted visitor from a Direct Navigation Domain becomes.
***FS*** Excellent comment Forrester
If this is such an evil ploy, why isn’t Google doing it directly? Why isn’t Yahoo? Or MS? (who can easily afford it).
***FS*** Surely not ‘evil’ Ahmed.. just some self serving dynamic to it.