Repurposed Computers For Children
I’ve long been an advocate of early introduction of computers to children. Kids pick up technology faster than their parents, everyone knows that. Plus, a computer to a kid is like a blank canvas to an artist. There’s a whole universe in there that they instantly grab ahold of. It lets their imagination run wild and the potential for expression and education is limitless.
I remember the first time I used a computer: I was 6 years old. I was in Cubs (the precursor to Scouts Canada), visiting a computer lab at Niagara College in an effort to win the "Computer Badge." As soon as I saw the screen and touched the keyboard, I knew instantly that this is where I wanted to focus my life. Now, I want to make sure that all kids across the world, rich or poor, get that same opportunity for epiphany that I did.
In November of 2008 I was amazed to find brand new Nintendo Gamecubes available at Zellers for only $39 CAD. Later that day I found a bunch available second-hand for $20 CAD. Although the box, marketing, advertising, and software were geared around videogames for kids, I instantly saw this as an opportunity for the world to capitalize on inexpensive, high-quality, and high performance computer hardware.
At the time I thought this might be a way to build a neat cluster of computers for the BOINC volunteer grid-computing network. What if, instead of having them crunch numbers endlessly, we repurposed them as fully-functional computers for kids around the world?
There are several barriers, of course. Mostly technical but some legal. And I really feel that this is where we in the Western world, with all of our wealth, are doing the human race a disservice. There are so many kids in impoverished nations that just need that blank canvas to paint on. Something to get their minds going. Something to connect them to the rest of the world. A Nintendo Gamecube running a free Operating System like Linux could do that for them.
Every day we throw away thousands of keyboards, mice, and monitors. Instead of putting them in landfills and wasting them, why not put them to use? The technical issues surrounding getting these devices to work with Nintendo Gamecube hardware have mostly been solved. The main roadblock for getting something like this off the ground is legal. Nintendo, like almost all videogame hardware manufacturers, prevent piracy by having a special access key for legitimate software. Without that key, your software will not run (legally).
The need for such a piracy-prevention system makes sense... while the gaming system is in fashion. However, Nintendo’s new system, the Wii, has completely superceded the Gamecube, which was launched way back in 2001. You may even have one collecting dust in your entertainment centre at home.
When Hasbro bought the rights to Atari Corporation’s assets, they recognized that there was a thriving homebrew hobbyist culture around their aged Atari Jaguar and declared it an "open platform," releasing the rights to create software for the device.
Why can’t Nintendo do the same? Let’s give those kids a canvas.
If you’ve got an older computer that you’re considering throwing to the curb, take a look at some of the volunteer centres in your area that may be looking for an older but still functional computer to help their work. Consider giving it to a school or work with an organization like Little Geeks, who will find your computer a new home.
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