It seems like those 5-year TCO figures should not be taken overly seriously. Naturally costs associated with internet access, training and maintenance are going to be a part of any adopted technology solution. However, the author of the OLPC News story used very specific numbers that are based on what amount to bald guesses. The assumption that 1/1000 of these babies will need replaced on a yearly basis or that internet access will cost $135.14/user/year don't seem to be particularly valid. The true TCO is certainly going to vary from country to country, and probably even locale to locale.
Personally, I suspect that it will end up being closer to $100/user/year, and then dropping as network infrastructure and user base becomes mature.
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It seems like those 5-year TCO figures should not be taken overly seriously. Naturally costs associated with internet access, training and maintenance are going to be a part of any adopted technology solution. However, the author of the OLPC News story used very specific numbers that are based on what amount to bald guesses. The assumption that 1/1000 of these babies will need replaced on a yearly basis or that internet access will cost $135.14/user/year don't seem to be particularly valid. The true TCO is certainly going to vary from country to country, and probably even locale to locale.
Personally, I suspect that it will end up being closer to $100/user/year, and then dropping as network infrastructure and user base becomes mature.