Maybe you have targeted the wrong audience

[liz]

I don't think I've mentioned this before, but it's a useful data point for you guys - we've been talking to Chinese peripheral suppliers, and if a school, say, or a charity somewhere wants to buy peripherals in bulk (enough to outfit a classroom), we can set them up directly with the manufacturers so each set of a keyboard, mouse and power supply will come in well under $10. Plug it into your existing composite or HDMI screen, and you're set. This "but peripherals will raise the cost of the device to $millions!!" argument is one we're seeing quite frequently from those who have taken an inexplicably oppositional position, and we've been able to convince ourselves quite happily that it's just a straw man.

And composite out, people! Composite out!

[thesynapseuk]

My input to this thread:

True, educationalists are not very visible. I'm one of the few. However you have to remember that many teachers may not have heard of this YET, and they're not usually the time to spend lots of time on forums. I myself only have time to read this one because I work part-time at the moment. Also, you won't get this into schools by dealing with individual teachers really - you have to go straight to councils, authorities and government to get this supported. This is not one of those areas where, if you want to make a real difference, you stay inside it.

As for places for mice, you can go even more low-grade/flexible than dinner trays etc. - what about a good old piece of wood? MDF/chipboard on your lap would serve a decent purpose and can be stored under the bed/behind the sofa etc. Stick this on top of a few milk crates/similar and that could be a desk. This should also be quite available to most people everywhere (worked for me when roadtripping in Australia). Really, I think that people with very little can get really inventive and resourceful when they need to/want to and are better at practical problem solving than we may be!

As for the whole "whinge, I want this port, moan, this type of output is appropriate/sucks" line, take a look at ebay. There are cheap, mass-produced adaptors for every kind of connection under the sun, including ps/2 to USB. Good point about ubiquity of ps/2 in developing areas, but adaptors ARE cheap and readily available.

[Rubus]

they will need an equal number of screens at around £200 a unit

You can get 21" monitors for less than £100 now. Though you could probably get a job-lot of VGA ones for free.

[Archangel5089]

Quote from Rubus on September 15, 2011, 12:31
they will need an equal number of screens at around £200 a unit

You can get 21" monitors for less than £100 now. Though you could probably get a job-lot of VGA ones for free.

To be fair I think schools would be looking at a different grade of equipment, I barely looked outside of the market leaders at the time...

[liz]

Additionally, one of the functions of the charity next year, when we start the education/overseas phase, will be to organise charitable donations of peripherals. (I notice there are 2 TVs, a shoebox full of mouses and about 8 keyboards in my loft alone, not to mention a pile of monitors, an Amiga (!) and plenty of other stuff that should have a better home than the tip. I'm keeping the Amiga, though.)

[obarthelemy]

hey, you going to use that ami... Oh, never mind ^^