One Laptop Per Child machines might be sold to the public, says OLPC—as quoted by the BBC

According to this BBC News article, the OLPC project is “looking at the possibility of selling the machine to the public.” The article says that they do not have firm plans at this point, but the idea that looks most likely is charging double the price and using the purchase to subsidize giving one OLPC to a needy child.

One interesting idea the article mentions is giving the consumer who makes the purchase the email address of the child who receives the subsidized computer. That would certainly be a more solid connection than the name and photo that you receive with most sponsor-a-child charities.

It should be noted that the article does not say for certain that they will institute this plan, but it does say that they are definitely interested in doing so. The problem is finding ways of minimizing supply chain cost so that it does not add to the price. They are currently discussing it with their partner, eBay.

Update, 8:30 a.m.: Also see OLPC News, the Christian Science Monitor, Computerworld, ArsTechnica (via Branko) and items elsewhere. The ArsTechnica headline says, “OLPC: no consumer versions planned right now.”