Some Vatican officials and members of influential religious orders are reported to have expressed support for the “One Laptop Per Child” (OLPC) project. The goal of the OLPC is to develop low-cost laptops so that children around the world are given new opportunities to explore, experiment and express themselves.

The OLPC laptop runs the Linux operating system and currently costs 200 US dollars a piece. The price of the unit is so low because poor children living in developing countries are its target users. The laptop is envisioned to serve as a “portable school” for these impoverished children. It will be something they can use at home to connect to the outside world via the internet, to learn new things and to share knowledge. It is hoped that the laptop will bridge the gap between the information rich and the information poor. Cardinal Paul Poupard, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Culture, is quoted as saying “If people are to rise out of poverty and enjoy greater justice, education is key”.

The complete news report can be found here.