Short paper - Research Proposal Example

Interestingly enough, there is a similar program in the United States to provide low-cost laptops (approximately $500) for teachers in cash-strapped school districts, and as this illustrates the impetus to provide computers to people is growing as the need for computer literacy becomes crucial for the economic viability of a nation, the US being no exception. (Markoff) In this paper we will briefly examine the differences in computer utilization in Brazil and the United States, and will focus on three main areas of utilization, general, governmental, and academic usage.

Brazil is a nation of 190 million people and approximately 43 million internet users (CIA World Fact Book). Assuming that the overwhelming majority of computer users access the internet at some point, this places the percentage of personal computer utilization at 22.6%. In comparison the personal computer utilization in the United States is over 66% with more than 200 million internet users. This discrepancy is due to a number of issues, a lack of economic development and infrastructure. Brazil has made significant strides in increasing internet usage, in 1992 less than one-half of one percent of Brazilians had internet access (Leao 35).

According to an e-Government for Development Conference held in 2006, Brazil ranks 18th in governmental internet and computer utilization, whereas the US ranks 1st in that same benchmark (Leao 6). Though 11.7% of households have a computer, the technology gap between rural communities and urban centers in Brazil is immense with nearly 95% of those households located in major metropolitan areas like, Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasilia. This particular digital divide is the sort of problem that the OLPC is trying to resolve through its introduction of low-cost laptops.

Brazil is generating its own initiatives to resolve this issue through GESAC, a government