Ontario is having a referendum on “electoral reform.”

The government formed the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform to assess the current simgle-member plurality-system (often referred to by a stupid name) and propose a new system if they could find a better one. The assembly was made up of citizens, one from every riding in Ontario.

Electoral reform K-W consultation today 10 Jan 2007

One of the benefits of the Mixed Member Proportional system that thye propose is, they say: “Fairer Election Results - Election results are proportional [. . . .]”

Another way to look at this is that you don’t have to make strategic decisions when voting, because your vote will count towards something. Under the current system you might be in the situation where you might feel compelled to vote for a less preferred candidate to try to stop your least preferred candidate from winning.

But now I am in a situation where I don’t want the current system, but don’t think the proposal is very good either, though it is better. So now I have a strategic choice of supporting an improvement I don’t particularly like or choosing the terrible status quo by speculating on the likelihood of a better proposal in the future.

Why didn’t they do referendal reform first.

Last week I found Ian’s technology and development blog. He writes about and has videos on the use of technology in the developing world.

A personal blog to document my experiences in particular with technology in the developing world. A log, mostly for my own use, though perhaps occasionally helpful to others.

More and more I am feeling the need for mobile computing. I do pretty well with having desktop computing in my different workspaces, but sometimes I am in places where I want simple web connectivity.

I don’t think I want a normal laptop, because I don’t need to use it for all my computing, like many people do.

When I heard about the One Laptop Per Child foundation’s Buy One Gift One program, I thought about my mobile computing needs.

OLPC is a foundation that grew out of an MIT project to build a “$100 laptop.” Its purpose is to bring computing to children in the developing world. The recently-announced BOGO program would be where you pay $400 to pay for two of the computers called XO-1. You would get one and essentially donate the other one to the project for the $188 they say the unit cost is.

I am unsure of the quirky specs, but I think $400 for a portable web terminal is pretty good.

When I talked to Hiro about it, he said “Why don’t you just get an iPod touch?”

The iPod touch, as he described it, is like the iPhone without the phone. It has wi-fi connectivity and uses Safari browser. I guess it is essentially a handheld computer with a multi-touch screen. It is listed at $329.

It might be too little computer and more media player than I need, but intriguing.

When I was thinking about all that I read about the Neo1973 on Frederic’s blog.

The Neo 1973 made by OpenMoko is a touchscreen smartphone that runs linux.

So, essentially it is a non-iPod touch with the unlocked phone.

Only the developer model is available now, but that is listed at $300 US, which shouldn’t be much different than Canadian for now.

Then when I was going back to look for that link, I saw that Frederic had also written about an inexpensive and light laptop.

This Ink Media computer uses the Freescale i.MX31 processor which is also used in the Ford Sync in car “communications and entertainments system.” The procesor uses little energy. The computer has no moving parts and uses flash memory.

The computer is quoted at $300 (US again).

So, I those are some of probably many more possibilities. Since it is not at the top of my capital priorities, I have some time to think about it. Maybe I’ll just end up with a used conventional laptop.