How We’re Making PCs More Affordable for Millions of People

This is an adapted version of a post originally published on the Endless OS Foundation blog.

A brief history of our technology donations.

At Endless, we have spent almost ten years donating time and technology that can increase access to a new digital life and economy for those affected by the Digital Divide. To date, the free linux-based operating system developed by Endless OS Foundation has been distributed on approximately 5 million PCs around the globe, and thousands of computers have been donated to those in need through partnerships and other collaborations. 

Why PCs?

While mobile devices enable widespread access to content and task management tools, for true productivity in the digital economy, the PC is a necessary tool, offering access to education, skill-building, and work. Yet in 2021, there are still millions of kids in the United States living without a proper PC at home. They simply cannot excel in the same ways as their fellow students with PCs. In addition, more than half of Americans (56%) say they are living “paycheck to paycheck.” These families’ inability to purchase or finance a computer in this climate is one of the biggest – if not THE biggest – barriers to digital access. 

At Endless we are designing a path for families to purchase their own affordable and powerful laptop – on their terms.

We are exploring a new type of program in the USA that will allow families to enter into a flexible payment and financing plan towards ownership of a PC at home costing just $1 a day. We feel this program could significantly help to further bridge the Digital Divide and close what we call the “affordability gap.”

Why would a nonprofit charge for a social-good program?

Why finance? Affordability is a challenge globally, and to make a real impact, Endless is looking to close the gap for millions of people. At this scale, philanthropy and state donation programs alone cannot adequately address the need. A new scalable model is needed, so we created our lease-to-own PC program to support under-served communities across the USA.

To some, asking for payments from our participants might not sit well with our nonprofit mission, but this model offers scale and sustainability: each repayment helps us bring a computer to another family in need.

By pairing a quality computer with a respectful and affordable payment plan, we bring computer ownership within reach of millions of people and give them a stake in opening new opportunities for their family. Combined with our other deployments and donations, it’s possible to reach more people than ever before.

We’ve already seen this working around the world.

We know this model can work because we’ve seen it in action.

Working globally to increase computer access, we discovered that underserved communities were very interested in microfinancing good quality, low-cost computers if the right creative financing program and affordable price point could be developed. In Guatemala we found people more willing to finance a $500 laptop than to buy a lower-power inexpensive $79 mini-PC outright.

In Kenya, we found an existing model in another sector – the solar power industry. Lacking fixed grid infrastructure, power is readily provided through the installation of a solar home system. The up-front cost is provided through a loan, and families have full access and use of the installed solar panel system while making incremental repayments to the loan. This type of thinking has completely revolutionized energy access and stability in parts of the world – so why not personal computers? Seeing the benefit to people who normally could not afford power, we integrated the same Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) model into the PC, and saw great results.

Immediate benefits delivered to the community.

With their new PAYG-funded PCs, many entrepreneurial people were able to immediately operate at profit with skills developed and services rendered on their new PCs. The PAYG program had allowed them to step into the digital economy previously inaccessible to them – a way to access the PC was all they needed to get started.

One reason for their success was that their new PCs were running Endless OS. This point is less important as a promotion of our OS as it is to explain why we designed it like we did: our OS does not require an internet connection or additional purchases to be valuable immediately. Many useful and free open-source applications that rival commercial applications, games, and learning resources are pre-loaded. Straight out of the box, kids can do their homework and their families can offer translation services, graphic design, copywriting, tutoring and more with the software already contained in the OS.

How does it work technically?

In this program a family will enter into a lease-to-own agreement for their new PC. They immediately receive the PC and have full access through a customized Endless OS. They will make monthly payments on the laptop itself, and once the last payment is made, the PC is theirs to keep and the security system is disabled permanently. In contrast to a traditional and rigid retail credit scenario, if they do not have the ability to make a payment, the PC remains with them. Once they are able to make a payment again, an unlock code is sent to their cell phone to grant access once again. Access to the PC is our overall goal, and we don’t want to leave anybody stuck in a finance plan they cannot afford, so there are no penalties, and they can return the PC at any time to receive their deposit back.

Launching in the USA.

Our team at Endless has been working tirelessly to launch the program in the USA in 2021. We have just partnered with a major laptop manufacturer, who is working with Endless on this truly unique social initiative. It is exciting to see engagement from both our nonprofit partners and for-profit companies helping the world adjust to the impact of the pandemic. As our beta program launches, we are hoping this new model proves successful and helps to decrease the size of the Digital Divide in the USA and later, around the world. As a nonprofit we are driven by our mission, and not wedded to one approach or another - all ideas around how to increase access to PCs for students and families around the world should be explored. As we head towards beta and look for initial feedback from our community partners, I am hopeful that we can prove this is a viable model and will report back soon.

Would you like to comment or collaborate on this solution? Please feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn, or via email at rob@endlessos.org.

Rob McQueen is CEO at the Endless OS Foundation (EOSF). Rob is an experienced engineering manager and company leader, and has been a user, developer and advocate for a Free and Open Source Linux desktop for nearly 20 years. Based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, Rob also currently serves as the President of the GNOME Foundation, a 501(c)(3) in the open source desktop space.