The other alternate explanation would be to check out some Aussi porn. Though its a shame that the porn industry is coming to a foreclosure. Who knows we can now establish a cloud-client computing network and share porn without the need of subscription based services.

You can game quite well on the eeePC, even the 701. My 701 (630Mhz Celeron) will play WoW (just), CS (original), OpenArena, Quake 1, 2 and 3 and a stack of Linux games like Glest, SuperTuxKart and Wesnoth - then you have mame and mess to give life to every arcarde and console game you can imagine. If I was a kid at school I'd have to problem gaming the whole time and doing LANs at lunch time or even during class. Better than algebra.

Netbooks can still play games. Even with 3D. You just need to go back a few years. My Eee Pc 1000H has quite a few games on it. Also doesn't stop the kids from going to facebook, chatting on msn etc.

are getting a happy respite from dilapidated apple G4s as some schools are replacing them with much more affordable MSI winds.

rather that "cash strapped parents" it may be more a case of "parents seeking to equip their children with simple, low-powered computers THAT ARE UNABLE TO PLAY GAMES SO THAT THEY DO THEIR homework"

... that's why I'm think along netbook lines for my son!