"It's pilots that give us guidance for national rollouts. It's the OLPC movements in South Africa, Oceania, and South Asia that are giving OLPC is real successes. And to discount, or outright abandon them, is foolish," Vota wrote.

OLPC officials did not comment on removal of the "Give a School" program, but President and Chief Operating Officer Chuck Kane said OLPC is committed to small-scale deployments. "Would you like to purchase 1,000 computers and change the world?" Kane asked in an e-mail.

He did not provide further comment.

Rumors of OLPC's change of focus started after a on OLPC's Web site said the nonprofit removed the Give a School program to refocus its efforts on larger deployments.