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Aaron Trevena wrote: >On 02/01/07, David Johnson <dj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > >>On Tuesday 02 January 2007 15:12, Julian Hall wrote: >> >> >>>One in the eye for Gates, and great PR for the open source community. >>> >>> >>> >>Not really. They added a card reader to the laptop specifically so that >>Microsoft could get it to run Windows, thus increasing the production cost >>per unit without regard for the fact that it means the third-world will be >>getting fewer laptops for their money. >> >>http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2170209/microsoft-looking-windows-olpc >> >> > >On the other hand, ignoring windows, it could make them more useful >and therefore more popular and helpful. > >512MB total storage does seem rather a little, I have linux virtual >servers in 2 or 4GB of space, so that extra space would allow a full >development environment, more applications, more data, etc. > >Not being able to extend the resources of the laptop would seem short >sighted, but it depends if the goal is to get a child started, doing >basics on a computer for a couple of years and then hand it back so >somebody else can use it, or if it's to really empower them to learn >programming and invest in learning useful skills. > >A. > > > Its missing the point .... The "product" of the OLPC project is not a Laptop (sure it has an L in it but dont be decieved), its a shared collaborative learning environment focused on social networking / learning skills, not another learn (office products) by route machine. For example its not a machine you would learn to use MS Paint, rather its a machine where several students can share the experience of interactively drawing a picture at the same time from different devices possibly on totally different continents, now theres an idea for creating cohesion among the nations. What OLPC project is trying to show us is an alternative to the tired objects and applications that make up the average desktop (proprietary or free) these days and show us a path to streamlined collaborative learning and working environments using very modest processing power (heck there are PDA out there with higher specs than 366Mhz). The focus of the software is to provide self contained packages that can be easily deployed and quickly exploited by the target group (children), yes this may well lead to duplicated functionality that would be better served by libraries, but it removes dependancy hell from the equation and allows teachers and students to get on with the job at hand education through discovery "learning by doing" if you prefer. I wish Microsoft every success in trying to get XP (or some hybrid) to run on it (366Mhz processor ?), but if they do manage to do it, what use will it be to the average student using the "native" learning environment ? I dont think the likes of word, excel or even open office have a place on such a machine, its like using a hammer to "screw" in a screw. I do however agree with David, adding the SD card reader is a distraction to the design team, a cost that will have to be shouldered eventually by participating developing nation governments, an extra drain on the limited power resources, and a free opportunity for Microsoft to jump on the OLPC bandwaggon (after months of trying to knock its wheels off). Amazingly Microsoft have found another way to impose a "Microsoft Tax" on the poorer countries of our shattered planet without having to lift a finger, or (as yet) contribute a single byte of (free) code. They will have to pay for the extra interface regardless of whether or not they intend to use any MS "offerings" what ever they might be. There are other ways to expand the memory (eg via the usb ports), without the need for an SD card reader, so Im not too keen on that argument. Sure it may assist future OLPC projects but its not necessary to them. At the end of the day the sucess of this project hinges just as much on cleaver software design as it does on quality budget hardware design and manufacture. I wish the OLPC team every success and will continue to watch its progress as I have since the WSIS conference in Tunisia. Important choices have to be made throughout the design process, I just pray that Microsoft's interference can be kept to a minimum. Tom. -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html