Microsoft joins OLPC

[Joshua Zeidner]

 Harold,

  The fact is, there are a lot of aspects to this issue that many
overlook.  Yesterday, I was talking with Josh Weiss who sets up
computer labs for rural Guatemalans about the relevance of Linux in
his program [1].  Currently his group does not deploy Linux solutions.
 The perception is that it is more valuable to teach Microsoft because
the skills gained are more marketable in places like the US, and acts
to increase the chances that a rural Guatemalan goes on to University
education.  Although not explicitly stated, I feel there is also the
issue of availability of Linux expertise to actually do the teaching
and setting up of systems there.

  One thing that I feel groups like this overlook are all the
tangential assets gained by teaching Linux and OSS.  If there were a
enough Linux people in Guatemala, they could for instance build
domestic ISPs and start to bring down the costs of Internet
connectivity (which is out of the reach of more than 50% of
Guatemalans).  In addition they could enrich the general civic
discourse by building web sites, mobile communications platforms, etc.
 For as long as they teach Windows, the skills cannot be used to
enrich the local environment, because base licensing costs prohibit
scalable and effective solutions (and the host of other obstacles that
Windows brings).  Now multiply this effect by 30 or 40 and you've got
entire classes of exportable services propping up that become direct
competitors to Microsoft.  Its the kind of economic avalanche that
Redmond is terrified of.

  I am sure Microsoft fully understands what is at risk by having the
entire 3rd world running Linux.  The stakes are quite high.  I would
guess that Microsoft would even be willing to take a loss per laptop
to make sure that Linux is not a viable option for the 3rd world.  As
I mentioned before, this is above all else an opportunity for hardware
providers.

  -jmz


 [1] http://www.joshuazeidner.com/2008/04/josh-weiss-networking-poor-in-guatemala.html



On Sat, May 17, 2008 at 1:28 PM, koder <hmichels01 at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> I am not sure if this is OT or not.
>
> Other posts have noted that OLPC will have to increase the specs on the
> hardware by nearly a factor of two to run Windows.
>
> MS also insists on sharing they joys of Windoze's lack of security with
> the underdeveloped peoples of the world.
>
> On the flip side, those who have seen a computer, at this point conflate
> Windows OS with computers.
>
> Linux needs work before it will be competitive, in spite of our hopes.
>
> Harold
>
>
> On Sat, 2008-05-17 at 11:36 -0700, Rhune Lord wrote:
>> http://www.redherring.com/Home/24265
>
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