Rhune Lord wrote:
> http://www.redherring.com/Home/24265
>
> Quick read & a little OT but any thoughts?
I don't see this as OT.
Negroponte and OLPC was the first major force to overcome the "chicken
and egg" problem with widespread Linux adoption. This problem is that
few mainstream manufacturers, software makers, etc. support Linux
because there are not enough Linux users. And there aren't enough Linux
users because there isn't enough mainstream industry support. OLPC was
to be millions of computers all running Linux/FS/OSS, taking a huge step
to solve the "enough users" side of the problem.
The OLPC project is now facing the reality of distribution and other
issues that, perhaps, they did not plan well to handle. With such
problems combined with the clash of the "Microsoft = how a computer
works" culture, it's hard to do what they set out to do. The power of
the mono-culture/monopoly of ideas in action. It appears that
Negroponte and OLPC has taken path of least resistance in the MS
dominated marketplace just to stay above the other problems in the project.
The project has done some amazingly positive things for the computer
world. They proved that small, inexpensive computers are possible and
have a market. They have pushed the big players and others to actually
think about new ways to solve the technological divide. They have made
innovations in hardware technology. They have raised the awareness of
Linux/FS/OSS to the general masses. Overall it has been and probably
will still be a positive thing.
But, I am very disappointed at the apparent capitulation to using MS
software. It sends the message that Free Software is still not good
enough, even though we know it is and can be. It contradicts many of
the earlier statements made by the OLPC project about autonomy and local
investment for the users of the computers. And so it makes me think
that the project really does not believe in what they set out to do as
the remove a foundational principle.
And that is sad.
Alan
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