Microsoft joins OLPC

[Alan Dayley]

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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