Comments on: XOXO http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/ just another useless feed Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:51:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: arthus http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-48351 arthus Sat, 17 Nov 2007 17:44:46 +0000 http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-48351 Joe, I don't particularly see it as any ideological change. Instead, it's simple business: <ul> <li>Walmart/Intel wants to sell a cheap computer</li> <li>Putting Windows on it pushes up the price quite a bit</li> <li>Linux is free, makes good business sense</li> <li>The target user doesn't care (or even know) what an Operating System is - just wants to be able to check email and surf web</li> </ul> It's all about the dollars, for Walmart. "Save Money" Joe, I don’t particularly see it as any ideological change. Instead, it’s simple business:

  • Walmart/Intel wants to sell a cheap computer
  • Putting Windows on it pushes up the price quite a bit
  • Linux is free, makes good business sense
  • The target user doesn’t care (or even know) what an Operating System is - just wants to be able to check email and surf web

It’s all about the dollars, for Walmart. “Save Money”

]]> By: Joe Thibault http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46543 Joe Thibault Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:38:50 +0000 http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46543 @Sylvia: Thanks for the link, I especially like the last line, "To suggest, for one instant, that a user interface designed for the corporate world is optimal for students engaged in inquiry-driven project-based learning is, at best, dangerous." Touche! It's interesting to see though, none of the cheap computers I listed are running windows...could the tide be changing. Or will Walmart brand linux just become the new Windows? Let's hope not! @Sylvia: Thanks for the link, I especially like the last line, “To suggest, for one instant, that a user interface designed for the corporate world is optimal for students engaged in inquiry-driven project-based learning is, at best, dangerous.”

Touche!

It’s interesting to see though, none of the cheap computers I listed are running windows…could the tide be changing. Or will Walmart brand linux just become the new Windows? Let’s hope not!

]]> By: arthus http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46538 arthus Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:28:00 +0000 http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46538 While there are other computers out there sold cheaply, that's not all OLPC is about. As we mentioned above, it is so much more than a tool. OLPC is about a vision - students everywhere having the ability to collaborate, contribute, and computer. Without this vision, the XO would just be another tool - 21st century pens. That's basically what those other machines are, we might as well just hand kids in developing nations some pens and paper. Besides, I don't particularly want to entrust the hope of a better, more just world to some corporations. Well, maybe Google. By a stretch, Intel or ASUS. But, Walmart.... honestly. While there are other computers out there sold cheaply, that’s not all OLPC is about. As we mentioned above, it is so much more than a tool. OLPC is about a vision - students everywhere having the ability to collaborate, contribute, and computer. Without this vision, the XO would just be another tool - 21st century pens. That’s basically what those other machines are, we might as well just hand kids in developing nations some pens and paper.

Besides, I don’t particularly want to entrust the hope of a better, more just world to some corporations. Well, maybe Google. By a stretch, Intel or ASUS. But, Walmart…. honestly.

]]> By: sylvia martinez http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46537 sylvia martinez Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:25:43 +0000 http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46537 Joe, The mission is important, because it drives what kids can do with these computers. The XO is fundamentally different than just another low cost box, unless you are looking to install training software. The XO is about doing collaborative, creative work, other low cost machines are about emulating the adult world of work. David Thornburg makes this point better than I can here: http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse/commentpost.aspx?news=no&postid=48676 Joe,
The mission is important, because it drives what kids can do with these computers. The XO is fundamentally different than just another low cost box, unless you are looking to install training software. The XO is about doing collaborative, creative work, other low cost machines are about emulating the adult world of work.

David Thornburg makes this point better than I can here:
http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse/commentpost.aspx?news=no&postid=48676

]]> By: Joe Thibault http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46518 Joe Thibault Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:50:51 +0000 http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46518 Just curious what you think about the other low cost alternative computers. A lot of the fuss/buzz has been over the XO (which I agree is AWESOME) but there are a lot of other computers out there for dirt cheap; some are even making more headway than OLPC in selling computers to developing nations. I.e. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7754614 http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=24&l2=0&l3=0&l4=0&model=1907&modelmenu=1 http://www.intel.com/intel/worldahead/classmatepc/ The mission and clever addons (wifi, handcrank, etc.) might not be there, but the end result, I'd argue, is the same. Just curious what you think about the other low cost alternative computers. A lot of the fuss/buzz has been over the XO (which I agree is AWESOME) but there are a lot of other computers out there for dirt cheap; some are even making more headway than OLPC in selling computers to developing nations.

I.e.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7754614
http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=24&l2=0&l3=0&l4=0&model=1907&modelmenu=1
http://www.intel.com/intel/worldahead/classmatepc/

The mission and clever addons (wifi, handcrank, etc.) might not be there, but the end result, I’d argue, is the same.

]]> By: arthus http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46135 arthus Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:55:37 +0000 http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46135 @Brian Sounds like things will work out well.. CTPH looks like it is doing some great thins regarding animal health. I think the XO laptops will certainly be a boost to any educational projects. Hopefully, students will be able to expand their understand of everything through access to the wealth of information available on the web. In terms of donations, the more the merrier. Having used the operating system virtualized on my laptop, I can say it is certainly a very good environment for learning. @Brian Sounds like things will work out well..

CTPH looks like it is doing some great thins regarding animal health. I think the XO laptops will certainly be a boost to any educational projects. Hopefully, students will be able to expand their understand of everything through access to the wealth of information available on the web.

In terms of donations, the more the merrier. Having used the operating system virtualized on my laptop, I can say it is certainly a very good environment for learning.

]]> By: Brian http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46132 Brian Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:49:34 +0000 http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46132 Gentlemen, all good stuff here. Thanks for addressing my concern about collaboration. I knew about the Internet access, and we do have an wireless environment here at home, but was curious about the collaboration with other XO laptop users. The "Great Mesh in the Sky" sounds like a great idea. Locally at my work, I have a colleague who is helping to lead a connection with students in Uganda around and an organization called <a href="http://www.ctph.org" rel="nofollow">Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) </a> in order to educate local communities around Uganda about their health practices and their impact on the environment and animals (especially the Mountain Gorilla). At this time I don't know if there has been any mention of the XO Laptops for the schools and children of Uganda within this project. I'll be sure to put a bug in my colleagues ear. He also may be joining the fun by making a donation. Thanks for continuing the conversation. Gentlemen, all good stuff here. Thanks for addressing my concern about collaboration. I knew about the Internet access, and we do have an wireless environment here at home, but was curious about the collaboration with other XO laptop users. The “Great Mesh in the Sky” sounds like a great idea.

Locally at my work, I have a colleague who is helping to lead a connection with students in Uganda around and an organization called Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) in order to educate local communities around Uganda about their health practices and their impact on the environment and animals (especially the Mountain Gorilla). At this time I don’t know if there has been any mention of the XO Laptops for the schools and children of Uganda within this project. I’ll be sure to put a bug in my colleagues ear. He also may be joining the fun by making a donation.

Thanks for continuing the conversation.

]]> By: arthus http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46099 arthus Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:04:06 +0000 http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46099 Thanks Scott, sounds like it should be relatively easy to figure out collaboration here in the United States. I might have to take a look at the source and see what I can do in terms of supporting U.S. users in their collaborative efforts. Ideally, we should be able to collaborate across the world (via the "great mesh in the sky") with anyone, including kids in Africa, just as easily as if they were sitting across the room from us. I look forward to following this project as people start to receive there machines. (P.S. 3 more people I know have/are going to order their XO laptops) Thanks Scott, sounds like it should be relatively easy to figure out collaboration here in the United States.
I might have to take a look at the source and see what I can do in terms of supporting U.S. users in their collaborative efforts. Ideally, we should be able to collaborate across the world (via the “great mesh in the sky”) with anyone, including kids in Africa, just as easily as if they were sitting across the room from us.

I look forward to following this project as people start to receive there machines.

(P.S. 3 more people I know have/are going to order their XO laptops)

]]> By: Scott Swanson http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46096 Scott Swanson Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:56:32 +0000 http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46096 Brian - although the mesh works easiest if you have other machines around, all that's happening is the XO is creating an ad-hoc Wifi access point called "olpc-mesh". It can attach to other (unencrypted) networks just fine for internet access and there's still a fair degree of collaboration that can happen that way (browser-based). Also, I would not be surprised if someone came out with a "mesh bridge" to tunnel the mesh over the internet to give us a virtual mesh here in the US. (Actually, for all I know, someone put that in the last 200 revs of the developer image I haven't tracked carefully.) Alternatively, you can run an XO server (or whatever they're calling it this week) to get the auto-uplink the the Great Mesh in the Sky (can you tell I haven't looked at that part of the project in months and months?) There's still plenty of utility. And, blessedly, there is still the View Source button, from which so much self-discovery shall come; even without the networking, that alone, coupled with a child's imagination, is a payoff far beyond the small cost of the donation and the tagalong XO. Brian - although the mesh works easiest if you have other machines around, all that’s happening is the XO is creating an ad-hoc Wifi access point called “olpc-mesh”. It can attach to other (unencrypted) networks just fine for internet access and there’s still a fair degree of collaboration that can happen that way (browser-based). Also, I would not be surprised if someone came out with a “mesh bridge” to tunnel the mesh over the internet to give us a virtual mesh here in the US. (Actually, for all I know, someone put that in the last 200 revs of the developer image I haven’t tracked carefully.) Alternatively, you can run an XO server (or whatever they’re calling it this week) to get the auto-uplink the the Great Mesh in the Sky (can you tell I haven’t looked at that part of the project in months and months?)

There’s still plenty of utility. And, blessedly, there is still the View Source button, from which so much self-discovery shall come; even without the networking, that alone, coupled with a child’s imagination, is a payoff far beyond the small cost of the donation and the tagalong XO.

]]> By: arthus http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46094 arthus Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:14:05 +0000 http://myfla.ws/blog/2007/11/12/xoxo/#comment-46094 Very glad to hear that Brian. In terms of collaboration, I think you can do so via mesh networking <strong>and</strong> the internet, though I have yet to see any concrete evidence of such. Actually, users aren't as few as you would imagine, they have already sold 3 or 4 days worth. Still, it is something to consider that she might not have the full collaborative experience. But if you have a wireless network in place she should be fine. Very glad to hear that Brian.

In terms of collaboration, I think you can do so via mesh networking and the internet, though I have yet to see any concrete evidence of such.

Actually, users aren’t as few as you would imagine, they have already sold 3 or 4 days worth. Still, it is something to consider that she might not have the full collaborative experience. But if you have a wireless network in place she should be fine.

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