OSNews > Thread > "RE[2]: Intel is safer" by brewmastre

Linked by Thom Holwerda on Mon 21st May 2007 13:40 UTC, submitted by Laurence

Chip-maker Intel "should be ashamed of itself" for efforts to undermine the USD 100 laptop initiative, according to its founder Nicholas Negroponte. He accused Intel of selling its own cut-price laptop - the Classmate - below cost to drive him out of markets. Professor Negroponte, who aims to distribute millions of laptops to kids in developing countries, said Intel had hurt his mission "enormously".

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RE[2]: Intel is safer

by brewmastre on Mon 21st May 2007 14:58 UTC in reply to "RE: Intel is safer"

Member since:
2006-08-01

The OLPC /does/ run Windows and Linux (though granted the defualt OS is a custom build of Red Hat)

I understand that OLPC /does/ run Windows and Linux, my toaster can run BSD

Still doesn't change the fact that OLPC doesn't come with a standard Linux GUI. Granted the box is a little light on the performance side, but they could have at least run Xfce or something else small and powerful that at least resembles a computer interface. To me, its like giving all of the kids bicycles and then when they hopefully one day go into the workforce, expect that they should be able to drive a forklift. I'm sorry if I sound cynical about OLPC, but it just seems like a fly-by-night operation that if everything falls apart, oh well, pack up and move on to the next project to save the world. If it does work, then yeah! Nobel Peace Prize. Would you pay Dell $100 for a notebook, then a year later have them say, 'well, turns out it's gonna cost $170. No seriously, I promise the laptops are almost done'. I honestly do hope that it works out, I'm just saying that I personally trust a company who's motives are monetary more than some good-will project.

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RE[3]: Intel is safer

by GhePeU on Mon 21st May 2007 15:06 in reply to "RE[2]: Intel is safer"

Member since:
2005-07-06

Oh, please, you're not training monkeys to push colored buttons, so that if you change the colors all the monkeys go crazy. Just because those children live in the third world, it doesn't mean that they're stupid!
When I was 10 I started using a PC with DOS, no GUI or similar, and all the same I managed to cope with technological innovation and to learn how to use Windows 95, then 98, XP and now a couple of FOSS GUI and bash. I'm sure that they're adaptable too.

Moreover, the OLPC project's aim is not to teach children how to use a PC, is to give children access to information through a PC. The PC is the means, not the end.

Edited 2007-05-21 15:13

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RE[4]: Intel is safer

by brewmastre on Mon 21st May 2007 15:16 in reply to "RE[3]: Intel is safer"

Member since:
2006-08-01

When I was 10 I started using a PC with DOS, no GUI or similar, and all the same I managed to cope with technological innovation and to learn how to use Windows 95, then 98, XP and now a couple of FOSS GUI and bash. I'm sure that they're adaptable too.

I never said they kids were stupid. In fact some of them will go on to surpass many of us I'm sure. But don't you think that growing up learning something harder like DOS was probably better for you in the long run than to give kids a computer with an extremely limited GUI? Kids, are smart and adaptable, give them the full power of Linux and let them learn and they will go on to do amazing things. Don't shelter them with some Preschool interface.

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