Why Microsoft and Intel tried to kill the XO $100 laptop(technology.timesonline.co.uk)
technology.timesonline.co.uk
Why Microsoft and Intel tried to kill the XO $100 laptop
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article4472654.ece
5 comments
AMD and Intel hate each other with a hatred as hard as that of Hamas and the Israelis.
A metaphor in poor taste to kick off this lengthy article.
A metaphor in poor taste to kick off this lengthy article.
"Apple’s system is much better, but Windows, through sheer Microsoft muscle, has been made to appear necessary."
Wow, biased much?
Wow, biased much?
Yeah, that was a weird comment.
The cheap PC/notebook market is really strange. It gets hyped, but not many people buy it. Asus had a burst of success with the eee, but steam is starting to die and asus realize it doesn't make that much money, so they are massing much more expensive things under the eee name. Also the $400 notebooks we saw last year and early 08 are all but gone. Though for $600 you do get dual core and 3gb ram. Computers should have never dropped below $500. It makes charging $200 to get them fixed look really retarded.
Wow. I suppose I should take the article to task for being one sided. But then there are more than enough wholly negative articles out there; one leaning the other way is past time.
If OLPC really has sold that much, in the hundreds of thousands already, then it's probably past the point where it can be killed. And if that many users doesn't let OLPC fix/improve sugar then they'll be kids in those hundreds of thousands willing can hack on it themselves.
If OLPC really has sold that much, in the hundreds of thousands already, then it's probably past the point where it can be killed. And if that many users doesn't let OLPC fix/improve sugar then they'll be kids in those hundreds of thousands willing can hack on it themselves.
I think it speaks volumes of the Sugar/Linux/Open Source movement that given all this funding and laser focus on features/purpose they still can't come up with something that's usable and mostly bug free.
I'm not a hater, just disappointed that in 2008 Linux is still struggling to break into the desktop market.
I'm not a hater, just disappointed that in 2008 Linux is still struggling to break into the desktop market.
given all this funding and laser focus on features/purpose
I think it would be a serious mistake -- one which this lame article encourages -- to assume that the failure of the OLPC project represents anything more than the failure of the OLPC project.
I'm no optimist about the state of Linux desktop usability, but OLPC was never focused on improving the Linux desktop. It doesn't even appear to have been focused on customers. The primary focus was on publicity and novelty.
I think it would be a serious mistake -- one which this lame article encourages -- to assume that the failure of the OLPC project represents anything more than the failure of the OLPC project.
I'm no optimist about the state of Linux desktop usability, but OLPC was never focused on improving the Linux desktop. It doesn't even appear to have been focused on customers. The primary focus was on publicity and novelty.
I honestly think the OLPC project is extremely naive and quite stupid. I cannot say that owning a computer has contributed to my overall academic performance. Sure it has enabled me to chase links for hours about marginally important information on wikipedia, or read the latest blogs about the OLPC, but it certainly hasn't helped me to get better grades or learn more of what is academically valuable.
Think about PG's essay "disconnecting distraction" and the copycat essays that followed. These clearly show that a computer to most is more of a distraction than a resource when it comes to learning. The only reason many on this forum can't part with a computer is because that is their source of income.
The internet is wonderful resources, and many Americans were thankful to be some of the first in the world to have access to it from its very inception. How did our early exposure to the internet help us acamdemically? We are still quite a ways behind European and East Asian countries in quality of education and sheer intelligence.
I just don't see the connection between academic success and owning a laptop. Not owning a laptop right now is probably doing more to better my grades and peformance in school than anything.
Think about PG's essay "disconnecting distraction" and the copycat essays that followed. These clearly show that a computer to most is more of a distraction than a resource when it comes to learning. The only reason many on this forum can't part with a computer is because that is their source of income.
The internet is wonderful resources, and many Americans were thankful to be some of the first in the world to have access to it from its very inception. How did our early exposure to the internet help us acamdemically? We are still quite a ways behind European and East Asian countries in quality of education and sheer intelligence.
I just don't see the connection between academic success and owning a laptop. Not owning a laptop right now is probably doing more to better my grades and peformance in school than anything.
That's rather short-sighted of you. The OLPC's goal has never been to enhance academic performance of illiterate children in poverty stricken countries, and its goal is most certainly not to enhance your academic success.
The internet is indeed a wonderful resource, one which a lot of us have utilized for personal enrichment. A great number of non-US countries have made very good use of computers as a learning aid. Just because it (in your opinion) failed to increase quality of education in America doesn't mean the technology is worthless or the goal of making the technology available to the poor "naive and stupid."
Semi-related article: when slum children in India get free internet access -- http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2000/oct/17/itforschools...
The internet is indeed a wonderful resource, one which a lot of us have utilized for personal enrichment. A great number of non-US countries have made very good use of computers as a learning aid. Just because it (in your opinion) failed to increase quality of education in America doesn't mean the technology is worthless or the goal of making the technology available to the poor "naive and stupid."
Semi-related article: when slum children in India get free internet access -- http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2000/oct/17/itforschools...
Think about PG's essay "disconnecting distraction" and the copycat essays that followed. These clearly show that a computer to most is more of a distraction than a resource when it comes to learning. The only reason many on this forum can't part with a computer is because that is their source of income.
PG also mentioned having a work computer and an internet computer. His point was there are distractions and they must be dealt with. Not that the computer is a distraction.
On top of this, an essay from PG along with some copycats is not proof. Anecdotes is not plural for data.
I just don't see the connection between academic success and owning a laptop.
A fair point but this depends on the field of study.
PG also mentioned having a work computer and an internet computer. His point was there are distractions and they must be dealt with. Not that the computer is a distraction.
On top of this, an essay from PG along with some copycats is not proof. Anecdotes is not plural for data.
I just don't see the connection between academic success and owning a laptop.
A fair point but this depends on the field of study.
Nonetheless, it is good to see OLPC and such projects get mainstream media attention and more awareness.