[ale] OLPC was: bump

[Daniel Howard]

 >Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:50:26 -0400
 >From: "Ned Williams" <nedj10 at gmail.com>
 >Subject: Re: [ale] OLPC was: bump
 >
 >Actually if you follow the OLPC project the increase in cost actually 
comes down to two very failed policies of the project...their original 
belief that they would only sell to governments(in batches of 1 to 3 
million) and their refusal to sell to western countries. Both of these 
policies have changed in the last month as their largest order 
previously was a private buyer,in Mexico for 250,000 units (the guy that 
owns COMPUSA ironically enough)..

I'm guessing we're all a bit right on this one, and the course changes 
Negroponte has made unfortunately put him dead center in Intel's 
competitive landscape, which could mean his eventual downfall.  All that 
being said, it is a fine piece of technology; the kids that reviewed it 
really loved the squishy keyboard, e.g., even though I tried one of 
those with my 5th graders and at first they liked it, but eventually 
they opted for a conventional keyboard for speed of use--they don't have 
to worry about water/humidity on them.

Sometimes marketing is a matter of specific dollar amounts: if I could 
buy one for $220 and in the process, make a $30 donation to units for 
kids in developing countries, it would be a lot easier for me than 
paying $400 for it when I could get a conventional laptop for my kids 
for not much more and put Ubuntu on it as well as any other titles I 
chose.  I nonetheless applaud Negroponte's efforts (except for tilting 
to M$) and am hopeful that something good will come of it.

Daniel

-- 
Daniel Howard
President and CEO
Georgia Open Source Education Foundation