WSJ

[Mike C. Fletcher]

Mitch Bradley wrote:
> Mike C. Fletcher wrote:
>
>> It's not About the Hardware: 
>
> In principle, that is true.
>
> In practice, it is the hardware that has been responsible for all the
> attention.
>
> If the project had been just a software framework to support
> constructivist education, the worldwide response would have been "ho
> hum, yet another program/operating system/GUI/whatyoumaycallit".
Agreed.  The hardware was key in forming a vision.  The idea of a laptop
so inexpensive that it could be given away to the children in the
developing world en-mass was an idea that caught the minds of the
world.  So too was the crank (impractical as it would have been in that
position).  The hardware captured the imagination, and I'm still of the
belief that it's a marvel of engineering.  It has generated excitement
and enthusiasm and has made the project fly.  The physical joy of the
design is inspiring.  The sturdy presence of the device is comforting. 
The XO is marvelous.

I still think we need to get the XO hardware out to the 50% that the
manufacturers aren't targeting.  We need the XO hardware to reach the
children in the back woods.  But I would suggest we need to bring Asus
and Intel/Classmate into the project so that we can reach those whom the
hardware will not reach.  The message "we will do what is necessary to
give the children access" is powerful.  We've already shown that, given
an absence of a tool, we'll put together a multi-year engineering effort
to provide that tool.  That's a powerful message, and the XO is the
iconic result of that effort.  What I'm suggesting is that now what is
necessary is to partner/connect/work with these other organizations to
make sure we aren't fragmenting our efforts.

I love the cute hardware...
Mike

-- 
________________________________________________
  Mike C. Fletcher
  Designer, VR Plumber, Coder
  http://www.vrplumber.com
  http://blog.vrplumber.com