[Grassroots-l] [laptop.org #12584] Fwd: New $100 Laptop Design

[Aaron Kaplan]

But Mel,

OLPC^H Nicholas Negroponte *officially* stated that the next version  
would run windows.
So there is something *more official* to it than just your friendly  
Microsoft next door hacker who by chance installed windows on his XO  
- go get your windows support from him.

It would be interesting if Microsoft could provide the same kind of  
grassroots support that the open source community can.

Let's see...




On May 27, 2008, at 4:43 PM, Mel Chua wrote:

> Nana,
>
> The XOs you and I have weren't designed, hardware-wise (or, to my
> knowledge, anything-else-wise) with Windows in mind - they were made
> running an open-source, Linux-based software stack, and that's how we
> got them.
>
> Microsoft also got a bunch of XOs (presumably likewise initially  
> running
> that open-source software stack) and spent its own time and money and
> developer resources porting Windows to the machine. Should OLPC  
> support
> Microsoft's "hack"? I think it's entirely reasonable for OLPC to point
> to Microsoft to support the modifications they made.
>
> To draw an example - it's as if a friend and I purchased identical
> scooters, and then my friend decided she was going to hack around  
> on the
> weekend, bolt an engine onto her scooter, and make it into a motorized
> scooter. Great for her! If I wanted a motorized scooter, I wouldn't go
> to the scooter shop and say "You sold me this scooter, and then I saw
> someone else with a motorized version they'd made - you need to  
> motorize
> my scooter and give me motorized-scooter support!" I wouldn't expect
> them to support someone else's hack. I would go to my friend and say
> "hey, you motorized your scooter. Can you help me motorize mine, and
> help me fix my motorized scooter when it breaks down?"
>
> In effect, OLPC is saying "We made a scooter. Microsoft bolted this
> engine-thingy on the back of theirs. If you ask us where you can get
> this engine-thingy, we're going to say 'Microsoft,' and it's  
> between you
> and them to figure out whether they're going to help you get an
> engine-thingy. We ourselves make scooters."
>
> -Mel
>
> Nan A. Canter wrote:
>> How typical a response!!!!!
>>
>> This organization continues to treat those of us who
>> supported the G1G1 program early on with distain, to
>> say the least.....
>>
>> My three OLPCs will go not to my children but to
>> elementary students in a distant and isolated farming
>> community in eastern kyrgyzsan....
>>
>> I feel duped, used, and almost "taken".... not a great
>> way for an organization like yours to treat your most
>> ardent supporters.... Sorry i can't afford to donate
>> 100!!!!!
>>
>> nana canter
>>
>>
>> --- Support at rt.laptop.org wrote:
>>
>>
>>> On Sun May 25 16:54:16 2008, nana_canter at yahoo.com
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Note: forwarded message attached.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> will the laptop we got be able to get the
>>>>
>>> mocrosoft
>>>
>>>> program installed?
>>>>
>>> OLPC has no plans to sell XO laptops to US
>>> customers. The Windows on XO
>>> program was developed by Microsoft for use on
>>> country sized deployments
>>> in developing countries.
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Alan - OLPC Support Volunteer
>>> XO user guide: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/User_Guide
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>   Nan A. Canter
>> Phone: (001) 212 666-5494
>>  nana_canter at yahoo.com
>>
>> http://www.playpumps.org
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Grassroots mailing list
>> Grassroots at lists.laptop.org
>> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/grassroots
>>
>
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> Grassroots mailing list
> Grassroots at lists.laptop.org
> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/grassroots
>

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