[Olpc-open] nucleating local OLPC interest groups

[Michael Burns]

On Nov 15, 2007 8:33 AM, Michael Tobis <mtobis at gmail.com> wrote:
> Leaving aside the wisdom of the current strategy, there is the
> question of how those of us who are in a position to give one and get
> one but can't get their spouses to tolerate giving two and getting two
> (nine hundred dollars being a lot to pay for a hundred dollar laptop!)
> will actually get to play with the most interesting features of the
> thing.

Well, ok, you were trying to make a point, but it is important to
point a couple things out. It isn't a $100 laptop, it is a $180 laptop
(lofty engineering promises aside). Also, you won't spend 900, it is
$798 with a $400 tax rebate. You are getting 2 laptops (along with a
generous philanthropic gift!) for 398 bucks out of pocket.

> There's a discovery mechanism for laptops in wireless range, but there
> isn't one for laptops in visiting range

What do you mean by visiting range?

> Middle class folks who have
> an XO and access to transportation should be able to find each other.

They can, within wireless range. Further, a centralized, or
semi-centralized jabber server could (does?) connect the G1G1 owners
into a meta-school across the internet.

> I strongly recommend not leaving this to the grass roots.

This would be highly contradictory to the community we are trying to
build. "Laptop.org" branded services should decrease, not increase, to
improve the self-reliance of the users we are creating. Neat idea,
sure, but not something that *has* to be hosted in Cambridge by any
means.

> A simple web
> app for people to register their location, the nature of their
> interest, and their willingness to form local interest groups should
> absolutely be part of the G1G1 package.

We are working on putting together a support forum/mailing list for
G1G1 users, maybe this might be a useful extension of that.

More likely, a fun Google Maps API mashup webpage and use of existing
social networks (facebook, meetup, craigslist?) might be better suited
for this role.

-- 
Michael Burns * Student
Open Source {Education} Lab