I think OLPC probably prefers that schools in the USA start buying them in large bulk quantities (as in Birmingham Alabama) and that every child in the US also gets the laptop. G1G1 is nice, but the numbers are still much too small for OLPC to be able to push the manufacturing price down, so the point of G1G1 probably has been one of convincing the last sceptics that the project is a worthy one.
<br><br>The point is to get the momentum going during these first weeks of initial deployments in Uruguay, Peru, G1G1, Alabama and the target should be to make a positive impression on everyone involved in those initial deployments so everyone will understand the need to invest big time in making OLPC work.
<br><br>There could also be a commercial hardware I think sold in stores such as in WalMart, but that requires that a company like WalMart is ready to invest in doing the necessary R&D, Marketing, distribution on a commercial version of it, which probably shouldn't be made of the same hardware. This hardware of the XO is designed so that every child gets it through the governments and through the schools. Definition of "commercial" is the opposite of that. "Commercial" means only some people can buy it, so it should probably also be suited for example for adults and businesses just as every other laptop is today (larger sized keyboard, business design, larger screen, HSDPA/WiMax). So I'd probably see an adult version sold for $300 in WalMart, Aldi and other supermarket chains. Cause only by cutting out all expenses for marketing, distribution and other middlemen can such price be achieved as a commercial product without there being a loss.
<br><br>Quanta did say, under the previous CEO, that they were going to make a commercial version of the XO and sell it for $200, I don't know if they have advanced on that project since, or if other companies are working on this, I'm sure they are. The XO hardware is supposed to be open-source, prehaps some patent royalties can provide OLPC with more funding, so I would guess the point is that any company who is interested may come and copy the whole thing to release it to more schools and more governments or to release it commercially if they want.
<br><br>So instead of "Give 1, Get 1", it will be "Get 1 commercial open-source super $300 laptop, and $50 goes to the OLPC project in patent royalties or in a coorporate donation".<br><br clear="all">
<br>-- <br>Charbax,<br>Nicolas Charbonnier