[sugar] Where is Walter?

[msevior at physics.unimelb.edu.au]

On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 8:38 PM, Drew Hess <drew.hess at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 5:15 PM, Kim Quirk <kim at laptop.org> wrote:
>  > OLPC has increased funding and resources in 2008 toward a continued
>  > commitment to helping kids in the least developed countries through
>  > deployment of XOs and Sugar. I don't think there is any shriveling or
dying
>  > going on here.
>
>  It's reassuring to hear that Sugar (and, presumably, GNU/Linux) is
>  part of the commitment for 2008, at least.
>
>  Can someone from OLPC give a straightforward statement regarding
>  OLPC's longer-term commitments to deploying Sugar, GNU/Linux and free
>  software in general?



"So, OLPC is working very very hard to address this.  But the
management is keeping cards in its hands in case the ultimate
*education* goals of OLPC will be better served by a different
software stack.  Obviously, there are many of us who feel that the
free software alternative will be better in the long run.  But we need
to *show* this.    OLPC is funding Sugar aggressively (more than
doubling the number of in-house software developers this year, for
example); but we're under the gun to actually *deliver*.  All of you
on the list can help us.  If you care about free software on the XO,
we need to continue to make it the *best* alternative."

This lack of transperency is *exactly* the sort of behaviour that kills
free software and other volunteer projects. People are not going to donate
their own precious time to a project that may ultimately shaft them.

The community that OLPC has built up is global, outstanding  and committed
on many, many levels. It would be almost impossible to find the people,
let alone the money, to do what has been delivered by the community
already, let alone what could be delivered in the future.

You can't buy this community. You can only create it with an inspiring
vision and outstanding people living the vision. It is not the least bit
inspiring to be the spearhead of the latest MS and DELL sales pitch.

Management would do everyone a grand favour by sticking with the original
vision come what may because they have no hope without the community.

Martin Sevior