It looks like Microsoft's $3 XP has finally gotten OLPC endorsement.
Microsoft was probably pretty worried about the implications OLPC had
for its marketshare.
Yousuf Khan
It is all a big con.
At least I see it that way.
here are poor governments with poor kids, waiting for a 100$ laptop.
Here comes US politics, says: Negroponte do as you are told, we want $$profits$$$,
we have a deficit, we need to kill more people, so up the price, lower the
standards, and f*ck all your promises.
Lets see? How much does it cost with a simple Linux? (all you need actually, and learning
them kids Unix would be GOOD, but would of course make real programmers, and be big competition
to US C++ mouse players.
Well, after import tariffs, local shipping, shipping from China to Europe,
profit for reseller, 20% taxes here, I can buy the Chinese DVD player for say 60 Euro
(say 85 $, less with US tax).
What is in there: A DVD drive, A switch mode power supply, audio amp, hardware
mpeg2 + Divx decoder, connectors, case, IR remote control with fluorescent
buttons, 2 batteries... memory, demo DVD.
So what is in a super minimal laptop?
Processor, memory, flash memory, display, keyboard, and in this case wireless
interface.
Well what does it cost?
I give you a real example:
I have a Linksys WAP54G wireless access point, it costs about 65 Euro (inc 20% tax) here.
If you order 1 million you can get it for less then half I'd say (if not _much_ less),
so say 30 Euro.
And what is in it?
A Broadcom BCM5352 wireless 250 MHz or so processor, couple of MB FLASH, some MB DRAM,
and ___GUESS____WHAT____ *LINUX*.
So, and it has Ethernet 100 too, wireless, and even a hidden serial port inside,
so you can ctrl C it during boot and get the Linux command prompt.
A keyboard these days costs in 1 M quantity about 5 $
And a display perhaps 20 (for small size).
Hey!!!! I have outdone Negroponte and MIT in a minute!!!
No kidding!!!
So to all the poor countries, you can say: 'Contract breach,' 75% more is no good,
MS windows has no educational value...
Talk to me, I will help you out!
What a null Negroponte is!
References:
WAP54G 'close up':
http://www.seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/WAP54G
Linksys Linux open source code:
http://www-au.linksys.com/servlet/S...345999&pagename=Linksys/Common/VisitorWrapper
PS
You may say: What about educational soft that has to run on it?
Educate _WHAT_, if you want to learn them IT learn the C, hardware systems, all there.
If you want to make them imbecile icon clickers that have no clue what happens when you press on
a 'peer' or 'apple' or 'face', go on, hug MS.
Tell you what, I _have_ that soft from that link above, if you understand it all you are good
to go for a degree in computer science.
! (sign for f*ck you Negroponte).