Tech Giants Dragging OLPC Down?

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The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article online today that claims the One Laptop Per Child program is being stomped on by tech giants like Intel. Is competition from the tech giants actually what is stifling the XO’s progress or is it the OLPC foundation its own worst enemy?

Mr. Negroponte said some initial tech support would be provided by Brightstar Corp., a Miami-based wireless equipment distributor. Just who would provide support a few years from now, he said, was "a frightening question." The students, he said, will need "to do as much maintenance as possible."
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Personally, I think the whole idea of forcing people to buy one to give away with one to keep and not being able to specify the country they wanted it to go to is what is killing this machine's chances.

A.) at almost $400 for two, I can get a decent laptop for the same amount.

B.) people that would like to buy and donate these to local schools are hosed if they don't live in Nigeria.

C.) the ever changing price, deals, ship dates and quantities hurts the project.
 
I feel for what the guy is trying to do but blaming your problems on the "evil" corporations just doesn't cut it.

1. Thailand cancels order after military coup, not exactly a Wintel issue
2. He even admitted in another article that in the beginning he didn't realize that just because a politician says his country will order a bunch of machines means that a check will be forthcoming
3. $100.00 price tag. Was never realistic and caused people to reconsider when the price was raised.
4. Blocking sales to first world countries. In my mind, this was the HUGE mistake. He should have used the wealthy countries to fund the poorer countries. Sell for $300 to wealthy countries and $100 to poorer countries.
 
He is still running a business not a charity. Intel is obviously offering a product thats more desirable. Promising a 100$ laptop and not delivering it is not how you make friends in the business. To me he sounds like a sore loser , nothing more.
 
pfft...

Honestly, is this really news? I'm not saying the concept is bad, but we even have under previleged kis here in the States too. They've never seen a laptop in their life. You just gotta be fair for everyone.
 
TechnoMage said:
I feel for what the guy is trying to do but blaming your problems on the "evil" corporations just doesn't cut it.

1. Thailand cancels order after military coup, not exactly a Wintel issue
2. He even admitted in another article that in the beginning he didn't realize that just because a politician says his country will order a bunch of machines means that a check will be forthcoming
3. $100.00 price tag. Was never realistic and caused people to reconsider when the price was raised.
4. Blocking sales to first world countries. In my mind, this was the HUGE mistake. He should have used the wealthy countries to fund the poorer countries. Sell for $300 to wealthy countries and $100 to poorer countries.
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I agree, it was supposed to be a $100 laptop, not a, well, more than $100 laptop

and why dont underprivilaged kids in the united states deserve a laptop? im all for helping other countries but screw them man, we need all the help we can get as far as educating our children before all our white-collar jobs go to india etc

meanmodda[H];1031716911 said:
He is still running a business not a charity. Intel is obviously offering a product thats more desirable. Promising a 100$ laptop and not delivering it is not how you make friends in the business. To me he sounds like a sore loser , nothing more.
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bingo...

im sure the guys at intel are like, wtf did we do? lol
 
How about giving food and running water to these people.

I saw a billboard for this, on the train the other day, and it has an african child balancing the laptop on his head, like it was a basket of fruit...

We are suppose to believe the giving these people laptops is going to help them?

How about we move Africa into the 18th and 19th centuries first, and then ease them into the 20th, and then push them into the 21st....
 
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