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Will OLPC's 'Sugar' Have an Effect on Other OSes?
g8orade wonders: "As a recent article notes: for the OLPC, the software is more important than the hardware. A generation or more of children in developing countries will learn about computers using a computer that doesn't use a desktop from either Apple or Microsoft. Will the OLPC software finally be the license-less tool, the uncharged-for value add that raises the bar for other OS makers to compete, given the same hardware?"
Firstly, all of the discussion about the machine influences the minds of hardware and software developers; I expect to see more low-power / long battery life laptops this year; some of the OLPC hardware innovations (LCD display) will be available in next years models.
The software will cause a rethinking on how schoolkids could work with computers, but I don't see a quick adoption in PC operating systems. Applications for collaboration may pick up some of the sugar features; PDAs may pick up features quicker than PCs.
Sugar is such a radical design that it is safe to predict that it won't be adopted for 100%... On the other hand it is safe to predict that some elements will be adopted. Without an in depth review it's hard to tell which features are "good" and likely to be picked up and which are bad and likely to be avoided.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwzCsOFxT-U
.. All that you have too. The applications are different though. They are supposed to be different.
It's not underpowered. The software will be optimized for the platform, making it possible to make efficient use of resources. Look at the video. Chat client, word processing, drawing,
You misunderstood the meaning of OLPC. It's *not* for making kids C++ programmers. It's for assisting in the digital divide problem. The first step is a baby step. Teach kids how to read and write well. Nurture that skill, make them chat with each other etc. Then, provide the most basic content connectivity to give them information and possibility to use services. Official services. Stuff like that. If they tried running before learning how to walk they would but fall and hurt themselves. It would lead to a complete failure.
The GUI doesn't have to be like Windows or other earlier ones because the target group has no knowledge about such. All that matters is that it is usable and it actually seems pretty damned working one. That and EEM ( take a look at http://www.rasterman.com/files/eem.avi ) are imho the most usable user interfaces that spare precious screen resolution estate.
Did you by the way understand that there might not be classrooms available everywhere? The distance to the nearest school might be in hundreds of kilometers or there might be too severe weather to attend at all times. It's not easy elsewhere to get schooled. OLPC can reduce the actual need for physical classrooms and teachers and such. Furthermore digital "pen and paper" in the long run saves money. You can write 10 000 euros worth paper and pens on that 100$ OLPC.
Seriously, you have grown in a way too easy and protected environment. You're spoilt.
It doesn't matter what interface or OS-type is given to these children. Everything changes constantly anyway - even if you gave them an Apple or MS, 5 years from now, the next MS/Apple release will probably be completely different, and possibly unrecognisable. As long as the OLPC teaches the concepts of basic computer usage, above the actual manipulation of the UI, this PC will be valuable no matter what OS or UI is preloaded onto it. My two pence
Here at Brazil it is on the major press, but they call it the US$100 laptop, instead of OLPC. Maybe you didn't listen about it because it is not aimed to your area.
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Good summaey. One of the characteristrics of lesser developed countries was that information = power. In one country that I was in, one of the greatest secrets was the world price of cotton which was a large multiple of that the statte was paying the farmers. Controlled information made it easy to rig markets as well as elections. Telephone lines tended to be limited and there was frequently an elaborate system of corruption around getting a line. The cell towers jumped over the corruption (mind you many of the companies had to pay $$$ to the politicians to get their licenses approved).
Yes, the OLPC should further improve markets as well as finance for small farmers.
See my journal, I write things there
"I think you're bang on when you say that the OLPC has similar possibilities to change the way people do things in these developing nations, however, I also think it's going to very strongly matter HOW they are used."
Well, unless they are going to be total Nazis about it, teachers really won't be able to control how the kids use it. It's like hiding a comic inside the textbook you're pretending to read. The moment the teacher turns their back, the kids will be IMing each other. There will be some nerd in the class who will hurry and finish all of the assignments so he can continue working on his own little program. They will quickly learn how to multi tasks and pay attention to the teacher and the screen.
I think we both agree that this activity -- children's uncontrolled, creative play and usage -- will really be where the revolution comes from.
"If these computers are used how I suspect they will be, mostly in an institutionalized setting, sitting on desks in schools, I don't think they'll have the desired effect. If the children are allowed, or even encouraged, to take them home, to use them as they were their machines, we will soon see a generation of children who have learned how to exploit this disruptive technology to their own benefit."
Your concern is obviously valid. I got the impression that the "One Laptop Per Child" meant that the laptop would belong to the child. But I really don't know.
I think the real concern would be adults taking the laptops from the children and selling them on the black market. Not every parent is entirely consumed with seeing their child succeed. And there might be relatives or others in the village or wherever who are willing to take advantage of a child in such a way. Maybe it would be safer to keep them at the school.
Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.
-- Pablo Picasso