Slashdot Mirror
Mass OLPC Production Begins
eldavojohn writes to tell us that mass production of the first XO laptops has officially started. "The commencement of mass production means children in developing nations could have the rugged, open-source laptops in hand starting this month. The OLPC has already announced orders for kids in Uruguay and Mongolia. (Residents of the U.S. and Canada participating in the Give 1 Get 1 program--which donates an XO to a child in a developing nation for every machine sold online--are expected to start getting laptops in December.)"
It seems to hottest product right now is the ASUS EEE PC, a Linux based subnotebook, yet I've hardly seen a peep about it on slashdot.
Slashdot editors are been slurping the OLPC from day one, and now its ignoring something that's better and actually available to people in developed countries. It's sad how behind the times this site is.
I am sure that many of you believe that children in 3rd world countries will get one of the laptops. Reality is that they can't even use the laptop, don't have the knowledge or understanding to use it. It will probably end up in the hands of some tyrant dictator, where he will probably sell it to put $25 in his pocket for each one. The third world is a hard place to live, where fairness and honest just don't exist. Great idea, just like food for third world countries, unfortunately the people there still starve.
Since you have to buy two to get one...
I can easily get a "real" laptop for $400 and it's not even black friday. Heck, given that i actually live in a house with a roof (and running water and electricity!) I could buy a desktop. Those can be had for $300 without a big fuss.
Remind me again why I should care? I mean other than as an excuse for some big company to get a tax write off and free press. Something that would actually help me keep up with the price of gas and heating oil and electricity.
You can get rich if you own a politician, but you have to be rich to buy one in the first place.
s. These people don't need silicon, they need morals, ethical institutions and just governments. Especially Africa. People there are still engaged in animal worship. There problem is largely spiritual.
QQQ baby!