Negroponte vs. Open-Source Fundamentalists

fyoder writes "Within the world of One Laptop per Child, both the Negropontistas and the Benderites envision a future for Sugar where it runs on multiple platforms, but the latter don't want Windows (or closed source anything) as part of that future. OLPC's emphasis has always seemed to me to be on Sugar, with Linux simply being a smart technical choice for the underlying OS. Yet what is becoming more explicit with the resignation of Walter Bender is that for many involved in the project there was a strong element of Linux advocacy, such that Negroponte's flirtation with Microsoft is felt to be pure sacrilege."

Comments

Re:Education and Secrets don't Mix.

[willyhill]

Anyone posting on or moderating this thread should be aware that "gnutoo" and "twitter" are the same person. Sorry for the OT.

Re:Why MS and textbook publishers must control OLP

[InlawBiker]

I was wondering where you got the idea that Microsoft would put DRM onto their OLPC/XP for e-books so I checked out your linked blog post.

"Now, it is likely that third world students will be running DRM-locked textbooks that are only acessable under Windows."

In other words, you made it all up and are just spreading FUD. Every time Microsoft is involved people start seeing creepy characters lurking in the shadows.

Yes, Microsoft should be frightened that the third world will grow up using Linux. Apple should be equally frightened. Microsoft is not above the tactic of squashing competition before it's allowed to develop. They've done it before after all. That doesn't mean we should speculate that Microsoft is putting DRM on their "special XP lite" to shake down 3rd world kids. I think we should give Negroponte a little more credit than that.

Re:Why MS and textbook publishers must control OLP

[Bruce Perens]

Every time Microsoft is involved people start seeing creepy characters lurking in the shadows.

Unfortunately the creepy characters are not just lurking in shadows. Around the OOXML process they were quite visible in stuffing the ballot box, subverting votes entirely, etc.

Yes, they haven't proposed DRM yet. When rumors of dual-boot on OLPC first came out, I predicted that Negroponte would get closer to Microsoft. He did. I also predicted that there would be DRM on the platform. It's not there yet, but it will be if OLPC continues on this path, and it will be Microsoft's DRM.

Bruce

Re:Education and Secrets don't Mix.

[Mr. Underbridge]

Twitter has multiple accounts... we get it! Apparently you still haven't realized that almost nobody cares. You and the other retards that post drivel every time he posts are no better than spammers.

Shutup twitter.

Re:Why MS and textbook publishers must control OLP

[Bruce Perens]

Microsoft's behavior has been DRM agnostic much of the time.

Well, you excuse Vista, I guess, as just going along with HDCP as an industry-wide effort against the consumer? Consider that Microsoft was an important part of the development of HDCP.

Bruce

Re:Bruce Perens Explains the Details.

[dedazo]

Hahaha! Oh my god twitter, you are a real piece of work.

It's working though, I suppose. Since you post at -1 for trolling, any immediate positive-sounding replies tend to garner attention. I guess that's really the reason why you insult everyone's intelligence this way, isn't it? Just hoping to see if you can muster up a few mod points to bring your account out of karma hell?

Well, once you're done you'll need to work on the Erris account as well. That's gonna be rough.

Re:Negroponte used to be one of the "fundamentalis

[Bruce Perens]

He's making the point that some medicine might stop the pain, for now, while addicting you for life - for the sake of assuring the drug pusher a good income. A lot of us see the Microsoft platform as a means for those kids to read textbooks that also closes them out from broader options (like learning how to self-govern their nation's IT infrastructure) and creates a lifelong addiction for their nation on Microsoft software.

Bruce

er, no.

[twitter]

I'm happy that gnutoo pointed to Bruce Perens' good observations. They show how there's more to this than "Fundamentalism". I'd rather you talk about that than flame me and crap flood Perens to page 60 of this thread. Of course, most people will just read my original post and collapse all of the flamebait that inevitably follows. Then they will see Perens and learn some more. Suck it up.