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: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: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: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