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Peru To Be First To Put Windows On OLPC Laptop
Da Massive writes "The government of Peru will run the first ever trial of the One Laptop Per Child association's XO laptop running Windows XP. This puts the nation at the heart of a software controversy that has been raging for years between those who advocate making software and its source code free, such as Linux OS developers, and those who charge for software and keep the development recipes secret, such as Microsoft."
it couldn't possibly be the fact the linux distro on OLPC was a piece of shit that lead to XP being chosen, could it.
If you mod me down, I will become more powerful than you can imagine....
And that is about the most retarded analogy ever. Please see my other response before typing further. I'm willing to listen to rebuttal but don't think I made the statements I made without thinking about them. The goal is to give these kids a chance. That chance doesn't NEED to be open source. I'd agree, entirely, that is SHOULD be open source but to state that it needs it is just foolhardy and showing a willingness to remain ignorant of the problems that these computers can actually solve.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."
Office sure as hell won't run on it effectively. Sites will work effectively though as will the vast amounts of software that only runs on Windows.
There are piles of dev tools that run on Windows, chances are that if it is available for Linux it is also ported to Windows so there are piles of free software applications that they can use. This isn't their be-all-end-all tool but a tool to get them started.
I agree this is a mono-cultured environment. That is better than nothing in my opinion. Those who are inclined will surely learn to change things.
As for cheap outsourcing? Well... It hasn't had all the greatness that some people think it has had but it has certainly raised the standard of living for many people in a variety of locations across the globe. India did this without even needing the OLPC. While all of India hasn't been able to increase their standard of living enough of them have so that it has made a difference.
I didn't make an off the cuff response in support of Microsoft nor the OLPC program. I thought it out and have been thinking about it since it was announced. I am GLAD that the laptops are going to the hands of the children and, honestly, I don't care what they're running so long as they have access to a search engine, email, and educational software. The platform is nothing to me in this case. I'll take the karma hits to say it too.
Hell, I'll even repeat it... I don't care what the platform is - I just care that this is going to benefit people who might not have been granted these chances otherwise. I don't care if it is running DogShitOS or PinkFluffyBunny. I don't care if it is closed source or open source. I care that the next generation of people are going to be offered a better standard of living than that which they would have faced otherwise.
Sorry if you don't get it but, well, that's a you thing and not a me thing. I have looked at it from every angle I can think of for quite some time now. Hell, a karma hit for a troll mod would just help me post more often then once every five or six minutes but the truth must be said. This is the truth as I see it. I'm not a closed source or open source zealot. I'm an advocate for the advancement of society and, no, that doesn't require open source.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."
First of all I am latin american so stop the racist and pseudo-leftist patronizing now. The reasons why peruvian authorities choose Windows over Linux are obvious to me: first, because Windows (whichever version) is the stuff used by characters in tv series from the USA like "Grey' Anatomy", "the Sarah Connors chronicles" etc. Remember when John Connor enters a computer shop? What was the computer running? Vista! And this is the source of information for our decision makers, which are usually the least qualified but best connected people.
The second reason is what I call the "click mentality". All what the people wants is to make a click with the mouse and instantly have their pirated music and games automatically downloaded, and open a messaging session for sharing gossips and trivialities. And in Windows, all the applications that allow this download instantly without asking. Most people, including university students, would not mind a laptop if their cellphone had a bigger screen! Many engineering students make sacrifices for buying a Hp49 or Hp50 scientific calculator and they don't learn how to program it or use the embedded symbolic solver either. What matters is to rub it on others faces. I am cooler than you!
This is my experience after installing and writing software, and managing computer systems and networks in latin america since the 80's and that includes DOS, every version of Windows, Netware, SCO and Linux. People don't mind technology. The mind "coolness" and instant gratification.
I found out that this had happened. Everything was going so well but these idiots of Microsoft always have to put the noses where no one wants them. In short: the entire project got fucked up. Long live peru!
IranAir Flight 655 never forget!
"I presented a clear, easy to comprehend, vision and understanding that took a great deal of thought"
No, you presented the 100-millionth iteration of the same old "look, guys, all us big boys out here in the real world(TM) use windows so just accept it" argument
My turnips listen for the soft cry of your love