Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Windows Cheap Enough For $2B Aussie Laptop Deal

Posted by kdawson on from the if-you-give-it-away dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Windows-based netbooks aren't too expensive to be ruled out of the Aussie government's billion dollar promise to give a laptop to every school-aged child, according to several education departments. The admission follows an earlier report that open source machines based on Ubuntu or Mandriva are the only option to deliver up to four million computers to students for under $2 billion. Microsoft itself claimed it will keep costs per unit down by hosting a lot of the educational software in the cloud rather than on the netbook devices."

14 of 234 comments (clear)

  1. Too bad there won't be a useful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    internet connection for each of those school children.

    1. Re:Too bad there won't be a useful by lysergic.acid · · Score: 4, Insightful

      well, since they're netbooks, not desktops, you'd need ubiquitous wireless access in order to match the functionality that would be provided with Ubuntu + OpenOffice. and considering that Australia's one of the few developed countries behind the U.S. in internet infrastructure, that seems very unlikely.

      to get the full benefits of the hardware, you pretty much have to go with FOSS or spend a heck of a lot more money.

    2. Re:Too bad there won't be a useful by unit8765 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No useful internet because of internet filtering in Australia.

  2. $500 a "netbook"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Must be some pretty damn good machines to pay $500 a unit on an order of 4 million units.

  3. The Pusher by Forrest+Kyle · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Drugs are always affordable when the dealer is trying to get you hooked.

  4. Educational applications in the cloud by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Educational applications on a web server are nothing new. It's funny, though, that Windows would need them. I have one of these small-cheap-light laptops that cost $350 and is intended for use with Windows "only for web browsing and email". I put Debian on it. There's only one thing I have found that it can't do: build the Linux kernel quickly. It's kind of slow at that, but it works. OpenOffice is no problem, etc.

    But with a cloud, you can tie all of those kids into a network that Microsoft will be able to monetize, propogandize, etc.

    Bruce

    --
    Bruce Perens.
    1. Re:Educational applications in the cloud by Rene+S.+Hollan · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Duh.

      Besides, "code you have on the box beats code that might be available".

      What's sad here isn't that Mr. Perens comment is, well, common sense, but rather that so many don't see it as so obvious.

      --
      In Liberty, Rene
    2. Re:Educational applications in the cloud by TheRaven64 · · Score: 4, Insightful
      You miss the point of this statement:

      Microsoft itself claimed it will keep costs per unit down by hosting a lot of the educational software in the cloud rather than on the netbook devices."

      It will keep the costs for the hardware down by hosting the applications elsewhere. Or, to put it another way, they will host education apps online for free (now) so that the required hardware specs are lower, allowing more of the total to be spent on (Microsoft) software used to access the (.NET, Windows-only) server side software (which may not remain free for long after the initial investment on Windows laptops has been made and you are locked in).

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  5. Save money by lordharsha · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Wouldn't it be more efficient to ditch Windows and use the extra money to give laptops to more children?

    --
    I am, and that is sufficient.
  6. What a great alternative by meist3r · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Owning a netbook that merely runs a basic version of an operating sytem that the company itself wants to get rid off and as the only reason to chose over a full-scale FOSS option I get an MS version of Google Apps? No thanks, take the Linux computers and spend whatever you're saving on some Tux-savvy teachers.

  7. Re:Teachers were probably the reason. by QuantumG · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yeah, because ISVs often dictate the terms for government contracts.

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.
  8. Computer != Education by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sure, it's a tool, but wouldn't that $2 billion be better spent on smaller class sizes, better teachers, etc.?

  9. Re:Teachers were probably the reason. by jbolden · · Score: 4, Insightful

    QuantumG is correct also look at the quantities. 4m. 4m units you get to set terms to software vendors.

  10. Re:What a surprise by Yfrwlf · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If it came down to it, M$ would give it to them for free rather than see Linux being used of course. That's why it's up to intelligent employees to realize what the long term costs are, and what they are doing by "selling" the Windows platform to students, so free for them would still be an excellent deal for Microsoft in numerous ways.

    --
    Promote true freedom - support standards and interoperability.