5 ms·

Why Microsoft and Intel tried to kill the XO $100 laptop

14 points by nickb 18y ago

swombat 18y ago
AMD and Intel hate each other with a hatred as hard as that of Hamas and the Israelis. A metaphor in poor taste to kick off this lengthy article.
glymor 18y ago
Wow. I suppose I should take the article to task for being one sided. But then there are more than enough wholly negative articles out there; one leaning the other way is past time. If OLPC really has sold that much, in the hundreds of thousands already, then it's probably past the point where it can be killed. And if that many users doesn't let OLPC fix/improve sugar then they'll be kids in those hundreds of thousands willing can hack on it themselves.
- josefresco 18y ago
  I think it speaks volumes of the Sugar/Linux/Open Source movement that given all this funding and laser focus on features/purpose they still can't come up with something that's usable and mostly bug free. I'm not a hater, just disappointed that in 2008 Linux is still struggling to break into the desktop market.
  - mechanical_fish 18y ago
    given all this funding and laser focus on features/purpose I think it would be a serious mistake -- one which this lame article encourages -- to assume that the failure of the OLPC project represents anything more than the failure of the OLPC project. I'm no optimist about the state of Linux desktop usability, but OLPC was never focused on improving the Linux desktop. It doesn't even appear to have been focused on customers. The primary focus was on publicity and novelty.
- rkowalick 18y ago
  I honestly think the OLPC project is extremely naive and quite stupid. I cannot say that owning a computer has contributed to my overall academic performance. Sure it has enabled me to chase links for hours about marginally important information on wikipedia, or read the latest blogs about the OLPC, but it certainly hasn't helped me to get better grades or learn more of what is academically valuable. Think about PG's essay "disconnecting distraction" and the copycat essays that followed. These clearly show that a computer to most is more of a distraction than a resource when it comes to learning. The only reason many on this forum can't part with a computer is because that is their source of income. The internet is wonderful resources, and many Americans were thankful to be some of the first in the world to have access to it from its very inception. How did our early exposure to the internet help us acamdemically? We are still quite a ways behind European and East Asian countries in quality of education and sheer intelligence. I just don't see the connection between academic success and owning a laptop. Not owning a laptop right now is probably doing more to better my grades and peformance in school than anything.
  - j2d2 18y ago
    Think about PG's essay "disconnecting distraction" and the copycat essays that followed. These clearly show that a computer to most is more of a distraction than a resource when it comes to learning. The only reason many on this forum can't part with a computer is because that is their source of income. PG also mentioned having a work computer and an internet computer. His point was there are distractions and they must be dealt with. Not that the computer is a distraction. On top of this, an essay from PG along with some copycats is not proof. Anecdotes is not plural for data. I just don't see the connection between academic success and owning a laptop. A fair point but this depends on the field of study.
  - Chocobean 18y ago
    That's rather short-sighted of you. The OLPC's goal has never been to enhance academic performance of illiterate children in poverty stricken countries, and its goal is most certainly not to enhance your academic success. The internet is indeed a wonderful resource, one which a lot of us have utilized for personal enrichment. A great number of non-US countries have made very good use of computers as a learning aid. Just because it (in your opinion) failed to increase quality of education in America doesn't mean the technology is worthless or the goal of making the technology available to the poor "naive and stupid." Semi-related article: when slum children in India get free internet access -- http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2000/oct/17/itforschools.schools5 http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2000/oct/17/itforschools...
josefresco 18y ago
"Apple’s system is much better, but Windows, through sheer Microsoft muscle, has been made to appear necessary." Wow, biased much?
- immad 18y ago
  Yeah, that was a weird comment.
babul 18y ago
I am actually surprised this article made The Times Online proof-reading/editorial process given its poor writing style, long length (without focus), rambling nature, clichés, bias, and especially given the authors bio (http://www.bryanappleyard.com/bio.php http://www.bryanappleyard.com/bio.php). Not meaning to be negative, just surprised. Nonetheless, it is good to see OLPC and such projects get mainstream media attention and more awareness.
hexiumvii 18y ago
The cheap PC/notebook market is really strange. It gets hyped, but not many people buy it. Asus had a burst of success with the eee, but steam is starting to die and asus realize it doesn't make that much money, so they are massing much more expensive things under the eee name. Also the $400 notebooks we saw last year and early 08 are all but gone. Though for $600 you do get dual core and 3gb ram. Computers should have never dropped below $500. It makes charging $200 to get them fixed look really retarded.

14 points by nickb 18y ago

AMD and Intel hate each other with a hatred as hard as that of Hamas and the Israelis. A metaphor in poor taste to kick off this lengthy article.

glymor 18y ago

Wow. I suppose I should take the article to task for being one sided. But then there are more than enough wholly negative articles out there; one leaning the other way is past time. If OLPC really has sold that much, in the hundreds of thousands already, then it's probably past the point where it can be killed. And if that many users doesn't let OLPC fix/improve sugar then they'll be kids in those hundreds of thousands willing can hack on it themselves.

josefresco 18y ago
I think it speaks volumes of the Sugar/Linux/Open Source movement that given all this funding and laser focus on features/purpose they still can't come up with something that's usable and mostly bug free. I'm not a hater, just disappointed that in 2008 Linux is still struggling to break into the desktop market.
- mechanical_fish 18y ago
  given all this funding and laser focus on features/purpose I think it would be a serious mistake -- one which this lame article encourages -- to assume that the failure of the OLPC project represents anything more than the failure of the OLPC project. I'm no optimist about the state of Linux desktop usability, but OLPC was never focused on improving the Linux desktop. It doesn't even appear to have been focused on customers. The primary focus was on publicity and novelty.
rkowalick 18y ago
I honestly think the OLPC project is extremely naive and quite stupid. I cannot say that owning a computer has contributed to my overall academic performance. Sure it has enabled me to chase links for hours about marginally important information on wikipedia, or read the latest blogs about the OLPC, but it certainly hasn't helped me to get better grades or learn more of what is academically valuable. Think about PG's essay "disconnecting distraction" and the copycat essays that followed. These clearly show that a computer to most is more of a distraction than a resource when it comes to learning. The only reason many on this forum can't part with a computer is because that is their source of income. The internet is wonderful resources, and many Americans were thankful to be some of the first in the world to have access to it from its very inception. How did our early exposure to the internet help us acamdemically? We are still quite a ways behind European and East Asian countries in quality of education and sheer intelligence. I just don't see the connection between academic success and owning a laptop. Not owning a laptop right now is probably doing more to better my grades and peformance in school than anything.
- j2d2 18y ago
  Think about PG's essay "disconnecting distraction" and the copycat essays that followed. These clearly show that a computer to most is more of a distraction than a resource when it comes to learning. The only reason many on this forum can't part with a computer is because that is their source of income. PG also mentioned having a work computer and an internet computer. His point was there are distractions and they must be dealt with. Not that the computer is a distraction. On top of this, an essay from PG along with some copycats is not proof. Anecdotes is not plural for data. I just don't see the connection between academic success and owning a laptop. A fair point but this depends on the field of study.
- Chocobean 18y ago
  That's rather short-sighted of you. The OLPC's goal has never been to enhance academic performance of illiterate children in poverty stricken countries, and its goal is most certainly not to enhance your academic success. The internet is indeed a wonderful resource, one which a lot of us have utilized for personal enrichment. A great number of non-US countries have made very good use of computers as a learning aid. Just because it (in your opinion) failed to increase quality of education in America doesn't mean the technology is worthless or the goal of making the technology available to the poor "naive and stupid." Semi-related article: when slum children in India get free internet access -- http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2000/oct/17/itforschools.schools5 http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2000/oct/17/itforschools...

josefresco 18y ago

"Apple’s system is much better, but Windows, through sheer Microsoft muscle, has been made to appear necessary." Wow, biased much?

immad 18y ago
Yeah, that was a weird comment.

babul 18y ago

I am actually surprised this article made The Times Online proof-reading/editorial process given its poor writing style, long length (without focus), rambling nature, clichés, bias, and especially given the authors bio (http://www.bryanappleyard.com/bio.php http://www.bryanappleyard.com/bio.php). Not meaning to be negative, just surprised. Nonetheless, it is good to see OLPC and such projects get mainstream media attention and more awareness.

hexiumvii 18y ago

The cheap PC/notebook market is really strange. It gets hyped, but not many people buy it. Asus had a burst of success with the eee, but steam is starting to die and asus realize it doesn't make that much money, so they are massing much more expensive things under the eee name. Also the $400 notebooks we saw last year and early 08 are all but gone. Though for $600 you do get dual core and 3gb ram. Computers should have never dropped below $500. It makes charging $200 to get them fixed look really retarded.