8 ms·

It's good to know that you're providing Linux PCs to those who can't afford them, but let's be realistic - unless they turn out to be really interested in compu

It's good to know that you're providing Linux PCs to those who can't afford them, but let's be realistic - unless they turn out to be really interested in computers, as soon as the kids start working and get some money, they'll go out and buy the same shiny iDevices that all their peers covet.

larrik 11y ago
I think the point is to give them a PC as a leg-up, not to change their OS religion. Linux just makes it easy and possible.
meesterdude 11y ago
You simply do not know the kind of impact this will have on them. Yes, maybe they will just go out and get an idevice when they get older. But you make it sound like that means that this gesture is irrelevant and meaningless, when that is very much not the case; for there is an untold amount of learning and growth that they can get from this. outside of the technical and educational benefits they get, it also is makes them feel more welcomed in their community, and more willing to engage.
jacquesm 11y ago
Even if 90%+ of those is wasted it's a net positive for the few whose career will take off because of this. That's good in my book.
drzaiusapelord 11y ago
Reminds me of the OLPC failure. Turns out cheap netbooks, the intel classmate, etc was what the market really wanted, not a top-down academia led turkey. We've been doing "here's a linux distro on some old windows hardware" for literally decades now. It just won't catch on, especially in the age of mobile where people want less technical hassles, not more. A cheap/used android tablet with a BT keyboard is probably the low price leader here and will probably also keep someone from rushing to an idevice immediately. A $30 Chromecast turns your TV into a giant monitor as well.
- bad_user 11y ago
  OLPC didn't fail because of Linux. And I for one am still looking for a durable and cheap netbook designed for small children, as I have a 5 year old son. He has access to an iPad, but besides games, there's nothing else it can do. I really wanted to buy an OLPC, except I couldn't find one, which btw has been the problem. Now I'm looking into buying a Chromebook and installing Linux on it. Only problem is that these Chromebooks look fragile. If you have suggestions, I'm all ears.
  - adricnet 11y ago
    Chromebooks are not fragile by laptop standards, but are nothing like XO. You could try out one of these with a Bluetooth keyboard? They are somewhat sturdier than other tablets and have some OLPC-inspired software, plus whatever else for Android you can find. There are other Android kid-targeted tablets around, but they are all more expensive, afaik. http://xotablet.com/ http://xotablet.com/
- xanderstrike 11y ago
  In this situation (and many like it) the linux computer was free, which beats any cheap tablet. Tons of computers are trashed every day, but a lightweight linux distro could give them new life. If you were struggling financially, which would you rather receive: a free, full featured computer, or advice on where to buy a cheap android tablet?
- pjmlp 11y ago
  Just up voted you. If anything, Android and ChromeOS are good examples common users don't care about GNU/Linux userland, rather a packaged experience. Which none of the distributions has been able to provide so far.
  - leppr 11y ago
    Thank you for the gold kind stranger.
- danieldk 11y ago
kenrikm 11y ago
~95% of the developers I know in the Bay Area use MacBook Pros. The underlying Unix base Apple runs on is nothing to scoff at and the majority of things someone learns about the command line on a linux machine will be the same on a OSX machine. I'm surprised you point out iDevices, what we should be worried about is keeping them away from the Windows ecosystem.
- JustSomeNobody 11y ago
  Didn't you hear? Windows is getting SSH.
  - justizin 11y ago
    But Windows Office still can't open a fucking resume made in Mac Office.
  - r3bl 11y ago
    Microsoft also open sourced .NET, released Visual Studio Code text editor on all platforms and even allowed users to select open formats (.odt and similar) as defaults in the web version of their Office 365. It all happened in one year. They're definitely making more than one step in the right direction.
- redwards510 11y ago
  Instead of trying to impose your silly Apple Vs Microsoft drama on small children, we should focus on getting them laptops. Any laptops.
- WorldWideWayne 11y ago
  Apple is more dangerous to Unix culture than Microsoft ever was because the rate at which Apple screws it's own customers and developers is much, much higher than Microsoft. OS X is also a sickly sweet gateway drug to living their iDevice lockdown lifestyle. They are continually doing things to lock down OS X with secret APIs that only Apple can use and that 95% you're talking about will one day figure out who Apple really is. I hope you enjoy being their sales-person until then!
hamburglar 11y ago
Nobody coveted the VIC-20 I spent all my free time playing with in elementary school, but it's basically responsible for my success. It's an opportunity, not a guarantee.
kriro 11y ago
I'll disagree with this. As long as they don't find any stuff that they need Windows/OSX for they might be converted for life. There's also a very human tendency to get attached to the stuff you grew up with. Even if they switch...so what. They got a free computer and a chance to learn a lot. That's a pretty awesome head start. I also hope that the library has some nice "here's why programming is awesome and here's the books that'll get you there" type of course set up :D

larrik 11y ago

I think the point is to give them a PC as a leg-up, not to change their OS religion. Linux just makes it easy and possible.

meesterdude 11y ago

You simply do not know the kind of impact this will have on them. Yes, maybe they will just go out and get an idevice when they get older. But you make it sound like that means that this gesture is irrelevant and meaningless, when that is very much not the case; for there is an untold amount of learning and growth that they can get from this. outside of the technical and educational benefits they get, it also is makes them feel more welcomed in their community, and more willing to engage.

jacquesm 11y ago

Even if 90%+ of those is wasted it's a net positive for the few whose career will take off because of this. That's good in my book.

drzaiusapelord 11y ago

Reminds me of the OLPC failure. Turns out cheap netbooks, the intel classmate, etc was what the market really wanted, not a top-down academia led turkey. We've been doing "here's a linux distro on some old windows hardware" for literally decades now. It just won't catch on, especially in the age of mobile where people want less technical hassles, not more. A cheap/used android tablet with a BT keyboard is probably the low price leader here and will probably also keep someone from rushing to an idevice immediately. A $30 Chromecast turns your TV into a giant monitor as well.

bad_user 11y ago
OLPC didn't fail because of Linux. And I for one am still looking for a durable and cheap netbook designed for small children, as I have a 5 year old son. He has access to an iPad, but besides games, there's nothing else it can do. I really wanted to buy an OLPC, except I couldn't find one, which btw has been the problem. Now I'm looking into buying a Chromebook and installing Linux on it. Only problem is that these Chromebooks look fragile. If you have suggestions, I'm all ears.
- adricnet 11y ago
  Chromebooks are not fragile by laptop standards, but are nothing like XO. You could try out one of these with a Bluetooth keyboard? They are somewhat sturdier than other tablets and have some OLPC-inspired software, plus whatever else for Android you can find. There are other Android kid-targeted tablets around, but they are all more expensive, afaik. http://xotablet.com/ http://xotablet.com/
xanderstrike 11y ago
In this situation (and many like it) the linux computer was free, which beats any cheap tablet. Tons of computers are trashed every day, but a lightweight linux distro could give them new life. If you were struggling financially, which would you rather receive: a free, full featured computer, or advice on where to buy a cheap android tablet?
pjmlp 11y ago
Just up voted you. If anything, Android and ChromeOS are good examples common users don't care about GNU/Linux userland, rather a packaged experience. Which none of the distributions has been able to provide so far.
- leppr 11y ago
  Thank you for the gold kind stranger.
danieldk 11y ago

kenrikm 11y ago

~95% of the developers I know in the Bay Area use MacBook Pros. The underlying Unix base Apple runs on is nothing to scoff at and the majority of things someone learns about the command line on a linux machine will be the same on a OSX machine. I'm surprised you point out iDevices, what we should be worried about is keeping them away from the Windows ecosystem.

JustSomeNobody 11y ago
Didn't you hear? Windows is getting SSH.
- justizin 11y ago
  But Windows Office still can't open a fucking resume made in Mac Office.
- r3bl 11y ago
  Microsoft also open sourced .NET, released Visual Studio Code text editor on all platforms and even allowed users to select open formats (.odt and similar) as defaults in the web version of their Office 365. It all happened in one year. They're definitely making more than one step in the right direction.
redwards510 11y ago
Instead of trying to impose your silly Apple Vs Microsoft drama on small children, we should focus on getting them laptops. Any laptops.
WorldWideWayne 11y ago
Apple is more dangerous to Unix culture than Microsoft ever was because the rate at which Apple screws it's own customers and developers is much, much higher than Microsoft. OS X is also a sickly sweet gateway drug to living their iDevice lockdown lifestyle. They are continually doing things to lock down OS X with secret APIs that only Apple can use and that 95% you're talking about will one day figure out who Apple really is. I hope you enjoy being their sales-person until then!

hamburglar 11y ago

Nobody coveted the VIC-20 I spent all my free time playing with in elementary school, but it's basically responsible for my success. It's an opportunity, not a guarantee.

kriro 11y ago

I'll disagree with this. As long as they don't find any stuff that they need Windows/OSX for they might be converted for life. There's also a very human tendency to get attached to the stuff you grew up with. Even if they switch...so what. They got a free computer and a chance to learn a lot. That's a pretty awesome head start. I also hope that the library has some nice "here's why programming is awesome and here's the books that'll get you there" type of course set up :D