On Jan 8, 10:28 am, "ness...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
<ness...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> <Quote>
> Gates: OLPC hasn't done that well.
I wonder if the fact that Microsoft and the Gates foundation keep
having private conversations with the leaders who are about to adopt
OLPCs may have something to do with it. At the moment, OLPCs are on
Back-order. They can't keep up with the demand.
> Emerging markets are growing for PCs, people are doing cheap PCs.
This is true, in major cities, where electricity is more easily
available, about 10 million PCs recycled from US computers, shipped to
emerging markets, configured with Linux (for the language of that
country, and English), and often sold for under $100 each.
The key element of the OLPC is that it needs less power, runs good
educational software, and can be manufactured for less than $100 per
PC.
> We've always believed in cheap PCs.
This is probably true. Every time Microsoft introduces a new version
of Windows, everything else becomes obsolete, which means that
corporations have to pay to get rid of them. The problem is that even
though they won't run the latest version of Windows, they are still
fully functional, and work quite nicely with Linux. Which makes it
easier to send them to countries who don't insist on Windows, and are
willing to use Linux instead.
Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, South India, and many other parts of the
world where a brand new Windows operating system (without the
computer) cost almost as much as a car, and a computer that runs the
newest versions of Windows costs as much as a house.
> If the hardware were free, we'd be happy. We're about the software.
Yes, but not about putting software on free hardware. After all,
Microsoft ALSO needs to protect it's OEM distribution channel, and
giving away Windows for $50 computers would really piss off the OEMs.
> We're in literally over 100 countries with special versions of
> Windows, including Starter Edition.
Microsoft only targeted these countries with low-cAost versions of
Windows BECAUSE Linux had already established a growing market. After
losing Mexico and Brazil, Microsoft wanted to be much more proactive.
> OLPC is nowhere compared to where we are on this thing.
They are shipping them as fast as they can make them, but production
capacity is limited compared to Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Acer.
> If that form factor, some people want to use that,
> we'll make sure Windows is available on that.
And they will call it another "Microsoft Innovation".
> </Quote>
>
> http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9843783-56.html
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