OLPC missing its community opportunity
I've heard rumors lately that the One Laptop Per Child program may go to Windows. That would be a shame. And not because I think Linux should win over Windows but because OLPC has the largest, spontaneous community I've seen and OLPC would lose them immediately if they moved to Windows. When I'm at conferences, I see people walking around with their green OLPC's explaining and giving demos to anyone who is interested. When I ask them their affiliation to OLPC, "none" is always the answer.
OLPC is cool – it's a cool project (just look at it – bright green, made for kids, cool little antenna things) with an awesome mission that everyone wants to be associated with – computers for kids in developing nations. If OLPC goes to Windows only, they will lose all of their open source community backing.
Instead of moving to Windows, they should figure out how to leverage all of the community goodwill they currently have.
2 Responses »
This is an example where I think far too much respect and importance is granted to Community. Here’s what I mean.
It would seem like the good in all this is the notion that because of the OLPC program, children who would not have otherwise had access to a computer will now have that access and all the good things that come along with it.
Now, it seems to me that when someone (the Community) refuses to participate because the laptops that will be distributed can/will have Windows on them, then those someones are placing the principles and perceived value of said Community above that of the original, laudable, core goal – namely, of placing valuable tools in the hands of children lacking them. I find it difficult to see how someone could possibly justify such a position, if that’s in fact the one the Community is taking.
If someone could give me a reason something like one of the following two, then it would seem valid.
* Children can’t use the laptop as effectively for learning if it as Windows on it compared to some other OS more favored by the Community because…
* The non-Windows laptops are cheaper (in the sense that more of them can be distributed to these children for the same cost), therefore if we want to help a larger population, we should go with that option.
An example of a reason that doesn’t provide the basis for a strong argument would be:
* We should not use Windows because the Community wouldn’t like it.
If that’s the reason, my question would be… who cares? It’s not about ‘the Community’, it’s about getting machines in the hands of kids who don’t have them. It would seem that a reason like that just indicates to me that the Community has an inflated image of self importance. Now, if a valid, pragmatic reason can be provided, I’m all for the idea of sending something other than Windows out.
My point was not that we shouldn’t use Windows because the community wouldn’t like it. My point was that the community is willing and able to help out with Linux and open source on OLPC. If OLPC decides to move to Windows they will be saying no to all that extra help. (Help that I don’t think they are truely utilizing at the moment.)
Although there will still be a community of people willing to help if it’s Windows on OLPC, they won’t be able to help at the same level. They’ll be able to help with marketing but not with actually getting the thing working, creating software, testing, etc. And getting people involved at the code level often strengthens the community at all levels.