The state of the One Laptop Per Child project

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Lots of you heard a lot of hoopla about the OLPC project (er, One Laptop Per Child). This is a strange little machine that’s aimed at bringing computing to kids around the world. It’s been a while since I heard anything about it, other than they had started shipping with both Linux and Windows, which shocked a few people in the community who saw that as something negative.

So, here I visit the OLPC team and get the skinny from the CEO and then talked with the engineer who built its innovative wireless features (hint: dude is smart and the wireless features on the OLPC are truly innovative). Learned a lot and learned about the deal with Microsoft too.

Oh, and next month they are bringing back the popular “Give one, get one” deal where you can buy an OLPC for $400 for yourself and that’ll get one donated to a kid on your behalf.

Published by Robert Scoble

I help entrepreneurs build their technology business' story, help with getting ready for investors, with other launch plans, and many other strategic things that can help your new startup. Call to talk: +1-425-205-1921 (text first).

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18 thoughts on “The state of the One Laptop Per Child project”

  1. More good can be achieved If they can distribute paper textbooks and notebooks filled in with a good syllabus meant to ‘teach’ children how to live life and focus on good future..

    Instead those fools are distributing half baked laptop, no use in poor or developing economies…!!

    Sell OLPC as a thin client to companies..

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  2. More good can be achieved If they can distribute paper textbooks and notebooks filled in with a good syllabus meant to ‘teach’ children how to live life and focus on good future..

    Instead those fools are distributing half baked laptop, no use in poor or developing economies…!!

    Sell OLPC as a thin client to companies..

    Like

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  8. Thanks for the interviews, but it would be nice if you also did your homework before hand. Your lack of knowledge about OLPC and softball/clueless questions make Larry King Live look like 60 Minutes.

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  9. Thanks for the interviews, but it would be nice if you also did your homework before hand. Your lack of knowledge about OLPC and softball/clueless questions make Larry King Live look like 60 Minutes.

    Like

  10. Wayan: to someone who is really close to OLPC like yourself they might sound clueless. But most people in the world don’t have any clue what OLPC is, which is why I ask lots of basic questions. My interviews aren’t just for advanced coder types who have been geeking out on OLPC since the beginning (sounds like that is who you are, since you run a blog about OLPC). I would love to hear what questions you would have asked.

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  11. Wayan: to someone who is really close to OLPC like yourself they might sound clueless. But most people in the world don’t have any clue what OLPC is, which is why I ask lots of basic questions. My interviews aren’t just for advanced coder types who have been geeking out on OLPC since the beginning (sounds like that is who you are, since you run a blog about OLPC). I would love to hear what questions you would have asked.

    Like

  12. @Harshad:

    “More good can be achieved If they can distribute paper textbooks and notebooks filled in with a good syllabus meant to ‘teach’ children how to live life and focus on good future..”

    I suppose you wrote your comment on a paper notebook and mailed it with a postage stamp to Scoble, right? The cost of one laptop can easily offset the cost of printing books for children every year. You know, that PDF thing works really well and does not consume paper or ink!

    Instead of complaining, jump in and bake the half-baked idea. Contribute, please! http://wiki.laptop.org/

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  13. @Harshad:

    “More good can be achieved If they can distribute paper textbooks and notebooks filled in with a good syllabus meant to ‘teach’ children how to live life and focus on good future..”

    I suppose you wrote your comment on a paper notebook and mailed it with a postage stamp to Scoble, right? The cost of one laptop can easily offset the cost of printing books for children every year. You know, that PDF thing works really well and does not consume paper or ink!

    Instead of complaining, jump in and bake the half-baked idea. Contribute, please! http://wiki.laptop.org/

    Like

  14. @Rober Scoble. Nevermind about Wayan, his manners are nasty and provocative, so as to get more readership for his olpcnews website, and thus get more dough. He doesn’t represent in the least the community of people interested and involved with OLPC and Sugar.

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  15. @Rober Scoble. Nevermind about Wayan, his manners are nasty and provocative, so as to get more readership for his olpcnews website, and thus get more dough. He doesn’t represent in the least the community of people interested and involved with OLPC and Sugar.

    Like

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