This isn’t the first time Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates criticizes the One Laptop Per Child initiative, spearheaded by the MIT Media Labs which is basically developing a US$ 100 laptop intended for distribution to kids in developing nations.
Gates advised them to “get a decent computer” that offered a decent screen, a broadband connection and isn’t powered by a wind-up handle.
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Gates is reported to have said of this collaborative effort: “If you are going to go have people share the computer, get a broadband connection and have somebody there who can help support the user, geez, get a decent computer where you can actually read the text and you’re not sitting there cranking the thing while you’re trying to type.”
Well, I do share Gates’ concern about usability, and the “value” concept he places on the computer system (which is more software than hardware). True, if you had the resources, you’d definitely go for a more capable computer, with all the whizz-bang peripherals and lightning speed broadband access. But if you’re a kid in some fourth-world nation where the computer penetration rate is close to nil, you’d be happy to have anything that just plain works.
Maybe BG could offer to ship a few thousand out there? It shouldn’t dent the MS budget too much and the publicity would be great! ;-)
I remember there were talks between OLPC and Microsoft for the possibility of using a scaled-down version of Windows for the machines at very low prices. Guess what? negotiations failed.
At any rate, Bill and Melinda Gates are doing their charity work elsewhere (i.e. funding health and scientific research). They won’t likely do any large-scale philantrophy when it involves Windows.
This really pisses me off. Bill seems to have completely missed the point. These laptops are not intnded for people who have regular access to broadband, etc – they are intended for 3rd and 4th world nations. In many cases, people who don’t necessarily have regular electricity. And, if they don’t even have that, how the hell are they going to get broadband…what a wanker.
He’s just upset that he missed an opportunity to sell more Windows Licenses. It it was a more “decent computer” it could probably handle Windows. And where there’s Windows there’s money for Microsoft.