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One of my podcasting co-hosts, Mark Gura, and I have been intermittently talking about the $100+ laptop project for the last two years on our ordinary bi-weekly series. If you occur not to be intimate with the $100 laptop project; it has been spearheaded by Nicholas Negroponte formerly of MIT. The importance of it is the way it has leveraged opened the tidal wave of adoption of open source software and forced computer manufacturers to formulate low cost netbooks. This education-related project has genuinely transformed the computer industry and tech user expectations! Background Negraponte’s project is now called the One Laptop per Child project (OLPC) because the basic aim is to provide low cost, lasting laptop computers to the children of manufacturing countries. The prototype of these laptops have gone through wide variations, and brought much criticism over the past few years and they are never meant to be the “does everything” computer. These are basic models and yet rather revolutionary in various ways. For one, they are very small, have alternate power sources, such as hand powered, may be linked together to form an intranet (wireless broadband that may mesh network) and most of all do not suffer from what the founder dubs “Microsoft bloat.” In the consecrated attempts to keep the cost so very low, the software that is used is open source, which requires a much littler installation footprint and hardware operation requirements. The Original Prototype 2007 Details in Brief: Linux-based operating system, a dual-mode display, a 500MHz processor, 128MB of DRAM and 500MB of Flash memory. No hard drive, four USB ports and the wireless broadband that gives rise to a mesh network. Enter: Wider Public Adoption of Open Source Software! In assorted sequences of the Teachers Podcast we talk about the merging of another one of my favored engineering trends with the OLPC phenomenon- open source development and software. Open source development occurs when groups of humans in an open way portion source code in the development of the programming languages, operating systems, or another application. The intent is that the community will be capable to test and work collaboratively world-wide on the project with galore minds and perspectives available that might not other than as supposed or expected be capable to meet and work together. It veritably is a community and thereby the content and the product remains “open” that is free for use. Very often times a Creative Commons code license is applied is to describe use and attribution of the software. Probably the most famous current example is the operating scheme Linux (identified with by it is mascot of the penguin aka Tux). Related to Linux which has scores of programmers working on it around the world, there are likewise other Linux-like operating schemes available likewise including Apache, Ubantu, Linspire and more. For the education sector open source software has been way behind in adoption as schools have stayed mainstreamed primarily on pcs and little number on macs in the younger grades. However, having visited a few instructional engineering science conferences the past two years I have seen a dissimilar trend at last being salaried interest and the OLPC project could push it even much further again! Let me explain. At ed tech conferences we have experienced hands-on demonstrations of Linux or Ubantu network labs which are “dumb terminals” hooked up to a server and all profiting internet access and apps from the server. This first-hand experience provides a point of entry for galore teachers, ed tech specialists and school administrators who might have never other than as supposed or expected considered these options. In these cases, players see that there is no great loss in function with this configuration whereas the cost for this instrumentation is a little fraction of a traditionalisti school lab. This is because of two evident major constituents 1), the hardware are not stand alone computers, and 2) the operating system is open source. Hardware costs and upgrade costs are likewise primarily reduced, as well as the fact that software licensing and upgrades are eliminated. Open source software is no longer just for the tech heads. These platforms are point and click similar to most other programs. And there are thousands of open source programs freely available for us to meet business, education, graphic, music composition, media design, application needs to name just a few As galore K-12 superintendents are bringing in open source networks (they call them Open Technologies) into their schools we are seeing the march of the penguins, pencils and laptops strut their stuff for education! At a time of increased scrutiny of school budgets and more outstanding accountability, I suppose that 2009-2010 will be a time when open source software, mute terminals, as well as virtual terminals (to be discussed in an upcoming e-zine article) will be charging in front at a double- or triple-time pace. Update May 2009 The massive wave of netbooks (Asus, Acer, HP, Dell, and more) which have flooded the computer market in the last 16 months has been a welcome relief for buyer and school budgets alike! We have Dr Negroponte to thank for transforming the computing industry almost single handedly by pushing his OLPC project to the forefront of the corporate table of competition. The details unfolded close on the heals of the progress of Negroponte was the Asus group and the release of the ee pc with Linux on board (originally). Not just for tech people these were freed in the ordinary grey and black colors, but also shocking pink and green, and white– we may see the market was broader than the ordinary computer industry had been addressing). Their product was enthusiastically received and so impacted the public marketplace that the major computer manufacturers had to respond – quickly. Now in June 2009 we have netbooks available from each major manufacturer available for beneath $500. The resulting smaller, much less pricey (roughly 77% reduction in price) and robust hardware selections we now see all around us in computer and office stores, is in the first place due to OLPC shake up of a sanguine, over priced system. A affiliated wave of adoption is also continuing in spring 2009, and that is Open source, from Open Office.org to Linux, has seen very good year so far. Not only are we seeing more ads for these merchandise in mainstream publications, but lay humans (non-techies) are asking, requesting, and using them. What does this mean for Microsoft? Will there genuinely be a backlash versus steep upgrade prices? We have talked regarding feeling of annoyance at being hindered or criticized for years, but is the time here for it to have a significant impact? These are stimulating times for the voice of the people! The Connection As more and more persons catch the vision of netbook and realize they don’t need high-end computers for all student classrooms and rather they could even provide computers to go home with children; it will be open source software penguins leading that march as well. It’s been a long day coming for our instructional system to see that this is a much more economically way to serve the teachers and students and thereby be competent to serve ALL of them. An indispensable aside- very much worth the read and exploration- Negroponte is so open source he is now publishing a wiki where he is in an open way displaying the technical production notes, tech requirements, software, taking part countries, photos of the prototypes and much more (see: www.laptop.org ). Bringing such tools into the hands of multitudes of schools and students around the world, near and far, may in truth modify who the voices will be, and who will be in the global conversations in just a few months and in our global political future. Providing such a tool and entry to the outside world for not just students, but also for their families, for that is percentage of the purpose, may build a growing wave of social alter through some forms of literacy and understanding. When the walls of Equity and Access are broken down in even in these little ways, the prospects are a great deal of for persons to rise in to new possibilities. Penguins, open source, education and $100 laptop have much endowing potential for the children of the world, adults and nations. |
Open Mesh Network
Kind to beginners but likewise utile generally
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