“We welcome Intel. The Classmate certainly is a reaction to and copy of OLPC’s mission and validates it as such. Its name speaks for itself with regard to their emphasis on classroom technology. We do not compete with them, but they believe they compete with us. Such asymmetry is rare. They have been very underhanded and destructive in the process of sales–theirs is a market, ours is a mission. Since OLPC is a nonprofit, you can liken Intel’s behavior to Johnson & Johnson beating up on the Red Cross because they use Ace bandages.” OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte in Can the $100 Laptop Change the World?–just out from Laptop Magazine.
For newcomers: The OLPC machine is of interest to e-bookdom because of (1) the super-sharp screen, at least for daylight use, (2) the ability to be used as a tablet and (3) the price of $150 or so. It could vastly popularize e-reading in developing countries.
Negroponte does not back away from “constructionism” in the interview. On the other hand, he defines it very broadly: “childrean learning through computers.”
He also notes that, contrary to reports that it was all software-debugging that led to the latest announced delay in production, some hardware specs are being tweaked as well. Memory and processor may be upgraded to be current for 2 full years; waterproofing is being beefed up (that sounds like a good idea!)
As far as how Intel views OLPC, I wonder how they would be acting if OLPC used Intel processors. Intel is said to be working on very powerful, very low-power CPUs for their “x86 everywhere” campaign, and they have predicted pocket-PC style handhelds running MS-Windows. So why doesn’t Intel just let OLPC go forward, and if it succeeds, then later on when these great chips are available, put in a bid to include them on v2, or v3 of the XO?
Sometimes the way these corporations work boggles the mind.
Thanks, Pond. I propose a new discipline: “OLPC studies”–a bit like Kremlinology. New hints of different kinds emerge regularly; I think you were right on target in zeroing in on the issue of what Negroponte meant by constructivism. I can remember a recent Web site change that suggested a backing away from constructivism to a degree. Too bad OLPC can’t be clearer about this. I don’t think teaching philosophies should be bundled with hardware. It’s a bit like saying everyone has to use DRM or X kind of e-reading software. – David
Pond,
Intel is locked in a market share battle with AMD, neither company plays nice, and OLPC is offering a significant market share advantage to AMD
I think if OLPC made the XO processor neutral, Intel would be much more cooperative. In any case, this way we have competition, which is better for everyone involved.