Samir, IIRC, there *is* a serial port, but due to constraints I have not been made aware of, It isn't exposed, instead it is buried inside the case. Sorry I can't help more, -- Ian Daniher [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype : it.daniher irc.freenode.com: DyDisMe
On 10/23/07, Samir Saidani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi, > > I have heard about the OLPC initiative a while ago, and recently > I have decided to take a further look at this very interesting > initiative... Here are first thoughts about it... > > I'm quite new to this project, and one thing that strikes me was the > lack of built-in serial and parallel port. Why ? When you don't have > a lot of money, you tend to use obsolete technology which are cheaper > than the newer one, like parallel printers, serial modem, serial mouse, > parallel scanner, etc ... This obsolete technology are easily available > on poor countries, because it's easy for an non profit organization > to send this kind of technology that almost nobody wants anymore (at > least the enterprises, and the schools of rich countries update quite > often their hardware and throw the old one to the garbage or donate it > to a NPO). > > So you can have the old tech for free, because they often end into the > gargage while they are still working great. And this is not a theory, > we have founded here in France a npo which locally is working to give > One Computer Per Child for 0 $. We have already a lot of computers, > and we are slowing down the process to avoid a computer hardware > overload... Recycling is an ecologic approach to the environment, and it > seems that it is a concern of the whole OLPC initiative. Recycling allows > you to do things by yourself with little money (or none at all). I know > that there is a serial/USB interface, but I'm not sure that it would be > as easy to use as built-in ports (possibility to lost it, unable to do it > by yourself due to the complex USB electronics component...). So when you > consider the target audience (poor countries, rural zone, poor people), > I think this is a design mistake. Or at least it's reducing a lot the > possibility of hacking and recycling obsolete hardware lying around. > > Maybe and probably do you have already talk about this matter ? > > Thanks ! > Samir > _______________________________________________ > Design mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/design >
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