I don't think anyone on this list was suggesting that Windows on OLPC was/is a good/appropriate solution for learning. But there is a free software alternative, Sugar, that is designed to be appropriated by the local community/culture. We were asking, why doesn't the FSF promote alternatives (Sugar or some other free learning platform) in parallel with their anti-cultural-imperialism message?
-walter On Mon, Aug 31, 2009 at 3:15 PM, Sebastian Silva<[email protected]> wrote: > Heya, > Sorry for the cross post but I felt the need to address comments about this > both > on IAEP and support-gang. > > I still have to point out that there are 7000 XOs with Windows in Uruguay > and at least 100 here in Peru. The fact that these were not "shipped" by > OLPC is irrelevant and the ghost of Windows on XO 1.5 is one that I think is > preeeety real (whether or not this particular PC manufacturer -OLPC - > formally ships Windows or not). > > So, In Perú, I will keep pushing, once more, our campaign: > > "Window$ es una Inva$ión Kultural". > > (Window$ is a Kultural Inva$ion) > > (Check what I mean by Invasión Cultural - from a book by great pedagogue > Paulo Freire) > > The FSF, and many others like me, consider proprietary software a Social > Problem - its not about technical alternatives - of which we have many - but > about (real) access and ownership of knowledge and tools by the > underprivileged [who do not get to decide]. > > This reflects pretty clearly in MS's #1 Sin: > 1. Poisoning education: Today, most children whose education involves > computers are being taught to use one company's product: Microsoft's. > Microsoft spends large sums on lobbyists and marketing to corrupt > educational departments. An education using the power of computers should be > a means to freedom and empowerment, not an avenue for one corporation to > instill its monopoly. > > You can consider this FUD, perhaps you live in a country with a > not-very-corrupt education system. I consider it very real - so its not > about the technical solution, but about the social problem. > > I think putting the XO was a clear message, in the sense that this project > signified the hopes of many information libartarians - like me - to bring > equal and fair access to enlighened cultural attittudes wrt to knowledge, > information and technology / which is exactly what is at stake, but because > of ivory tower arrogance and, well, the real world, it is our latest > failure, in our innevitable path to learning to become a free society of > understanding. > > Thanks. > > Sebastian > > 2009/8/31 Christoph Derndorfer <[email protected]>: >> Hey SJ, >> >> thanks a lot for your reply. >> >> While removing the photo is a step into the right direction the text you >> see upon "learn more" hasn't really changed and frankly speaking still >> makes me raging mad: >> >> "...it is expected that the main effect of the OLPC project -- if it >> succeeds -- will be to turn millions of children into Microsoft >> dependents. That is a negative effect, to the point where the world >> would be better off if the OLPC project had never existed." >> >> Seriously, WTH are the people running that campaign smoking? And where >> are they getting their information from? (And yes, I know the text >> references olpcnews;-) >> >> RMS might say one thing but the windows7sins Web site clearly says >> something entirely different. >> >> (And, as a side note, I'm also not too happy about how some Sugar Labs >> people dealt with this situation...) >> >> With regards to the XO-1.5 I also think it's vitally important to get >> the message right (right) from the start. The DC event is certainly a >> great opportunity to get things rolling into the right direction! I also >> believe that an article on blog.laptop.org at the appropriate time would >> go a long way in avoiding confusion on this issue. >> >> Please do let me know if I can be of any assistance in these efforts. >> >> Cheers, >> Christoph >> >> Samuel Klein schrieb: >>> I sent the FSF campaigns staff an email last week about the w7sins >>> FUD. Michael sent a similar shorter message, I hear. Mako followed >>> up (thank you) and the OLPC refs (the huge XO image on the page) was >>> quickly removed. Christoph: thanks for your email, which is what >>> first alerted me to that. >>> >>> Lots of people (such as the FSF staff) are confused about what the >>> machines in the field are actually like and what the default install >>> on the 1.5 machines will be like; we should be as clear as we can >>> about this. >>> >>> I'll be presenting a 1.5 machine in DC next week, and will use that >>> chance to improve awareness of what's happened to date. >>> >>> SJ (still in the southern hemisphere) >>> >>> [ RMS: 'In any case, the OLPC does not run Windows 7, so it is not >>> pertinent >>> to include in a campaign against Windows 7.' ] >>> >> >> -- >> Christoph Derndorfer >> co-editor, olpcnews >> url: www.olpcnews.com >> e-mail: [email protected] >> _______________________________________________ >> support-gang mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/support-gang >> > > > > -- > Sebastian Silva > Laboratorios FuenteLibre > http://blog.sebastiansilva.com/ > > > _______________________________________________ > IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) > [email protected] > http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep > -- Walter Bender Sugar Labs http://www.sugarlabs.org _______________________________________________ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) 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