Bill Gates recently mocked[1] the $100 laptop computer project for developing countries being developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology[2].
His argument: "The last thing you want to do for a shared use computer is have it be something without a disk ... and with a tiny little screen." This came after he showed off a new "ultra-mobile computer" which runs Microsoft Windows on a 7" touch screen. This was nicknamed the 'Origami Project' to some built up hype[3]. Please note that the first generation hardware specs for the $100 laptop mention a 7" diagonal 4:3 aspect ratio TFT panel[4]. At least they include a keyboard and not as an optional accessory. Typing with thumbs doesn't look like any fun at all[5]. Gates continues: "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." Things aren't looking too good Mr Gates[6]. He's probably just angry there won't be a Microsoft tax on the machines[7]. LINK: 1. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060316/tc_nm/microsoft_gates_dc 2. http://laptop.org/ 3. http://www.origamiproject.com 4. http://wiki.laptop.org/wiki/Hardware_specification 5. http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/tc/080101microsoft/im:/060309/481/les11003091328;_ylt=Auc.rMxsKqrdTQhLh01Olo3lWMcF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGcyMWMzBHNlYwNzc25hdg-- 6. http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=16129 7. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20051128-5639.html
