DMP's marketing is very slick - they identified that OLPC's credibility suffered by not hitting the $100 target. So DMP built a model with $100 as the ceiling. To do so, they took stuff out: the OS (optional), the component assembly (not included), wifi networking (optional apparently), localized keyboards (unknown). And, of course, there is no deployment coordination; the idea is that components get shipped to a country and the country assembles them, loads an OS and learning software, and deploys with no participation from the manufacturer. The DMP Edubook is a netbook project, not an education project like OLPC.
It could be argued that OLPC made a mistake by restricting distribution of the XO-1. Most journalists and many influencers have never touched one, and so go by secondhand information. Worse, the G1G1 programs and journalists loans were single machines; the magic of Sugar collaboration was invisible, reducing the XO-1 to a netbook machine. The reality of schools everywhere is a hodgepodge of old computers, new computers, Mac computers, no computers, and, for some, XO computers. What Sugar offers is a means to provide a consistent learning environment across hardware. To me, this is indeed complementary to the XO. The XO remains the best machine to experience Sugar, in particular because of its mesh networking. I am convinced widespread use of Sugar will boost OLPC. The DMP Edubook could be a real opportunity for Sugar, because I consider it unlikely that Microsoft will want to organize licensing of local installation of Windows XP or Windows 7 over component parts. And of course, that would add to the cost, plus the cost of a kids' interface, plus the cost of learning software. I wouldn't want to recommend "competing" with OLPC for a large-scale deployment in an African or Latin American country. But OLPC has not deployed in Eastern Europe. Why not? I have often seen comments indicating those countries hesitate to deploy machines associated with southern developing countries. It seems they would feel stigmatized by a "charity" project; they want to produce or at least assemble locally. Perhaps we could talk to DMP about their eastern European contacts. Sean On Wed, Oct 7, 2009 at 11:30 PM, Tim McNamara <[email protected]> wrote: > > 2009/10/8 Sean DALY <[email protected]> >> >> http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20091007PD223.html >> >> http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=67846&ctNode=413 >> >> >> http://noticias.com.gt/economia/20090821-taiwan-propone-instalar-ensambladora-computadoras-guatemala.html >> >> >> * Claim: $100 per unit (unassembled components, no OS), with liberal >> dissing of OLPC in the communications. > > Interesting. This could be a win for Sugar Labs, at least to some extent. I > wonder if those govts would consider Sugar on those PCs... > This sub-netbook is pretty stock standard. It doesn't seem to have a lot of > the neat features of the XO. The XO-2 will be even further removed, e.g. no > keyboard. > There are already competitors in this space of providing low powered > sub-notebooks that people are used to (See a micro-post I wrote about > the Gecko) > These products could be seen as complementary to Sugar, but they do appear > to erode the sway of the XO. > _______________________________________________ Marketing mailing list [email protected] http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/marketing
