> > Free and open software is a means to an end, rather than the > > sole end unto itself for OLPC. > > > > I was totally stunned by this admission. "morally bankrupt", as Bob > > says, is exactly what is going on. > > Hmm, sounds like you are saying that abstract goal of unlimited > software freedom is > a higher goal than providing access to modern technology to > disadvantaged children in > 3rd-world countries.
Wait a second. I think you should go do some reseach and go read a study that has been done as to the potential financial damage this could do to the economies of some of these 3rd world countries, where the projected cost of these laptops is 80% of their GDP. There was a specific study done for Argentina. Please read it carefully. Please don't automatically suggest that people who try to do good, end up doing good. Let alone people who say they are going to do good, but show that their moral compass is off-kilter even during the development stage. > don't wish to argue that point, but it is > certainly a point > that could be debated. Why *would* the OLPC people wish to get their > dicks caught > in the struggle between the free-and-open software community and the > greedheads? Yes, and of course there is huge money to be made out of the OLPC. OLPC is the american challenger in the race to beat the Chinese to this particular market. And it is about money, from all sides. The children are just mentioned to make everone feel good.
