Intel, which until recently had been promoting it's own "ClassMate" low-cost computing design (and criticizing Nicholas Negroponte's efforts) has now joined the One Laptop Per Child project along side AMD, Google, Red Hat and others.
OLPC is a great project that promises to bring badly needed basic computing capabilities to developing nations. The OLPC defines a stripped down low-power laptop that runs Linux and it's own graphical shell. In order to keep the cost down, it uses no hard drive, has no built-in CD or DVD reader. But it has built-in mesh networking, and a simple suite of software including a browser, email, VoIP, chat, word processor and several programming languages. If you're not familiar with the OLPC there are some good videos on YouTube that give you an inside look into the design of OLPC from the designers themselves.
Even if the cost ends up being more than the original $100 goal, this is a great endeavor and shows the power of open source and cooperative design. Hats off to Intel for doing the right thing and getting on board with this project. Lets hope that business rivalry comes to an end where charity is at stake.
Posted by Zack Urlocker on July 16, 2007 09:29 PM
