Category: OpenSource

Categories
Design Education Globalization Network OLPC OpenSource Technology

OLPC running XP

olpc xpWell the long wait is over. Microsoft Press Release has struck a deal with OLPC to offer XP on those little laptops. I’m not sure this is a good thing. Ask anyone who has Vista if they would like to downgrade back to XP (I did) and then you realize this is what will be introduced to millions of future Microsoft customers children around the world?

Lots of press here: Slashdot, NYTimes, CNET, Gizmodo,

I’m counting on the fact that behind the scenes Microsoft is helping fund OLPC. I’m not sure Sugar has what it takes to be the interface because OLPC clearly failed to market the story behind Sugar. And that’s a shame.

Tags: OLPC, sugar, Microsoft, XP, globalization, laptop, trends

Categories
Design Education Globalization Internet2 Milwaukee Network OLPC OpenSource Smartphone Technology TED WiscNet

Bandwidth for Schools

A National Broadband Policy needs to be more than just a talking point. Schools in our country need to upgrade their internet bandwidth to 25 Megabytes per second. This is for every school — not just the K12 district who slices up the bandwidth based upon the total number of school buildings in the district. The technology and educational impact upon our schools: leaving them behind just when students from around the world are joining and benefiting from the broadband educational internet.

Playing catch-up
Today we find a majority of schools around the country in the educational slow lane. For some reason it does not matter if the school is remote or urban, many are connecting at just 5 Megabits/second. Its like teaching history with books that still recognize Russia as the old Soviet Union….oh how I miss Gorgachev.
Any college connecting at less than 10MB — shows a lack of understanding and vision for their students who enter higher education seeking not just a degree but an advantage to enter the global marketplace.

Continue reading “Bandwidth for Schools”
Categories
Design Education Globalization Google Internet2 Milwaukee Network OpenSource Rich media Technology WiscNet

FTC Update coming

wiscnet logoAs WiscNet‘s Future Technologies Conference wrapped up late yesterday followed by a staff outing in Madison. Will be posting a lot of content regarding our keynote speakers and Internet2 over the next couple of days and grabbing my flickr feed for FTC 2008.
Here is the link for FTC 2007.

Categories
Cyberinfrastructure Education Globalization Google Innovation Network OpenSource Technology

Jumping into the cloud

internet cloudThe huge success of web apps have made me think about jumping into the cloud with Microsoft’s Office suite.

Back in the day, Office was really the only game in town. Today Google’s App services had taken the lead in the Web2.0 surge.

Apps provide great functionality and workgroup solutions for free.  Many users will never push Excel to its limits. Google Apps which includes a powerful spreadsheet app is definitely good enough for many of us on a day to day basis.

Robert Scoble announced:

I’ve been watching my usage. In two months I’ve only used Outlook out of the entire Office Suite. Everything else? Moved onto online services.”
– 09:06 AM April 30, 2008 from web

Continue reading “Jumping into the cloud”
Categories
Design Education Globalization Network OLPC OpenSource Technology

OLPC trouble signs ?

olpcTo say the last couple of weeks have been a PR nightmare for OLPC is an understatement. Some talented members of the initial team have departed while hints of a Windows solution is in the air. This past week they announced a new COO Charles Kane who oversaw the production of Sugar, the Linux based OS for the laptop.

To many the idea of OLPC embracing Windows is a step backward. What we will not know for some time is any “behind the scenes” negotiations between Nicholas Negroponte and Microsoft.

Continue reading “OLPC trouble signs ?”