Category: OpenSource

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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.

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Design Education Globalization Google Network OpenSource Rich media Technology

SlideRocket Beta

I have been beta testing SlideRocket, a new online presentation tool. It has a very Keynote like approach to creating presentations, or should I say is also at the exact opposite end of the PowerPoint scale of slideware. Thanks be to God for Edward Tufte.

SlideRocket Beta

The beta period looks to be stable for the short term, but SlideRocket will give Google’s online slideware tool a bit of a hard look, but I just do not believe it will be enough to move the masses to SlideRocket.

SlideRocket is a Adobe AIR application supporting Flickr photos and the ability to directly import Google Spreadsheets. The beta tag sticks because I was not able to get accurate results on my Flickr search on three attempts. It also borrow’s from Adobe the deep grey design UI of the program.

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Design Education Globalization Milwaukee Network OpenSource Reading Technology TED

Latest read: The Starfish and the Spider

Rod Beckstrom’s The Starfish and the Spider reminded me of his very insightful presentation at the 2007 The Next Web Conference about organizations. Two types will define or break you in a Web2.0 world.
the starfish and the spiderAn enjoyable, easy read that further suggests leaderless organizations can fuel dramatic change within organization large and small.

Beckstrom, who just spoke at the 2008 TED conference presents content supporting how organizations can flourish when tightly controlled groups embrace the starfish effect.

He notes how Al-qaeda has embraced this type of leaderless organization and it becomes very obvious to any reader the last five years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This book actually complimented my previous read, The Wisdom of Crowds (review here).

The Starfish and the Spider follows the successful work of Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything because both draw upon the power in today’s globalized world to share knowledge — via OpenSource to engage Web2.0 enterprise solutions and corporate blogs to think and more importantly, act independently.

Book website Link

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Design Education Globalization Internet2 Milwaukee Network OpenSource Technology WiscNet

Internet2: Re-invent

i2 reinventInternet2 is looking to re-invent its mission. The organization is now 10 years old, celebrating a decade of advancement in Chicago in December of 2006. Internet2 will engage the community…and will benefit from the wisdom of crowds. It appears some of the reason to re-invent comes from the failed merge with the National Lambda Rail and also from the emerging impact of Web2.0 solutions for individuals and in the enterprise.

In higher education the opportunity to collaborative remains a big challenge due to the fact that working collaboratively now extends across the globe. In the end the fast changing globalized world will benefit from educational institutions empowered by advanced networks. By the way … Internet2’s CEO Doug Van Houweling will be speaking in Madison at WiscNet‘s Future Technologies Conference.

Tags: Internet2, WiscNet, Doug Van Houweling, community, globalization, trends

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Design Education Globalization Network OLPC OpenSource Technology TED

OLPC: Green beyond belief

Mary Lou Jepsen, former CTO of the OLPC project (and current President of PixelQi) was a keynote at the 2008 Greener Gadgets conference in NYC. This short address will surprise you regarding the types of green, advanced technologies built for poor students. Major consumer tech companies should pay attention:

This remarkable laptop for the world’s poorest students has so many green technologies that Apple, Dell, HP and every other laptop manufacturer should be incorporated into ALL laptops:

And why can’t I replace my Powerbook’s LCD strip for $1.00 similar to the replacement cost built into the OLPC? Well those same manufacturers want you to purchase another laptop…even when I search eBay for a solution.

Tags: energy, conservation, OLPC, Mary Lou Jepsen, globalization, trends