March 21st, 2006
Bill Gates Not Enthusiastic Over $100 Laptop Project
By: Will Wagner
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates spoke out against the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) project and vision to place a low level Laptop PC in the hands of all poor people in developing countries around the world. The method for garnering such a low price tag comes from a design that excludes a hard drive and utilizes a “small” display screen. Mr. Gates was unimpressed with the initiative, and also insisted that PC users required a Broadband connection to be productive, something poor countries lack. Here in the US it is estimated that only 24 percent of rural America has Broadband, so I imagine that in poor countries around the world Broadband is something they simply can not fathom, let alone actually acquire.
“The last thing you want to do for a shared use computer is have it be something without a disk … and with a tiny little screen,” Gates said at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum in suburban Washington.
“Hardware is a small part of the cost” of providing computing capabilities, he said, adding that the big costs come from network connectivity, applications and support.
Puzzling even more was the above quote in reference to a small screen, while Microsoft itself is working on a small screen display PC called Origami which was announced just a few weeks ago and covered here.
We Say: Kudos to MIT for the lofty vision of connecting the world, they aim to provide this connectivity on the promise of Open Source Software via Linux, which is a direct competitor to the monopoly Microsoft enjoys here in America. Could the reason that Gates is not warm to the idea be due to lack of proceeds to the Microsoft Corporation?
Source: Reuters
Sergio Pereira says:
Well, to be fair with billg, the Origami thingy has a small screen but is not marketed as a shared computer. As stated later in the article, the real problem for MS is that a $100 PC is not likely to be combined with $300+ of MS software, or any other commercial software for that matter.
March 22nd, 2006 at 5:48 am
Bill M says:
I agree — whether it is Gates, or anyone else, criticism of a project where that person has a financial interest is highly suspect.
Even dial-up access is superior to no access. I would hope that the MIT design would also allow boot from a USB device. A $100 shared PC coupled with a $5 USB key with a ‘personalized’ OS would accomplish a lot toward literacy and economic development in areas where *any* is more than *none*. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
March 22nd, 2006 at 6:58 am
Charles says:
I actually tend to side with Gates on this one. Mainly because I don’t know enough about the environment or the people that will supposedly use this $100 laptop. And I suspect, the majority of people that put out opinions on this don’t either.
Is it really what they need? Will it be of any use to them? Or is this just a ‘build it and they will come’ idea?
My gut feeling tells me that if you are trying to design a shared computer down to $100 so that another group of people can afford it, then maybe a laptop is not as high on the list of priorities as you might think.
Remember, Gates has donated a lot of money to third world problems, so probably has much more insight into the situation than most people. Gates and Microsoft don’t need the scraps that any developing nation has to offer. Once there is some level of connectivity and stable infrastructure, then you can bet Microsoft will be interested. But for now, Gates raises legitimate concerns (connectivity, support, and applications)
The $100 laptop really sounds like a hippie tech dream to liberate the world. When what it really needs is adequate and sustainable food, shelter, and health care. I should really RTFA, but does the $100 laptop initiative go any farther than the $100 laptop?
I guess the implication is that if people in third world countries can freely exchange ideas and information, they can topple their oppressive governments. Yeah, right…
March 22nd, 2006 at 1:06 pm
Ron Ingram says:
I like this idea, though not everyone will be able to connect, I do beleive that a lot more people will be able to!
March 22nd, 2006 at 7:30 pm
Joe says:
$100 laptop? sounds cool. How about getting broadband to the USA. People without it are more likely to have no access as opposed to no money.
March 22nd, 2006 at 9:17 pm
Charles says:
So I click on the link and find the following:
“One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is a non-profit association dedicated to research to develop a $100 laptop—a technology that could revolutionize how we educate the world’s children. This initiative was launched by faculty members at the MIT Media Lab.”
Revolutionize how we educate the world’s children??? Are they joking? Study after study shows that computers do not improve learning except for narrowily focused situations. We’re not talking about the three Rs here. ‘One laptop per child’ kind of sounds like ‘Leave no child behind’.
What… a waste of money and resources.
March 22nd, 2006 at 9:26 pm
David Blomstrom says:
Charles wrote, “Remember, Gates has donated a lot of money to third world problems, so probably has much more insight into the situation than most people. Gates and Microsoft don’t need the scraps that any developing nation has to offer. Once there is some level of connectivity and stable infrastructure, then you can bet Microsoft will be interested. But for now, Gates raises legitimate concerns (connectivity, support, and applications)”
Oh, please. I’m SO SICK of hearing about Bill Gates’ “philanthropy.” For the thousandth time, Gates is no philanthropist. He spends money on ADVERTISING and PUBLIC RELATIONS, cleverly disguising it as philanthropy. Trust me, every penny that jackass “donates” to society has strings attached.
Examples? Glad you asked. There’s “Microsoft Auditorium” in the Seattle Public Library and any number of buildings named after Bill Gates, his wife or parents. Sheez, Bill and Melinda can’t even pay fair rent for their philanthropic headquarters! It’s true - they screwed Seattle taxpayers out of millions of dollars when they relocated to the Seattle Center.
Few, if any, institutions have been more heavily targeted by Bill Gates’ largesse than public education. The results? Well, do some research on the Seattle School District, which has been in steady decline since 1970, shifting into a freefall about 1995.
Saying that Bill Gates doesn’t need third world nation’s “scraps” is ridiculous. There are many millions of people on the African continent, where some nations may soon be propsering from oil and other resources. No continent is insignificant from a marketing perspective.
Bill Gates is the world’s richest jerk. End of story.
March 23rd, 2006 at 4:22 pm
Charles says:
David,
I’m confused… are you saying that the steady decline of the Seattle School District is the result of Gates giving large amounts of money to it?
Also, if I donate a ton of money to construct a building, it’s going to be named after me. Or, I will get to name it. That’s fairly common actually, so I’m not sure why you’re slamming Gates for that.
Nice web site by the way… it’s not like you’re a Open Source zealot or anything. Very tasteful.
How did ‘Operation Get Bill Gates’ go? Kick Bill Gates’ ass?
Quoted from David’s web site: www.freedomeware.us
“Would you pay $10 for the pleasure of kicking Bill Gates’ ass? If so, consider supporting my campaign against Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Microsoft Whore Terry Bergeson. My issues include the promotion of open source software. I also encourage citizens to vote against George W. Bush, who’s an even bigger asshole than John Kerry.
No, I’m not running for office just to get Bill Gates. But I am running for Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction, my bigget issue is corporate corruption, and Bill Gates is Corporate Whore #1.
To learn more see my campaign website.”
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:36 pm
Dave says:
The OLPC is just one chink in Microsoft’s walled garden. The bigger threat is light, thin boxes like ASUS’ eee PC. This thing is seriously cool and WILL be my next purchase. I have given up on traveling with my full-sized notebook. I can’t even open it when I’m seated on a plane. Oh, and do I have to mention that the OS and all the software are free?
January 25th, 2008 at 9:03 am
J says:
LOL.
we just pucha$ed a new comp. we also have cable. it has no soft unless we purch. why? cause billy don’t get paid till i make him ONE OF THE RICHEST HUMAN BEINGS ON THE PLANET !! so now I get to pay him for “soft ware” when I should really be paying for HARDWARE! Cause the soft is soft- it wont’work for long. when may make nothing that lasts we have no return customers I.E.: MANUFACTUING (oops loosen jobs to…?) Productivity is directly related to a person — oooh - SO IS MONOPOLY. GUESS WE FORGOT. build it here buy it here and vote for equality. P.S.: I am a republican. Don’t aks me to submit — lol
May 1st, 2008 at 3:38 am