On OLPC

I haven't been following the OLPC project very closely, but I ran across a NY Times article on it today. This shows a few things. For starters, I still hate David Pogue because he dumbs down technology too much for my tastes. Fortunately, the fact that it's him writing on a paper whose tagline is "All the news that's fit to print" means that the project is both alive and receiving a new fresh jolt of interest.

I'm a huge fan of the machine and it's guiding design principles. It's engineering and open source at it's best. The laptop needs to have a long lasting battery, be built of cheap components, survive the harsh environments of underdeveloped countries and the grubby fingers of children. And as if each of these alone weren't lofty enough goals, the device has to be FUN enough to use. It's freaking amazing this can be done.

Not only is it an amazing feat of hardware, but they've also made sure the software doesn't waste it. The interface is thought up from the ground up, and focused for it's audience. The software is open and allows children to poke around in the source. That means that future developments are also open!