"Laptop for every pupil in Uruguay" .. running Linux

[bruce2000]

"Uruguay has become the first country to provide a laptop for every child attending state primary school."

"Over the last two years 362,000 pupils and 18,000 teachers have been involved in the scheme."

"The laptops have an open source Linux operating system with a user interface called Sugar. It has attracted some criticism from detractors for not being mainstream."

"Organisers of the Plan Ceibal have set up a consultancy in order to advise other countries wishing to replicate the Uruguayan experience.
Mr Brechner said that Rwanda, Haiti, El Salvador, Paraguay, some provinces in Argentina and Colombia have been in touch although they have not yet decided to contract their services."

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Check out the full story here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8309583.stm

[NoaHall]

Linux isn't a operating system, it's a kernel.

[RiceMonster]

Linux isn't a operating system, it's a kernel.

You know what they mean when they say "Linux" though. Calm your GNU/Self down.

[NoaHall]

I am calm. If they are going to write a news story on one(or the) of the best news websites in the world, they should at least get it right.

[earthpigg]

You know what they mean when they say "Linux" though. Calm your GNU/Self down.

LOL :popcorn:


and 'sugar' is what is on the olpc, right?

[NoaHall]

Yep, as far as I can remember. I guess it's spreading, like a (need a better simile) virus.

Edit : Oh wait, looks like it IS part of that - it's not seperate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Laptop_per_Child#Deployment_of_XO_laptops

[themusicalduck]

"The laptops have an open source Linux operating system with a user interface called Sugar. It has attracted some criticism from detractors for not being mainstream."

Surely cheap linux laptops for all children is better than a few or no Windows computers?

[bruce2000]

Surely cheap linux laptops for all children is better than a few or no Windows computers?

I agree, when cost is a big factor much better to avoid the windows tax and have a superior OS like Linux (ok GNU/Linux...) I don't know much about "Sugar" though, first time I've heard of it.

[ve4cib]

"The laptops have an open source Linux operating system with a user interface called Sugar. It has attracted some criticism from detractors for not being mainstream."

Oh noes! We can't train Uruguayan children to make spreadsheets in Excel or produce corporate Powerpoint presentations!

Seriously, these kids are what, 8? Most of the software they'd be using isn't "mainstream" anyway. A simple text editor, a basic drawing program (à la Paint), a web browser, a calculator, and a handful of other basic utilities is about all you need at that age to start developing "computer skills."

[NoaHall]

I think it means because it's not a mainstream GUI not distro/OS.

[bruce2000]

I think it means because it's not a mainstream GUI not distro/OS.

I think it refers to OS. I doubt many journalists know what a GUI is.

[NCLI]

I think it means because it's not a mainstream GUI not distro/OS.
Exactly. I think they should've used something based on XFCE, Gnome or E17 instead, at least those are GUI's actually used in the outside world.

[NoaHall]

Might I call to attention the facts -


"The laptops have an open source Linux operating system with a user interface called Sugar. It has attracted some criticism from detractors for not being mainstream."

Take the xandros interface for netbooks. People really don't like it. My girlfriend said to me just today that she really didn't like it it.

[bruce2000]

Might I call to attention the facts -



Take the xandros interface for netbooks. People really don't like it. My girlfriend said to me just today that she really didn't like it it.

I still believe the journalist was referring to the OS Linux.. oh sorry I don't want to upset you .. GNU/Linux :)

I don't really care what your girlfriend thinks.

[NoaHall]

And I still know, from the evidence shown, and what I have read elsewhere, that I am probably right.

Why are you being so bitter?

[bruce2000]

Then let us agree to disagree, ok? I'm not being bitter at all, we just disagree, no big deal.

[ve4cib]

The designers at OLPC designed the interface from the ground-up to be child-friendly. They tested it with children, got feedback from their target audience, etc...

They never intended to make something that would train children to be office workers or programmers. They wanted something that kids would find easy and fun to use.

Worrying about mainstream interfaces is really irrelevant. Back when I was first using computers in grade 2 they had 5" floppy drives, and the teacher had to load applications through a command-prompt. Then a few years later we got Apple Classic II computers. Completely different-looking. And yet we adapted. Then a few years later they replaced those with another kind of Mac, with yet another set of applications and another new UI. Finally by high school we were using XP and/or Windows 2000 (depending on the lab). Different again. And you know what? Every student managed to figure it out.

Sit children taught on the XO in a typical Windows or Linux lab, give them a 10 or 20 minute crash course on where to click to do task ___ and they'll be fine. Sure, they'll be a little awkward at first, but assuming the XO did its job and they understand the keyboard/mouse interaction, and some rudimentary computer skills using a different UI will not be that hard.

When looking at the (debatable) flaws in the XO you have to remember who the target audience is, and remember that their needs are not the same as yours or mine (or any other adult, nor even high-school students).

[NoaHall]

Very well , how about this - the writer may know nothing about computers, and is complaining about the use of a Linux-based OS, but instead, saying it as user interface.
Although from the chat I've heard else where about it, it's really about the GUI, not OS.


I don't really care what your girlfriend thinks.

Seems quite bitter, seeing as I wasn't doing anything wrong, apart from showing the thoughts of one of the masses.

[bruce2000]

Might I call to attention the facts -
-
And I still know, from the evidence shown, that I am right.


You're the one claiming to be "right" not I. I believe you're wrong.. but that is my opinion, ok?

[bruce2000]

The journalist probably had to look up "Linux" on google to know what it meant, yeh maybe he had heard the word before, but knew nothing about it. To think he is an expert on Linux windows managers is something I find hard to believe, so in my opinion he is referring to the OS. Anyway that's my opinion.

[NoaHall]

I know it's your opinion, sorry, didn't mean to offend.

Look here -
http://www.olpcnews.com/software/sugar/criticism_and_rebuttal_on_suga.html

[sandyd]

Oh noes! We can't train Uruguayan children to make spreadsheets in Excel or produce corporate Powerpoint presentations!

Seriously, these kids are what, 8? Most of the software they'd be using isn't "mainstream" anyway. A simple text editor, a basic drawing program (à la Paint), a web browser, a calculator, and a handful of other basic utilities is about all you need at that age to start developing "computer skills."
+1

when their old enough anyways, theyll learn how to setup their own Open Source OS on their netbook anyways ;)

[earthpigg]

the journalist was off the mark by caring at all about what is mainstream for the students.

kids tend to learn much faster than adults. the younger a person is, the faster and easier they learn. fact (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preschool_education#Age_and_Importance).

at large, its the teachers, staff, and journalists such as the one that penned the article that are the most likely to have problems adapting to something different... and that should not be a consideration.

yes, both the interface and underlying operating system will often (but not always) be easier for the students to learn than teachers. however, teachers, in my opinion, should be willing to put forth the additional effort required to keep up with their children as a matter of course.

no one said teaching was easy. heck, two entire beurocracies (1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Federation_of_Teachers) and 2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Education_Association), and the usual justification (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenure)) in the United States have grown up around preventing bad teachers from being fired.

[bruce2000]

I know it's your opinion, sorry, didn't mean to offend.

Look here -
http://www.olpcnews.com/software/sugar/criticism_and_rebuttal_on_suga.html

I overreacted sorry NoaHall.

[newbie2]

The XO-3, as it is known, is a slim-line touchscreen tablet PC.:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8428009.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8428147.stm
:cool: