It amazes me what people can produce with off the shelf components and open source software. Look at OLPC. Look at the $100 laptop project in India. Look at the programs founded by Nicholas Negroponte - also from MIT - in Uruguay.
Lower the barriers of entry, keep the software and componentry open and as non-proprietry as possible and things will start to happen.
From my perspective the biggest IT companies just don't get it. They'll laud the benefits of a project like Microsoft's Second Light device and overlook the benefits of work done by Maes and Mistry.
I've got no problem with major companies making a buck, but its when they hold the education sector to ransom by their drug dealer like behaviour that get me upset.
I'm particularly miffed at Microsoft. At my school we've had to factor an extra $100 on top of the cost of computers (pre DER) for the purchase of licences for Windows and Office. There are alternatives but the populace are tricked into thinking that the MS Office suite is an ersatz 'standard' that everybody must adhere to or else they'll fall by the wayside.
Its projects like Sixth Sense that give me hope that there are people out there who are genuine in their approach to the implementation of technology in education for the betterment of the learning process, not as a means to keep stockholders happy. Where's the altruism? The Sixth Sense project and those like it have it in spades!
To see what other wonders might be in the pipeline, have a look at this!
To see what other wonders might be in the pipeline, have a look at this!
i like that you brought up some new points and extended on the price factor with other examples- i do remember hearing about the 100 laptop project! that is awesome
ReplyDeletebut i actually didnt think 6th sense was that cheap myself, considering you need to ALSO have a smart phone which cost anywhere between 400-1000 in itself :S
that link you posted had some really intriguing gadgets! its cool to see what people are working on, i dont think anything is at the mainstream stage yet, but i guess gives us an idea of what MIGHT become the norm??