06.23.09
PC of Satan?
A $100, hand-cranked powered personal computing device (can’t really be called a laptop) that is being developed and promoted by folks at MIT and elsewhere is causing some sleepless nights in the techno centers and headquarters around the U.S. A little PC that is being developed for the technology-starved emerging nations (specifically Africa and the Far East) is causing quite a storm.
Bill Gates and crew are quivering in their Sperry Topsiders ™, all because Nicholas Negroponte’s designs of “One Computer, One Child” might be cutting into the lucrative markets that Microsoft is hoping to dominate. Namely, the poorest countries in the world! Now, Microsoft has no thoughts of actually having PCs with a “Designed for Windows XP” label sold in these countries; noooo…. Microsoft is hoping that software pirates (Arrrr!) will sell duped copies of Windows XP to the local folk through after market profiteers and then Bill and his dogs of war will swoop in and lay all kinds of fines and threats on the local and national government and agencies. Threats like, “We are going to make you run Windows XP Lite” — yeah, that’ll show ‘em not to mess with Redmond!
Actually, it’s probably that Microsoft doesn’t want an affordable PC running Linux to be out there for the distressed nations. The nightmares and cold sweats they must be enduring, oh my! No “Designed for…” stickers on these PCs. Eeek! Having the choice of free and open software that doesn’t have to have a Microsoft EULA (End User License Agreement)!
So what does Bill Gates do? Of course, damage control! If you don’t have a solution, you knock the other guy’s brilliant, thinking-outside-the-box product and build up a Microsoft alternative that costs five to six times the amount of money. Here’s some coverage on the nature of Bill Gates’ insecurities and outrageous greed from Reuters carried on Yahoo.
Gates’ comments and cries of disbelief that these people can’t seriously be thinking of running a “toy” PC without a broadband connection! What are they thinking?!? This speaks volumes of how clued in Bill Gates really is–lots of broadband connections in remote villages with a single room school house, right? Lots of need for broadband connectivity in the first place–those kids are starving for MTV and Microsoft Media Center media-rich content, the kids are so depressed that they aren’t able to play the latest multi-player first person shooter or the latest copy of Grand Theft Auto. These kids cry themselves to sleep at night bemoaning the fact that they are being deprived of these essentials. Oh the humanity!
