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[Wayan Vota]

So all of us have had our XO laptops for almost a year, and we've been following OLPC for longer than that.  Yet on Monday, we'll all be swamped by newly interested folks who think sugar goes in tea and coffee. 

If you could meet a 2008 G1G1 participant, what would you tell them?

Personally, I'd make sure they realized that the XO laptop is a great tool for primary education in the developing world, but may not meet their expectations if they're looking for a "$100 laptop".  What would you say?

[Jordan]

I'd say that the XO is about learning.  It doesn't matter if you are an adult or a child, just try to use it as a focus point for learning.

If you're a technophile, use it as an excuse to learn about education or developing nations.  You may wish to explore the different activities to see the different philosophies behind learning.  Or maybe you'll use its web browser to pull up news about the various trials around the world, to learn about the multitude of ways that people live (and why all of those funky hardware features are so important).

If you're a technophobe, use it to figure out how commputers work.  Grab the Terminal activity to see what geeks are so obsessive about (you don't have to like using it, but just try to figure out what it's about).  Or maybe pull up Scratch to learn about giving instructions to a computer (i.e. programming) is a very user friendly way.

There are entire worlds out there for you to explore with the XO.  Even though you could explore those worlds without the XO, the little green machine will give you a subtle reminder each day to do so.

Oh yes, and have fun.

[mavrothal]

That if the Give 1 is not a major part of their decision, if it is not going to be the First computer of a child, it is not bought as a part of a more organized local effort (school, church, boy scouts, etc), and minor environmental contribution is not on the top of their list, the same money (that they pay for 2 XOs) can get them 1 but  better hardware.
Philanthropy, durability, kids-friendly GUI/OS/Applications, "communal computing", and energy saving are the strengths of the XO and G1G1.

[sracer]

So all of us have had our XO laptops for almost a year, and we've been following OLPC for longer than that.  Yet on Monday, we'll all be swamped by newly interested folks who think sugar goes in tea and coffee. 

If you could meet a 2008 G1G1 participant, what would you tell them?

Personally, I'd make sure they realized that the XO laptop is a great tool for primary education in the developing world, but may not meet their expectations if they're looking for a "$100 laptop".  What would you say?

I'd tell them congratulations for stepping up to be a part of something bigger.  That the "Give 1" laptop will be greatly appreciated by the recipient and will offer them more than we in more developed countries might consider.

The hardware taken as a whole is still leading edge and capable of the environmental challenges it will face.

The software has made tremendous leaps forward over the last year and literally provides a "classroom on a chip" experience for children...and there are still more improvements in the works.

Keep in mind that the primary purpose of the OLPC project is to use technology as a means of helping educate children... not just in the use of computers but in the more traditional disciplines as well.

As for the "Get 1" unit, it is quite flexible in what it can do beyond the default Sugar environment.  I recommend keeping Sugar and trying it out.  Allowing the youngsters you know to play with it.  You'd be surprised at how useful it is simply by "thinking outside of the box" of a typical Windows, Linux, Apple experience.  Spend a few dollars and purchase a few SD memory cards for installing alternate operating systems and storing documents. 

If you plan on installing other operating systems, learn how to set up a multiple boot environment.  As you make tweaks/changes to Sugar or other OSes, keep notes of what you did.  Learn how to write scripts to automate (where possible) some of those changes.  Should you decide that you want to wipe things out and reinstall, having these customization scripts will help.

Lastly, although this is a humanitarian effort, whenever people are involved, there will be ego, arrogance and pride.  Not everyone involved will be respectful of others.  That is to be expected.  But don't let those few but vocal individuals tarnish what is an otherwise fine community.  Pitch in where and when you can as you are able. 

Being involved in the G1G1 program is quite unlike purchasing a notebook computer from your local electronics megastore.

Welcome!

[Caliban1]

Being involved with G1G1 is like participating in a new technology Peace Corps! 
And it's a pleasure to work/play on an XO wherever I am.  It's hard to believe how much marvelous material has been included.  The XO provides both instruction and delight!
Welcome, all you new  and potential G1G1's!     
Caliban
(Without my XO "I'm but a sot.")

[mahlness]

Because of all the hype, I always start with a note of caution. I've heard from many who have been disappointed in what they bought (but that's why we''ve had 3 donated to our classroom!) Anyway, here's what I emailed to the parents in my third grade classroom last week, because my kids are really talking about XO's, Christmas, Amazon, etc:

As you probably know by now, we have 4 XO laptops in our classroom. Kids often ask where they can get one, and now there is more talk because they will be available in a week, at amazon.com. They'll probably be available to the public for a month or so, same as last year: http://amazon.com/xo (G1G1 - Give one, Get one) The main site for the One Laptop Per Child organization is http://laptop.org

If you would like to see one in action, please stop by our classroom and take a look (maybe parent conference time?). The cost will be $400, I think. The XO should not at all be seen as a replacement for a regular laptop. While they can do many amazing things, they use a different operating system (Sugar, based on Linux), are pretty slow, and have limitations on things we take for granted (like printing, or tech support, for example). That said, they are still pretty incredible - they can go on the internet, can be used as an ebook reader, have SD and USB slots, etc, etc.

They were designed to be used in groups, especially in underdeveloped countries. They were priced and built the way they are so governments could purchase and distribute tens of thousands of them at a time. Are they still a great learning tool for kids anywhere? Absolutely.

I just thought I'd drop you a note on this, as I hear kids talking, and Christmas is around the corner   Let me know if you have any questions. - Mark

Mark Ahlness
[email protected]
http://ahlness.com
http://roomtwelve.com

[Wayan Vota]

Mark, that is a great email.  Really gives them the highlights and a reality check. 

[markhadman]

(1) Don't expect it to be delivered on time
(2) Don't expect it to work perfectly
(3) Read the small print and understand the returns policy
(4) Don't buy it for a specific purpose
(5) Expect to learn linux command line at some point. You're the sysadmin now.

Having said that, I don't regret buying one. It's a marvelous piece of hardware and the software choices available are improving day by day.

[sambot]

If you are a newbie to Linux, learn to breathe. Slowly. Without gritting your teeth.

• 1.   Read, read, read, read, read everything you can, and take notes. Lots of notes.
  
  2.   Try things out. This is where breathing helps, because sometimes things just don't work.
  
  3.   Keep a notebook of everything you do. Cross out the stuff that didn't work despite all the rah rahs that tell you this is the greatest trick/hack/app/whatever.
  
  4.   Breathe.
  
  5.   Maintain your sense of humour while you remind yourself that this is, if nothing else, an excellent brain training excercise, as you try and problem solve your way through the maze of getting the xo to work.
  
  6.   Join a chat. For fun. For technical tips. For learning about other cultures.
  
  7.   Read, read, read.
  
  8.   Buy a spanking new USB stick and download the files to reflash your xo, just in case you need to reflash.
  
  9.   Try something new ever day, like changing your icon colour.
  
  10.  Invest in a keyboard, because the little keyboard might just drive you nuts.
  

I've had my xo since January 08. Never used a computer until 7 years ago. The olpc laptop is an elegant piece of industrial design. Yes, the operating system is a bit of a challenge, and yes, working with a command line is a bit of a challenge, and yes, this is not a full sized, bloatwear computer. What it has proven to be, at least in my household, is a rugged road warrior, that travels well, allowing us to surf the net, write a diary, play some videos, chat online to friends, and if we weren't so lazy, possibly learn a bit of python.

The xo has taught me to slow down a bit, and to pause and appreciate the world around me, and the world of possibility.

To all the newbies with their G1G1 round 2 laptops - I encourage you to have patience while you travel down the path of owning your new, aggressively cute laptop.

[Gabey8]

Some of these posts would look great as reviews on the amazon.com/xo site.

Just sayin'.

[microwiz]

I may post more reply later, but the first things I would say are:

• Be thankful that OLPC appears to have upgraded their ordering and delivery supply chain!  You may actually get your machine(s) without tearing out more than 1/4 of your hair!
• It's pretty useful and much more interesting to have (access to) more than one XO, as a stand-alone XO unit is kind of isolated.  Being able to do the things that you can cooperatively is pretty cool, even if currently kind of limited.
• Be ready to channel your inner geek to make use of much beyond the Sugar interface.  Those frightened of Linux and command lines might want to recruit/bribe a helpful friend first!
• It's rumored that there is a version of Windows XP somewhere at Microsoft that will run on the XOs.  It wouldn't hurt to join other new users in the hue and cry to get hold of it, but please adjust your expectations and realize that you will most likely never be able to run anything other than Linux on this machine.

[joachimp]

Feel free to email [email protected] if you have any issues with your XO, support volunteers are here to help!

[CanadaDry]

My advice: 

Don't buy an XO.
It will break your heart.

[ChristophD]

My advice: 

Don't buy an XO.
It will break your heart.

How so?

[GLOW]

Nice post, Sambot!
I've learned a lot, met great people, and had a whole lot of fun in the process!

Patience is rewarded.