[IAEP] [support-gang] Fwd: w7sins FUD

[Walter Bender]

I don't think anyone on this list was suggesting that Windows on OLPC
was/is a good/appropriate solution for learning. But there is a free
software alternative, Sugar, that is designed to be appropriated by
the local community/culture. We were asking, why doesn't the FSF
promote alternatives (Sugar or some other free learning platform) in
parallel with their anti-cultural-imperialism message?

-walter

On Mon, Aug 31, 2009 at 3:15 PM, Sebastian
Silva<sebastian at fuentelibre.org> wrote:
> Heya,
> Sorry for the cross post but I felt the need to address comments about this
> both
> on IAEP and support-gang.
>
> I still have to point out that there are 7000 XOs with Windows in Uruguay
> and at least 100 here in Peru. The fact that these were not "shipped" by
> OLPC is irrelevant and the ghost of Windows on XO 1.5 is one that I think is
> preeeety real (whether or not this particular PC manufacturer -OLPC -
> formally ships Windows or not).
>
> So, In Perú, I will keep pushing, once more, our campaign:
>
> "Window$ es una Inva$ión Kultural".
>
> (Window$ is a Kultural Inva$ion)
>
> (Check what I mean by Invasión Cultural - from a book by great pedagogue
> Paulo Freire)
>
> The FSF, and many others like me, consider proprietary software a Social
> Problem - its not about technical alternatives - of which we have many - but
> about (real) access and ownership of knowledge and tools by the
> underprivileged [who do not get to decide].
>
> This reflects pretty clearly in MS's #1 Sin:
> 1. Poisoning education: Today, most children whose education involves
> computers are being taught to use one company's product: Microsoft's.
> Microsoft spends large sums on lobbyists and marketing to corrupt
> educational departments. An education using the power of computers should be
> a means to freedom and empowerment, not an avenue for one corporation to
> instill its monopoly.
>
> You can consider this FUD, perhaps you live in a country with a
> not-very-corrupt education system. I consider it very real - so its not
> about the technical solution, but about the social problem.
>
> I think putting the XO was a clear message, in the sense that this project
> signified the hopes of many information libartarians - like me - to bring
> equal and fair access to enlighened cultural attittudes wrt to knowledge,
> information and technology / which is exactly what is at stake, but because
> of ivory tower arrogance and, well, the real world, it is our latest
> failure, in our innevitable path to learning to become a free society of
> understanding.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Sebastian
>
> 2009/8/31 Christoph Derndorfer <e0425826 at student.tuwien.ac.at>:
>> Hey SJ,
>>
>> thanks a lot for your reply.
>>
>> While removing the photo is a step into the right direction the text you
>> see upon "learn more" hasn't really changed and frankly speaking still
>> makes me raging mad:
>>
>> "...it is expected that the main effect of the OLPC project -- if it
>> succeeds -- will be to turn millions of children into Microsoft
>> dependents. That is a negative effect, to the point where the world
>> would be better off if the OLPC project had never existed."
>>
>> Seriously, WTH are the people running that campaign smoking? And where
>> are they getting their information from? (And yes, I know the text
>> references olpcnews;-)
>>
>> RMS might say one thing but the windows7sins Web site clearly says
>> something entirely different.
>>
>> (And, as a side note, I'm also not too happy about how some Sugar Labs
>> people dealt with this situation...)
>>
>> With regards to the XO-1.5 I also think it's vitally important to get
>> the message right (right) from the start. The DC event is certainly a
>> great opportunity to get things rolling into the right direction! I also
>> believe that an article on blog.laptop.org at the appropriate time would
>> go a long way in avoiding confusion on this issue.
>>
>> Please do let me know if I can be of any assistance in these efforts.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Christoph
>>
>> Samuel Klein schrieb:
>>> I sent the FSF campaigns staff an email last week about the w7sins
>>> FUD.  Michael sent a similar shorter message, I hear.  Mako followed
>>> up (thank you) and the OLPC refs (the huge XO image on the page) was
>>> quickly removed.  Christoph: thanks for your email, which is what
>>> first alerted me to that.
>>>
>>> Lots of people (such as the FSF staff) are confused about what the
>>> machines in the field are actually like and what the default install
>>> on the 1.5 machines will be like; we should be as clear as we can
>>> about this.
>>>
>>> I'll be presenting a 1.5 machine in DC next week, and will use that
>>> chance to improve awareness of what's happened to date.
>>>
>>> SJ (still in the southern hemisphere)
>>>
>>> [ RMS: 'In any case, the OLPC does not run Windows 7, so it is not
>>> pertinent
>>> to include in a campaign against Windows 7.' ]
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Christoph Derndorfer
>> co-editor, olpcnews
>> url: www.olpcnews.com
>> e-mail: christoph at olpcnews.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> support-gang mailing list
>> support-gang at lists.laptop.org
>> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/support-gang
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Sebastian Silva
> Laboratorios FuenteLibre
> http://blog.sebastiansilva.com/
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!)
> IAEP at lists.sugarlabs.org
> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
>



-- 
Walter Bender
Sugar Labs
http://www.sugarlabs.org