[HOSEF-managers] Re: [LUAU] Schools and the OPM Addiction

[Jim Thompson]

The other option here is to retro-fit Sugar (or something like it) and/ 
or kuokoa onto the Asus EEE PC.

The EEE 4G 'Surf' (no camera, 4GB SSD, 512MB ram, 900MHz Celeron D,  
WiFi, Ethernet) could be had for less than $300 each, in quantity.

Then get Sandwich Isle Communications to drop a bunch 'o 802.11 on the  
ends of their state-wide fiber plant and punt the results into the  
native community.

HOSEF puts in some back-end infrastructure (email, web hosting,  
blogging, drupal community sites, wikis, etc) hold classes, etc.

Jim

On Dec 3, 2007, at 1:15 PM, R. Scott Belford wrote:

> Jim Thompson wrote:
>> Can't someone put the Sugar interface on top of non OLPC boxes, and  
>> make a distro out of it?   That would get allow HOSEF to pitch  
>> Hawaii's schools on a OLPC-like setting (the sizzle) on desktops  
>> without having to sell the steak (FLOSS).
>> Or perhaps Bishop Estate / Cambell Estate / Kaneohe Ranch could be  
>> persuaded to buy OLPCs for youth in Hawaii Homelands housing, or  
>> HOSEF could find the grants to purchase and administrate OLPC  
>> programs to reach Hawaii's disadvantaged youth.   Maybe Kamehameha  
>> school students could BOGO, with the "GO" going to a disadvantaged  
>> Hawaiian youth.
>
> Your observation could not be more timely.  This is exactly what we  
> are working to propose to a few of the above-mentioned entities.  I  
> have attempted, so far unsuccessfully, to make contact with the OLPC  
> team about actually buying their hardware.  Their supply chain could  
> use the committed orders.
>
> You know your ideas are good when you hear them from unassociated  
> parties.  A friend in Makaha who is a born and bread Native Hawaiian  
> finally understood this past Friday what HOSEF is about.  Her first  
> question was yours, Jim, 'why not find a way to get one of those  
> hundred-dollar laptops to all the Native Hawaiian children in  
> Hawaiian Homelands, and why not go to OHA for it.'  She and I are  
> meeting today to move on it, and I will contact you for details and  
> information.
>
>> Yes, its OPM.
>> Play the game from the inside, not the outside.
>
> That is exactly my message.  This was born in response to someone on  
> the K12OSN mailing list who had become a bit exasperated by his  
> endeavors in Missouri.  This list, for those who are not familiar  
> with it, is full of global stories of people promoting, adopting,  
> supporting, using, etc, FOSS in their school settings.
>
> For anyone vaguely familiar with HOSEF's commitment to getting Free  
> computer labs into schools and community centers, you will know that  
> this assessment is made from the requisite and painful real  
> experiences.  I can cite several schools this past year that had  
> been using Free computers labs, successfully, for years.  After  
> changes in teachers/tech coordinators, they came under new leadership.
>
> There was an acceptance and an eagerness to use the existing Free  
> computers, and there was a good relationship with those in our  
> community providing Free but limited assistance.  Money was found,  
> somehow, to buy new computers.  The reasons cited, with regret, were  
> that there was a need for more immediate support.  Rather than  
> expensing a fraction of the cost of new hardware for locally born  
> and bread support, it was expensed on bling.
>
> For this I fault myself for not creating the opportunity to spend  
> that money with us.  I do not fault the dealing vendor.  I do not  
> fault the using customer.  I fault me, the social entrepreneur, who  
> failed to provide a solution for the problem.  I certainly do not  
> excuse what I see as a misuse of OPM, but what alternative did I  
> leave them with?
>
>> Maybe we could revive Kuokoa then.
>
> I introduced her to your idea.  Who doesn't like it?  For those  
> unfamiliar, Jim asked the question - why don't Native Hawaiian  
> children have a fully immersed Hawaiian language computing  
> experience- almost two years ago at TPOSSCON.  I believe it was part  
> of this speech
>
> http://youtube.com/watch?v=XKmHsqXc9TM
>
> It has spawned another mailing list at HOSEF
>
> lists.hosef.org
>
> and is in need of attention, passion, and probably some OPM. :-)
>
>> Jim
>
> --scott
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