Questions to Negroponte

OLPC has changed its priorities drastically, with a very brief statement of its founder, Nicholas Negroponte, which did not clarify many key aspects of this change.

On this basis, in the OLPC-Sur list we produced a set of questions that have been sent to him, and we hope to have the answer soon. Here they go.

About the new priorities:

1. Development of generation 2.0

• It appears that the OLPC development team will dedicate themselves to this, is it so?
• What efforts will OLPC make to support the XO-1?
• Will the XO-2 be developed as an important free software project as the XO-1 was?
• For how long is the XO-1 going to be in production?
• Is the production of XO-1s at risk if the sales stop? Do you have a plan to sustain the demand for XO-1s in this atmosphere of uncertainty?
• Whats your timeframe for having the XO-2 in the market?
• In what ways are you planning to involve the community in the development of the XO-2?

2. A no cost connectivity program

• What technologies are you aiming at?
• What will the first deployments be?
• What role will the community have in this project?

3. A million digital books

• How does this integrate into the ongoing OLPC project?
• What places will be given priority for their distribution?
• What technologies will be used for their implementation?
• Have you considered having them be sound and music players as well?
• What role will the community have in this?

4. Passing on the development of the Sugar Operating System to the community.

• In what way will OLPC support the community in this transition?
• What concrete plans do you have to help the deployment countries supported by the OLPC software developers who won't be there anymore?
• Will OLPC open other options for software platforms in addition to Sugar?
• What place will the community have inside OLPC?

About OLPC Latinoamérica

• How this separation is gonna be handled? What this spin off mean?
• Which communication will remain between OLPC and OLPC Latina?
• Which it's gonna be the structure of the desicion making process in OLPC and OLPC Latina?
• Which it's gonna be the OLPC's business model?
• Is Latinoamerica included in the "Give Many" program?

Other questions

• Have you thought how to keep improving and debugging the software of the already delivered XOs?
• What would you say is the OLPC's essential mission? has it changed? Que policies is OLPC going to use to acomplish that mission?
• How important is to give recognition and to strengthen the XO's community of free software developers to reach OLPC's vision?
• Is there any chance that one of the OLPC's board member could come from the OLPC community?