OLPC OS Up For Download
If you've never heard of OLPC (http://www.laptop.org/index.shtml) maybe the words One Laptop Per Child will ring a bell in your head, as this project has been covered by many news reports world wide, be they IT inclined or just your seven o'clock news. OLPC is a US non-profit organization created by MIT Media Lab Faculty members aimed at developing a cheap and easy to use computer for the children of the third-world. The operating system - or XO as it is called - is based on open-source software and it's applications will consist of a web browser, based on Mozilla Firefox's Gecko engine, a document editor - AbiWord, a RSS reader, an email client, music composition and graphics toolkits, games and even a shell for those who feel the need for a bit more freedom . Probably the most innovating thing about the OS is the ease of use and intuitive interface. You can see some screenshots at http://www.engadget.com/photos/olpc-sugar-interface-tour-gallery/209570/.
The operating system, based on Fedora Core, can now be downloaded and burned on a disc which runs as a Live CD on a standard Mac or PC. This is a great opportunity for people who like to experiment with strange flavors of Linux, but also for those who either don't have the time nor will, to understand how to operate in your typical desktop environment. XO brings a ready to use system where commands like ./configure or sudo make install will be things the “grandpa” user - who doesn't use the computer for more than browsing the web and reading his emails - won't have to deal with. There are of course some negative aspects to the operating system... such as the lack of audio/video handlers, the lack of PDF support, and probably the worst: the heavily modified and over simplified AbiWord saves the files in the .doc format by default. It's a pity that this closed-source format is being used and without explaining to the user what the difference between doc and odt are, even if most people have MS Word installed and cannot open most FOSS documents.
Despite any shortcomings, this project has true potential. But I have to say that from looking at those screenshots it looks promising. I don't know how many people will use it for PC for other purposes than experimenting, but this could prove to be a real alternative to the constantly busy desktop environments – such as KDE or Gnome, for instance. If you do decide to download the disc (http://olpc.download.redhat.com/olpc/streams/sdk/build1/livecd/) and give it a try, you may want to go and make a cup of tea, as it takes a long time for the page to load.
Written by: Victor Doman
