Tomorrow, I’m going to begin working with the 7-year-old winner of an XO computer. She won the computer in a drawing at our school district’s technology fair. We’ll be documenting her progress and our learning on a new blog. But as I am getting ready to create her blog, and populate the sidebar with lots of good resources, I’m wondering who else is out there in Colorado using XO’s. Know anyone? #
UPDATE (2/16/08): The new blog’s up. Come join us! #
Hi Bud.
I’m guessing not many people have had experience with the XO. I have, but only thanks to you, as you let me play around with yours during a staff meeting a while ago.
I really like some of the features of the XO. Like anything truly innovative, it will make some uncomfortable–especially if they expect it to be “just like Windows.”
There is a real trend towards Web 2.0 and using computers as terminals, rather than places to store our programs and information. There are several very inexpensive computers running some version of Linux that are now available at some Sear and Wallmart stores. The more we move to Web 2.0–which to me means keeping your data and programs on the net, rather than on your personal machine–, the more I can envision a world of tech equity. This may sound strange, but imagine just how “connected” someone could be, even if they only used a computer at school or at a public library. You could still have a blog, save tons of data, etc, and none of it would have to be on your computer. It’s “out there” on the web.
I know students that have no computer at home and yet they have a web persona and access in ways we could not have imagined ten years ago.
Richard
SOrry Bud, I don’t know of any XO Users in Colorado, but I do know a few people here in Michigan that have some XOs and are talking about putting together an XO user group at our annual MACUL Conference. You might want to connect virtually with them, or consider starting up a Ning site dedicated to XO users
Here’s a link to the forum topic about the Michigan XO User Group (http://maculspace.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=612492%3ATopic%3A25055)
Seek and you shall find Colorado users: http://olpcnews.com/forum/index.php?topic=54.0
There are lots of Colorado XO users, and even a big effort to supply them to two schools, one in Ethiopia and one in Tanzania. See
http://groups.google.com/group/xocolorado/
And here is a snippet of the Boulder Linux User’s Group discussions (there are several folks who have helped develop the OLPC in the area): http://lists.community.tummy.com/pipermail/lug/Week-of-Mon-20071231/035938.html
etc. Too bad this blog doesn’t seem to make the URLs into links.
I’m looking forward to your posts here. Thanks!
i can’t wait to see the progress
keep up the good work
Hi Neal! Glad you spoke up.
Bud, Neil has a great page that was used for an Ubuntu talk not too long ago:
http://bcn.boulder.co.us/~neal/talks/contribute_to_ubuntu.html
Here’s a direct link
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Thanks, all, for the links and connections – I’ll be digging in over the next few days. I knew there was a community – just hadn’t found it. I love the power of the network! If you’re interested in following our progress as we begin to think about the XO as a learning tool, you can check out the blog I’ve set up. Would love to see you there!