OLPC XO-1: The price of free
Summary
This episode of Version History explores the One Laptop Per Child (XO-1) initiative, a project led by Nicholas Negroponte to provide durable, low-cost computers to children in developing nations. Hosts discuss the device’s unique design, including its dual-mode screen and rubber keyboard, alongside the ambitious "constructionism" philosophy that inspired it. The conversation covers the project’s rise and fall, highlighting the gap between its $100 promise and $188 reality, political complexities in distribution, and the competitive threat from Intel’s Classmate PC and the netbook boom.
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