Groklaw is reporting that HP is shipping Ubuntu Linux on its notebooks and desktops sold in Africa. How interesting that what I would consider a cutting edge computer operating system development is happening first in the developing world, not Silicon Valley. I want this to happen here too, in North America, and I think it will before too long.
Michael Dell, are you watching and reading? I might actually order a Dell (or a Toshiba Tablet PC) If I could get it from the manufacturer with Linux and OpenOffice. I bet many others would too.
I would really like to speak directly with someone involved in the MIT $100 laptop project later this academic year. Both the trend of shipping new computer systems with Linux preinstalled, and the $100 laptop initiative, are things that WILL happen I think, it is just a matter of when.
So what is your school district CIO doing about open source operating systems? Most likely, not much. But they should be. To do otherwise is fiscally irresponsible.
