User:DancesWithCars/XO-1 Bites the Dust

Ok, so I've been having XO problems since I got it:

• keyboard is kid sized, ok, mail order, didn't think of that, use an external USB keyboard
• touchpad, but adding a USB mouse workaround fixes that.
• Then the camera not working, ok, I don't show record, the crowd pleaser,
  • use Speak and the microphone app measure? instead...
• But then the screen stops working
  • (weird behavior, was blank restarting/ hard booting fixed TEMPORARILY,
  • now dark rolling lines/ bars and looks like shorting out, maybe a smell too?),
• then it's toast...

And the G1G1 program is not running RECOMMEND: (should be year round, imo, and reduces the holiday rush, enables kids/ parents to purchase for school year terms, and planning for use, plus contributing to the OLPC project financially and possibly development, plus new not ebay take your chances...),

I'm probably a little light on the tech for doing a development alpha XO-1.5

• (though I do want it, could potentially use it the following ways
  • run school server software (XO-1.5 as a teacher's machine, serving for students/ clubs/ afterschool activities, development,etc..),
  • and show to LUG members, across users groups like Perl Mongers, mini demos, run builds, etc...
• and more production ready beta boards of Fat XO-1.5 are a ways away...
  • (even if shipping worked locally)

Rants:

• SO IT SEVERELY LIMITS WHAT ONE CAN DO WHEN YOU CAN'T GET THE HARDWARE, LIKE ANY OTHER MACHINE...
• And wastes my years of experience with the project

(albeit mostly user, and OLPCLearningClub.org user group,

• but I've made as much as $100/hour doing short term computer work)...

Grumble grumbles:

• if it were really a $100 machine as the intended goal,
  • then buying one would not be as much of a problem...

• But at $426 with shipping, and unknown delivery wait times.
  • it's a little beyond this disabled and hence poor person...

My current options seem to be:

• Not sure if I'm going to be able to get them from lending / pool... OK So Far but for 3-5+ months?
• Ebay sounds risky as used, mail order, buying old tech, etc...
• Bakeoff ( OLPCLearningClub.org comparing netbooks) makes me wonder which one,
• though not a good comparison as XO-1 started the netbook category, price, features, and not a systematic comparison, apples to oranges, in lots of ways...
• wait for a daylight Mary Lou screen available on other netbook hardware, but not kid focused nor as kid rugged?
• wait for XO1.5? WHEN? HOW? HOW MUCH?
• really want a touchscreen (saw it on the Intel Classmate, and bugging OLPC to allow as an option/ or on a development platform) for the DynoHubSolarPowerCombo project

danceswithcars 10:30, 24 July 2009 (UTC) updated danceswithcars 19:11, 17 August 2009 (UTC)