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$100 OLPC becomes $5 USB stick
In an effort to extend their reach and make their name better known, Sugar Labs, the developers of the open-source platform originally designed for the XO-1 laptop will soon make the software available in an entirely new format. Nicknamed “Sugar on a Stick,” the software package is being released for 1GB USB flash drives, so that any PC can turn into a fully-functional educational desktop.
The platform is specifically engineered to run smoothly even on aging or obsolete hardware, making it more accessible in locations where modern hardware is too expensive or altogether inaccessible. The developers at Sugar Labs are interested in getting feedback from people who use it, looking to help optimize the speed and smoothness of the environment, a key concern when trying to make it run on as many hardware platforms as possible. Interestingly, there are reports of the software running on other low-cost laptops like Intel's Classmate PC.
Based on Fedora, Sugar on a Stick comes well after Sugar Labs split off from OLPC, and represents a part of their effort to get computing into the hands of everyone in the world.
The platform is specifically engineered to run smoothly even on aging or obsolete hardware, making it more accessible in locations where modern hardware is too expensive or altogether inaccessible. The developers at Sugar Labs are interested in getting feedback from people who use it, looking to help optimize the speed and smoothness of the environment, a key concern when trying to make it run on as many hardware platforms as possible. Interestingly, there are reports of the software running on other low-cost laptops like Intel's Classmate PC.
Based on Fedora, Sugar on a Stick comes well after Sugar Labs split off from OLPC, and represents a part of their effort to get computing into the hands of everyone in the world.
User Comments (9)
Post a comment| hellokitty[hk] on June 24, 2009 9:34 PM | "so that any PC can turn into a fully-functional educational
desktop. " So is this company making a linux based OS on a 1gb flash drive for educational purposes? I think a computer with xp, vista, or OSX probably has more opportunity...? "Based on Fedora, Sugar on a Stick comes well after Sugar Labs split off from OLPC, and represents a part of their effort to get computing into the hands of everyone in the world." Again, I assume everyone with a computer doesn't need an extra operation system...? |
| AndrestheBean on June 24, 2009 10:31 PM | hellokitty is right, macosx or xp has better
potential. plus linux is gay, that simple, its not going to go mainstream. it trys and trys, but its not happening. |
| Rick on June 25, 2009 1:50 AM | So is this company making a linux based OS on a 1gb
flash drive for educational purposes? I think a computer
with xp, vista, or OSX probably has more
opportunity...? XP, Vista and OSX cost WAY more than
$5, which is important when your monthly salary is $13 USD
per mo.Not to mention old, obsolete hardware won't really be running OSX or Vista very well... Although XP will probably squeak by on the majority of systems. |
| Guest on June 25, 2009 3:24 AM | I'm sorry but Linux on a USB stick just isn't that unique. All you would have to do is install Ubuntu on a USB stick and that's pretty much it! there are heaps of guides on how to do it. |
| neoflux on June 25, 2009 7:03 AM | The platform is specifically engineered to run
smoothly even on aging or obsolete hardware, making it more
accessible in locations where modern hardware is too
expensive or altogether inaccessible That "aging or
obsolete hardware" must have ability to boot from USB, right
? 
|
| captain828 on June 25, 2009 7:48 AM | neoflux said: +1 :p
The platform is specifically
engineered to run smoothly even on aging or obsolete
hardware, making it more accessible in locations where
modern hardware is too expensive or altogether
inaccessible That "aging or obsolete hardware" must
have ability to boot from USB, right ? |
| Guest on June 25, 2009 9:43 AM | It must have a USB, sure. But there's a lightweight floppy or CD image which just boots the USB, so you don't need the BIOS to know how to do that. |
| Guest on June 26, 2009 8:39 AM | Looks like a lot of people are taking a narrow perspective
on this. Yes, you can run XP or whatever Windows flavor you want. But it is expensive and will not run well on an old PC. Mac? Waaaaay too expensive for may third world countries. Linux? As long a there are some good educational programs, fine. For older students needing basic keyboarding skills, something as simple as Puppy Linux runs without installing from a live CD. Free programs such as Abiword or Open Office can provide experience in writing and basic spreadsheet or presentation use. Kompozer can provide a very good start at web page design and Scribus can help create a newsletter or newspaper. Most Linux distros can run from a USB stick, providing the PC BIOS allows booting from USB. But a $5 preset solution with software is a good deal, IMHO. |
| Guest on June 26, 2009 7:32 PM | the article didn't mention "Linux on a stick", that was a presumption made by another computing snob. |
