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>
> January 4, 2008
> Intel Leaves Group Backing Education PCs
> By JOHN MARKOFF
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/04/technology/04laptop.html?ex=1357189200&en=c4afaa5aaf035432&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all
>>
>
> SAN FRANCISCO ? Intel said Thursday that it had chosen to withdraw
> from the One Laptop Per Child educational computer organization, which
> it joined in July after years of public squabbling between Intel?s
> chairman, Craig R. Barrett, and the group?s founder, Nicholas P.
> Negroponte.
>
> The low-cost laptop, originally priced at $100, has captured the
> public imagination but also created intense controversy because it was
> viewed as a potential competitor for both Intel and Microsoft in the
> developing world.
>
> The machine, which is based on the freely available Linux operating
> system and comes with educational software, is now built with a
> microprocessor made by Intel?s archrival, Advanced Micro Devices. The
> PC, called the XO, is being sold for about $200 apiece to governments
> and institutions.
>
> On Thursday an Intel spokesman said the company shared with O.L.P.C.
> the vision of putting computers into the hands of children, but the
> two were not able to work out what he described as ?philosophical?
> differences.
>
> Intel did not attend a recent board meeting of the group in Florida,
> according to a person familiar with the events, who asked not to be
> named because he had not been given authority to describe the events.
> That set off a bitter private dispute, which led to the Thursday
> announcement.
>
> ?We?ve reached a philosophical impasse,? said Chuck Mulloy, the Intel
> spokesman. ?Negroponte had asked us to exclusively support O.L.P.C.-
> based platforms.?
>
> For emerging markets, Intel has been backing its own, more expensive
> Classmate PC, which sells for about $300. Mr. Mulloy said Intel was
> unwilling to walk away from support agreements that the company had
> made for that machine and other systems.
>
> Intel also said it was able to develop a prototype of an XO computer
> with an Intel chip.
>
> [snip]
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