[Oberon] The Oberon answer to Arduino

[peasthope at shaw.ca]

My mail server returned the Cc of this on December 26 but 
there is no evidence of it reaching the list.  A second 
copy follows.
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Aubrey,

I admire your enthusiasm and effort; so don't take this as 
criticism.  

A collaborative or community project needs more "argument" 
before participants are convinced of a course of action.  
Inevitably some egos will be threatened or offended; some 
participants you might hope for, will take their toys and 
go home.

From:	<Aubrey.McIntosh at Alumni.UTexas.Net>
Date:	Mon, 24 Dec 2012 16:29:25 -0600
> ... the PIC folks are saying
> that the libraries are closed and have some critical design bugs and they
> want an architecture where you can control stuff down to the bits.

Such as the XO?  It's a complete machine including advanced 
Open Firmware to help with startup and debugging, good 
wireless and a display which can be read in broad daylight as 
well as in usual cave conditions.

> At one level, my project is about a teaching tool. 

Precisely what OLPC is about!  Of course that doesn't preclude 
other purposes.

> So this brings to mind the question, should I go with a MIPS processor?
>  They are available for about $5 each, ...

Whereas in G1G1 the XO is $400 and on eBay about $120.  

Apparently the policy in Uruguay is for every primary school 
child to have one.  If Uruguayans can afford them, maybe  
people in industrialized countries can too.

The difference between $5 and $120 is easily justified 
when you allow for the XO being a well designed complete 
machine with completely open specs; and allow that the cost 
of software surpasses the cost of hardware by orders orders of 
magnitude.

> I'd love to see a community project come together.

Many of us agree; but a big obstacle is that people are still pulling 
in too many directions.  To solve this a consensus of focus is needed.  
First make a list of candidate hardwares.  Then evaluate the pros and 
cons of each.  Then decide an acceptable compromise.Then try to move 
it forward.

Best Regards,                 ... Peter E.

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