Tech Shout!

On Wednesday, Micrsoft chairman Bill Gates was seen poking fun at the $100 laptop being created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, whereby he ridiculed its lack of features. MIT’s decision to not use Windows on the device is the likely reason for Gates’ extreme negative stance on the $100 laptop.

In November, Gates had met the then MIT Media Lab chairman Nicholas Negroponte. Apparently Negroponte informed Gates that he was only keen in making use of open source software on the device. Negroponte also outrightly rejected an offer from Apple to use free copies of Mac OS X for a similar reason.

At a speech at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum in Washington, D.C., Gates jested the devices lack of a hard disk and small screen. He also said that the boat on software applications and support was absent, which he explained is where the “big costs come from” making such a device.

Before his comments, Gates had displayed one of the new ultra-mobile PCs, which run Windows XP and include a seven-inch screen. It’s vague whether he was trying to market the UMPC as a better alternative; the devices are over six times the cost, from $599 to $999.

Gates criticised the devices as being being inadequate for shared-use computers. However, the title of the project is One Laptop Per Child, and statements from the group indicate that every child would have their own device.

“If you are going to go have people share the computer, get a broadband connection and have somebody there who can help support the user,” Gates said. “Geez, get a decent computer where you can actually read the text and you’re not sitting there cranking the thing while you’re trying to type.”

Infact in December, Intel’s chairman Craig Barrett had made a similar remark where he had stated that the device isn’t worthy of being called a laptop and potential computer users would scoff at the computer’s lack of features.

The MIT $100 laptop is powered by AMD processors, Intel’s chief competitor.