Low-cost laptop program sees a key leadership defection (AP)

Unfortunately, in a hierarchical organization like OLPC, the direction
*is* set from above.  Salaried people on a team have their golden chains
and the price of the gold is to take direction, or leave.  We're seeing
some courageous people making that choice.

Of course, *volunteer* work is entirely another matter.  But there is
an enormous hurdle in trying to overcome an opposing direction set 
monolithically from above.  When leadership sells out to Microsoft it
shouldn't be any surprise when the people making the project wake up to
find the big fat attractive wooden horse their bosses have invited into
the castle overnight has more than a few unwelcome surprises waiting for them.  

Shame on Nicholas Negroponte.  Shame!  Shame!

Don Barry,
Cornell University