Why the Cybersource Linux solution for Australian school laptops won't make it

David M Williams
Wednesday, 10 December 2008 14:26

Opinion and Analysis

DET stated that the computers they want supplied must have screen sizes, resolutions, weight and sizes of specific amounts or ranges. For the most part, the available range of netbooks meet these criteria with ease.

Yet, DET also stipulated the devices must have a minimum battery life of six hours. Further, they must be absolutely locked to the DET network. They do not want the laptops to be desirable items for thieves and Cybersource appear to have totally missed this aspect. According to DET, the laptops must simply not function unless a current DET login can be provided.

This said, it is certainly going to be a difficult requirement to implement but unless January 14th  - the DET cutoff for hardware expressions of interest – comes with all potentials saying this is not possible then I believe it is going to be a condition which significantly impacts the success or otherwise of a proposal.

Cybersource’s proposal does not satisfy this latter requirement, and it is debateable whether current netbooks meet the power requirement either.

Additionally, DET have stated the computers must be customisable in some way to encourage students to look after them; that is, school children should be given a means to personalise their netbook and develop a sense of pride and ownership.

The personalisation offerings on current netbooks – like snap-on covers in different colours, or plastic inserts – are lacking, but far beyond this a communal netbook plan totally obliterates any sense of personal ownership.

In the Cybersource proposal the netbooks become a commodity item which will be seen as easily replaceable off the shelf should it be broken, lost or stolen – and stolen they shall be, eradicating any perceived hardware saving by blowing out the ongoing costs.

Let me be clear on one thing: Cybersource are dead right that the solution lies in Linux and open source. There will be absolutely zero software licensing fees and in fact it is because the first netbooks adopted Linux and consequently had low pricing that this new niche market erupted and came into existence!

However, imagine the political mileage the Government’s detractors could make if Rudd’s already crumbling election promise turned out to be a one-laptop-per-half-child plan. Sorry, Cybersource, it’s just not going to get off the ground.