Tech> Thoughts> Fanatic about a cheap laptop project

I just ran into the most defensive and quite frankly bitter myth-busting page I've seen in a long time. Unfortunately, it belongs to the Wiki of one of the most virtuous projects around, the OLPC. The separate "ask OLPC a question"-page has similar material. Why does it sound like they've placed a fanatic behind the admin computer (and one whose English isn't terribly good, to boot)? This should not be the tone of an un-biased, open, educational project. They should not let it get personal. Of course there will be envy, doubts and even ridicule. People who think their ideas would be better for a project like this (and who would yet do nothing to achieve a similarly audacious goal) form a chorus of nay-sayers that would love to see the OLPC crash and burn.

Just don't take it personally. The OLPC is a great, worthy project, especially as it is so audacious. Even if Negroponte's team won't achieve bringing the price per unit down to $100, they'll certainly get close. This would of course result in finger-pointing by the people who said that a $100 laptop can't be done - but what is a $100 other than a round number? A $150 laptop would be a massive achievement in itself. Currently the price is rumored to be around $208, and already this is encouraging berating comments. This is a weird site too - it claims to be written with 'healthy skepticism', but it also sounds like the writers have problems with Negroponte's personality, the name changes of the product (it's not even out yet, let them change the name as much as they want!) and the costs of the product - all in a healthy tone of derision.

Couldn't we just try and get along?