#olpc — Public Fediverse posts

Remember tech optimism?

Image credit: Seth Woodworth, CC BY 2.0

Remember tech optimism?

Image credit: Seth Woodworth, CC BY 2.0

i have never screamed a more satisfying fuck-youuuu to a computer than 5 minutes ago, when i finally fixed a dead OLPC XO-1 that i've been trying to fix, unsuccessfully, for FIVE YEARS

the XO-1's, especially the early models, all suffer from a showstopper firmware bug: if the internal clock battery dies, the laptop cannot boot. it won't even make it to POST. changing the battery makes no difference, because the PROM has the wrong clock date burned into it.

the workaround is reprogramming the internal clock with the correct date via an onboard serial port which *does* function when the laptop is powered on. unfortunately, it uses an incredibly frustratingly tiny 3mm blade-type socket that isn't easy to find.

my solution was to solder tiny wires directly to the board. take a look at the picture and decide for yourself if you ever want me near your electronics. (the plastic connector melted when i tried to desolder it using a hot air rework gun)

the worst part of the process, aside from soldering 0.2mm pins, was figuring out which-pins-did-what on the motherboard's J4 connector. experimentation taught me that:

Pin 1 (bottom): +3.3v. Do not connect this to the USB-TTL.
Pin 2: Transmit (TX). Connect to RX on the USB-TTL.
Pin 3: Receive (RX). Connect to TX on the USB-TTL.
Pin 4 (top): Ground. Connect to GND on the USB-TTL.

now let your terminal session capture output from the USB-TTL. on macOS, the terminal command for my particular usb-ttl stick is:
> screen /dev/tty.usbserial-1410 115200

once you've connected those wires to the USB-TTL, plug in the laptop and power it on. You'll immediately see text flow into the terminal session.

once you've got a prompt, type in:
> select /rtc decimal 57 34 21 21 08 2026 set-time
> bye

and you're done. the laptop will reboot, and suddenly it will POST with a chime and boot into the operating system.

sources:
https://web.archive.org/web/20191031213812/http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Fix_Clock#If_the_screen_does_not_turn_on

#olpc #diyRepair #permaComputing

i have never screamed a more satisfying fuck-youuuu to a computer than 5 minutes ago, when i finally fixed a dead OLPC XO-1 that i've been trying to fix, unsuccessfully, for FIVE YEARS

the XO-1's, especially the early models, all suffer from a showstopper firmware bug: if the internal clock battery dies, the laptop cannot boot. it won't even make it to POST. changing the battery makes no difference, because the PROM has the wrong clock date burned into it.

the workaround is reprogramming the internal clock with the correct date via an onboard serial port which *does* function when the laptop is powered on. unfortunately, it uses an incredibly frustratingly tiny 3mm blade-type socket that isn't easy to find.

my solution was to solder tiny wires directly to the board. take a look at the picture and decide for yourself if you ever want me near your electronics. (the plastic connector melted when i tried to desolder it using a hot air rework gun)

the worst part of the process, aside from soldering 0.2mm pins, was figuring out which-pins-did-what on the motherboard's J4 connector. experimentation taught me that:

Pin 1 (bottom): +3.3v. Do not connect this to the USB-TTL.
Pin 2: Transmit (TX). Connect to RX on the USB-TTL.
Pin 3: Receive (RX). Connect to TX on the USB-TTL.
Pin 4 (top): Ground. Connect to GND on the USB-TTL.

now let your terminal session capture output from the USB-TTL. on macOS, the terminal command for my particular usb-ttl stick is:
> screen /dev/tty.usbserial-1410 115200

once you've connected those wires to the USB-TTL, plug in the laptop and power it on. You'll immediately see text flow into the terminal session.

once you've got a prompt, type in:
> select /rtc decimal 57 34 21 21 08 2026 set-time
> bye

and you're done. the laptop will reboot, and suddenly it will POST with a chime and boot into the operating system.

sources:
https://web.archive.org/web/20191031213812/http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Fix_Clock#If_the_screen_does_not_turn_on

#olpc #diyRepair #permaComputing

i have never screamed a more satisfying fuck-youuuu to a computer than 5 minutes ago, when i finally fixed a dead OLPC XO-1 that i've been trying to fix, unsuccessfully, for FIVE YEARS

the XO-1's, especially the early models, all suffer from a showstopper firmware bug: if the internal clock battery dies, the laptop cannot boot. it won't even make it to POST. changing the battery makes no difference, because the PROM has the wrong clock date burned into it.

the workaround is reprogramming the internal clock with the correct date via an onboard serial port which *does* function when the laptop is powered on. unfortunately, it uses an incredibly frustratingly tiny 3mm blade-type socket that isn't easy to find.

my solution was to solder tiny wires directly to the board. take a look at the picture and decide for yourself if you ever want me near your electronics. (the plastic connector melted when i tried to desolder it using a hot air rework gun)

the worst part of the process, aside from soldering 0.2mm pins, was figuring out which-pins-did-what on the motherboard's J4 connector. experimentation taught me that:

Pin 1 (bottom): +3.3v. Do not connect this to the USB-TTL.
Pin 2: Transmit (TX). Connect to RX on the USB-TTL.
Pin 3: Receive (RX). Connect to TX on the USB-TTL.
Pin 4 (top): Ground. Connect to GND on the USB-TTL.

now let your terminal session capture output from the USB-TTL. on macOS, the terminal command for my particular usb-ttl stick is:
> screen /dev/tty.usbserial-1410 115200

once you've connected those wires to the USB-TTL, plug in the laptop and power it on. You'll immediately see text flow into the terminal session.

once you've got a prompt, type in:
> select /rtc decimal 57 34 21 21 08 2026 set-time
> bye

and you're done. the laptop will reboot, and suddenly it will POST with a chime and boot into the operating system.

sources:
https://web.archive.org/web/20191031213812/http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Fix_Clock#If_the_screen_does_not_turn_on

#olpc #diyRepair #permaComputing

i have never screamed a more satisfying fuck-youuuu to a computer than 5 minutes ago, when i finally fixed a dead OLPC XO-1 that i've been trying to fix, unsuccessfully, for FIVE YEARS

the XO-1's, especially the early models, all suffer from a showstopper firmware bug: if the internal clock battery dies, the laptop cannot boot. it won't even make it to POST. changing the battery makes no difference, because the PROM has the wrong clock date burned into it.

the workaround is reprogramming the internal clock with the correct date via an onboard serial port which *does* function when the laptop is powered on. unfortunately, it uses an incredibly frustratingly tiny 3mm blade-type socket that isn't easy to find.

my solution was to solder tiny wires directly to the board. take a look at the picture and decide for yourself if you ever want me near your electronics. (the plastic connector melted when i tried to desolder it using a hot air rework gun)

the worst part of the process, aside from soldering 0.2mm pins, was figuring out which-pins-did-what on the motherboard's J4 connector. experimentation taught me that:

Pin 1 (bottom): +3.3v. Do not connect this to the USB-TTL.
Pin 2: Transmit (TX). Connect to RX on the USB-TTL.
Pin 3: Receive (RX). Connect to TX on the USB-TTL.
Pin 4 (top): Ground. Connect to GND on the USB-TTL.

now let your terminal session capture output from the USB-TTL. on macOS, the terminal command for my particular usb-ttl stick is:
> screen /dev/tty.usbserial-1410 115200

once you've connected those wires to the USB-TTL, plug in the laptop and power it on. You'll immediately see text flow into the terminal session.

once you've got a prompt, type in:
> select /rtc decimal 57 34 21 21 08 2026 set-time
> bye

and you're done. the laptop will reboot, and suddenly it will POST with a chime and boot into the operating system.

sources:
https://web.archive.org/web/20191031213812/http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Fix_Clock#If_the_screen_does_not_turn_on

#olpc #diyRepair #permaComputing

#OLPC

https://youtu.be/ut4qmMoUTQU?si=aPSg-Q5l1XDoeSkV

Fabulous to have @charlesgershom and Rob visit the #Doghouse this morning. This table reflects just some of the stuff we chatted about! Features #emfcamp badge, #Uconsole, an #OLPC XO laptop (from EMF swap table) and a nice show and tell of the #OpenFlexureMicroscope!

Fabulous to have @charlesgershom and Rob visit the #Doghouse this morning. This table reflects just some of the stuff we chatted about! Features #emfcamp badge, #Uconsole, an #OLPC XO laptop (from EMF swap table) and a nice show and tell of the #OpenFlexureMicroscope!

Fabulous to have @charlesgershom and Rob visit the #Doghouse this morning. This table reflects just some of the stuff we chatted about! Features #emfcamp badge, #Uconsole, an #OLPC XO laptop (from EMF swap table) and a nice show and tell of the #OpenFlexureMicroscope!

Fabulous to have @charlesgershom and Rob visit the #Doghouse this morning. This table reflects just some of the stuff we chatted about! Features #emfcamp badge, #Uconsole, an #OLPC XO laptop (from EMF swap table) and a nice show and tell of the #OpenFlexureMicroscope!

RE: https://mastodon.social/@vintageapparatus/116957915452632978

Youtube is so weird. This video was pretty fun to make, but the CURRENT TREND is to use engaging thumbnails. I think I look pretty dorky, but the video is doing okay, so I guess it worked?

Anyway. XO-1 laptop. It's green. Tell your friends.

#laptop #linux #olpc #education #history

RE: https://mastodon.social/@vintageapparatus/116957915452632978

Youtube is so weird. This video was pretty fun to make, but the CURRENT TREND is to use engaging thumbnails. I think I look pretty dorky, but the video is doing okay, so I guess it worked?

Anyway. XO-1 laptop. It's green. Tell your friends.

#laptop #linux #olpc #education #history

RE: https://mastodon.social/@vintageapparatus/116957915452632978

Youtube is so weird. This video was pretty fun to make, but the CURRENT TREND is to use engaging thumbnails. I think I look pretty dorky, but the video is doing okay, so I guess it worked?

Anyway. XO-1 laptop. It's green. Tell your friends.

#laptop #linux #olpc #education #history

RE: https://mastodon.social/@vintageapparatus/116957915452632978

Youtube is so weird. This video was pretty fun to make, but the CURRENT TREND is to use engaging thumbnails. I think I look pretty dorky, but the video is doing okay, so I guess it worked?

Anyway. XO-1 laptop. It's green. Tell your friends.

#laptop #linux #olpc #education #history

Retro moro, men ingen andre like enheter i mesh-en 😁

https://glan.no/w/7r3KhwhHAYM77hAvZSW85V

#retrocomputing #OLPC #Norsktut

Retro moro, men ingen andre like enheter i mesh-en 😁

https://glan.no/w/7r3KhwhHAYM77hAvZSW85V

#retrocomputing #OLPC #Norsktut

Retro moro, men ingen andre like enheter i mesh-en 😁

https://glan.no/w/7r3KhwhHAYM77hAvZSW85V

#retrocomputing #OLPC #Norsktut

Retro moro, men ingen andre like mesh-en 😁

https://glan.no/w/7r3KhwhHAYM77hAvZSW85V

#retrocomputing #OLPC #Norsktut

Sugar Labs received an award for "Best Music & Coding Education Technology Company 2025". Great job everyone!

Check it out: https://lux-life.digital/winners/sugar-labs-inc/

#Edtech #Software4Kids #OpenSource #FreeSoftware #SoftwareLibre #OLPC

Sugar Labs received an award for "Best Music & Coding Education Technology Company 2025". Great job everyone!

Check it out: https://lux-life.digital/winners/sugar-labs-inc/

#Edtech #Software4Kids #OpenSource #FreeSoftware #SoftwareLibre #OLPC

Sugar Labs received an award for "Best Music & Coding Education Technology Company 2025". Great job everyone!

Check it out: https://lux-life.digital/winners/sugar-labs-inc/

#Edtech #Software4Kids #OpenSource #FreeSoftware #SoftwareLibre #OLPC

Sugar Labs received an award for "Best Music & Coding Education Technology Company 2025". Great job everyone!

Check it out: https://lux-life.digital/winners/sugar-labs-inc/

#Edtech #Software4Kids #OpenSource #FreeSoftware #SoftwareLibre #OLPC

Since the 1990s, I have been programming these "image breeders" again and again. For human-controlled evolutionary image populations. The idea originally came from Karl Sims.

One version (2009 - 2012) runs on the OLPC XO 1.5. Now again, after I brought this almost dead XO back to life.

Here, geometric shapes and glyphs are bred.

#Genuary29 Prompt: Genetic Evolution

#olpc #openSource

Since the 1990s, I have been programming these "image breeders" again and again. For human-controlled evolutionary image populations. The idea originally came from Karl Sims.

One version (2009 - 2012) runs on the OLPC XO 1.5. Now again, after I brought this almost dead XO back to life.

Here, geometric shapes and glyphs are bred.

#Genuary29 Prompt: Genetic Evolution

#olpc #openSource

Since the 1990s, I have been programming these "image breeders" again and again. For human-controlled evolutionary image populations. The idea originally came from Karl Sims.

One version (2009 - 2012) runs on the OLPC XO 1.5. Now again, after I brought this almost dead XO back to life.

Here, geometric shapes and glyphs are bred.

#Genuary29 Prompt: Genetic Evolution

#olpc #openSource

Since the 1990s, I have been programming these "image breeders" again and again. For human-controlled evolutionary image populations. The idea originally came from Karl Sims.

One version (2009 - 2012) runs on the OLPC XO 1.5. Now again, after I brought this almost dead XO back to life.

Here, geometric shapes and glyphs are bred.

#Genuary29 Prompt: Genetic Evolution

#olpc #openSource

@anmeisel My pleasure! I'll probably bring them back some time in the autumn when I have more ideas of things to do with them.

You can get a feel for what it's like to use one by playing with The Sugarizer™: https://try.sugarizer.org/ #OLPC #sugar #PermaComputing

@anmeisel My pleasure! I'll probably bring them back some time in the autumn when I have more ideas of things to do with them.

You can get a feel for what it's like to use one by playing with The Sugarizer™: https://try.sugarizer.org/ #OLPC #sugar #PermaComputing

@anmeisel My pleasure! I'll probably bring them back some time in the autumn when I have more ideas of things to do with them.

You can get a feel for what it's like to use one by playing with The Sugarizer™: https://try.sugarizer.org/ #OLPC #sugar #PermaComputing

@anmeisel My pleasure! I'll probably bring them back some time in the autumn when I have more ideas of things to do with them.

You can get a feel for what it's like to use one by playing with The Sugarizer™: https://try.sugarizer.org/ #OLPC #sugar #PermaComputing

Every financial contribution helps us create innovative new software for learning. Make a donation and help us reach the next fundraiser milestone: https://www.every.org/sugar-labs

#SugarLabs #EdTech #NonProfit #Software #Development #Learning #Teaching #OLPC #Programming #Fun #MusicBlocks #TurtleBlocks #Sugarizer

Every financial contribution helps us create innovative new software for learning. Make a donation and help us reach the next fundraiser milestone: https://www.every.org/sugar-labs

#SugarLabs #EdTech #NonProfit #Software #Development #Learning #Teaching #OLPC #Programming #Fun #MusicBlocks #TurtleBlocks #Sugarizer

Every financial contribution helps us create innovative new software for learning. Make a donation and help us reach the next fundraiser milestone: https://www.every.org/sugar-labs

#SugarLabs #EdTech #NonProfit #Software #Development #Learning #Teaching #OLPC #Programming #Fun #MusicBlocks #TurtleBlocks #Sugarizer

Talvez un poquito de azucar no nos caeria mal =P https://sugarizer.org
https://fedoraproject.org/spins/soas
#Sugar #OLPC #SoaS #Fedora

Talvez un poquito de azucar no nos caeria mal =P https://sugarizer.org
https://fedoraproject.org/spins/soas
#Sugar #OLPC #SoaS #Fedora

Talvez un poquito de azucar no nos caeria mal =P https://sugarizer.org
https://fedoraproject.org/spins/soas
#Sugar #OLPC #SoaS #Fedora

Check out this video we found:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VievUua9qyw

Fun fact: "Edge engineered/played/orchestrated/made the start up sound for the XO laptop which was made as part of the One Laptop Per Child initiative. Here is that sound. Only 4 seconds or so long and sounds exactly like Beautiful Day." -- https://u2start.com/topic/3859

#OLPC #SugarLabs #SugarDesktop #TamTam #Learning #STEM #STEAM #Music #Education

Check out this video we found:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VievUua9qyw

Fun fact: "Edge engineered/played/orchestrated/made the start up sound for the XO laptop which was made as part of the One Laptop Per Child initiative. Here is that sound. Only 4 seconds or so long and sounds exactly like Beautiful Day." -- https://u2start.com/topic/3859

#OLPC #SugarLabs #SugarDesktop #TamTam #Learning #STEM #STEAM #Music #Education

Check out this video we found:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VievUua9qyw

Fun fact: "Edge engineered/played/orchestrated/made the start up sound for the XO laptop which was made as part of the One Laptop Per Child initiative. Here is that sound. Only 4 seconds or so long and sounds exactly like Beautiful Day." -- https://u2start.com/topic/3859

#OLPC #SugarLabs #SugarDesktop #TamTam #Learning #STEM #STEAM #Music #Education

The Linux Professional Institute (@LPI) just published an interview by Sugar Labs executive director Devin Ulibarri (@pikurasa) .

Check it out: https://www.lpi.org/blog/2025/03/12/devin-ulibarri-how-sugar-labs-empowers-education-via-floss/

#SugarLabs #OLPC #MusicBlocks #Sugarizer #GoogleSummerOfCode #Education #Software #STEM #Constructionism

The @LPI just published an interview by Sugar Labs executive director Devin Ulibarri ( @pikurasa ) .

Check it out: https://www.lpi.org/blog/2025/03/12/devin-ulibarri-how-sugar-labs-empowers-education-via-floss/

#SugarLabs #OLPC #MusicBlocks #Sugarizer #GoogleSummerOfCode #Education #Software #STEM #Constructionism

The @LPI just published an interview by Sugar Labs executive director Devin Ulibarri ( @pikurasa ) .

Check it out: https://www.lpi.org/blog/2025/03/12/devin-ulibarri-how-sugar-labs-empowers-education-via-floss/

#SugarLabs #OLPC #MusicBlocks #Sugarizer #GoogleSummerOfCode #Education #Software #STEM #Constructionism

@sugar_labs Remember that financial contributions are only one way to help us advance our mission. You can help in many ways, no matter your background or skillset. We are all working together to create wonderful tools for teaching and learning. If you need ideas, feel free to contact me.

2/2

#SugarLabs #FreeSoftware #OpenSource #Nonprofit #Constructionism #WorkingTogether #Education #Learning #OLPC

@sugar_labs Remember that financial contributions are only one way to help us advance our mission. You can help in many ways, no matter your background or skillset. We are all working together to create wonderful tools for teaching and learning. If you need ideas, feel free to contact me.

2/2

#SugarLabs #FreeSoftware #OpenSource #Nonprofit #Constructionism #WorkingTogether #Education #Learning #OLPC

@sugar_labs Remember that financial contributions are only one way to help us advance our mission. You can help in many ways, no matter your background or skillset. We are all working together to create wonderful tools for teaching and learning. If you need ideas, feel free to contact me.

2/2

#SugarLabs #FreeSoftware #OpenSource #Nonprofit #Constructionism #WorkingTogether #Education #Learning #OLPC

I remember volunteering with #OneLaptopPerChild #OLPC and the effort to figure out and work with Wikipedia on how to get a downloadable copy of Wikipedia (or at least some of it) that could go on the little green laptops that might not have regular access to the Internet out in remote areas.

I remember volunteering with #OneLaptopPerChild #OLPC and the effort to figure out and work with Wikipedia on how to get a downloadable copy of Wikipedia (or at least some of it) that could go on the little green laptops that might not have regular access to the Internet out in remote areas.

I remember volunteering with #OneLaptopPerChild #OLPC and the effort to figure out and work with Wikipedia on how to get a downloadable copy of Wikipedia (or at least some of it) that could go on the little green laptops that might not have regular access to the Internet out in remote areas.

Ramy made a home-made lab bench power supply. He sent me some photos of it powering some equipment including an #OLPC XO-1 Laptop which he managed to install Windows on. (This was when we first started talking in 2018 as he was looking for help with the OS installation.)

4/

Ramy made a home-made lab bench power supply. He sent me some photos of it powering some equipment including an #OLPC XO-1 Laptop which he managed to install Windows on. (This was when we first started talking in 2018 as he was looking for help with the OS installation.)

4/

Ramy made a home-made lab bench power supply. He sent me some photos of it powering some equipment including an #OLPC XO-1 Laptop which he managed to install Windows on. (This was when we first started talking in 2018 as he was looking for help with the OS installation.)

4/

Ramy made a home-made lab bench power supply. He sent me some photos of it powering some equipment including an #OLPC XO-1 Laptop which he managed to install Windows on. (This was when we first started talking in 2018 as he was looking for help with the OS installation.)

4/

Ramy Awny Sultan is a self-taught electronics engineer from #Gaza with a multimedia degree from Palestine University. I know him from the #OLPC community. He isn't asking for money but needs help to escape Gaza and find a job. Do you know of any way to help? #GazaWar #Refugee #MutualAid

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:dsad6hiuo7fom57wt4rz5btk/post/3lerugmnk3br2