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Microsoft Develops XP 'Light' for Thailand

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the first-one's-free dept.

GoatJuggler writes with this Bangkok Post report that "Microsoft announced plans to develop a discounted, slightly crippled version of Windows XP for Thailand."

7 of 551 comments (clear)

  1. How to have both... by Foolhardy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Microsoft is notorious for bundling things to cause lock-in.
    How are they going to balance that with creating a light version of XP?

  2. Re:You mean you can cripple it more? by ramzak2k · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I would like to get my hands on one of these if it does not include all the applications i dont need - windows messenger , internet explorer, Outlook express. Just the basic UI. I can customize it the way i need. Lesser the functionality, more secure the box will be.

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    Siggy Say, Siggy Do
  3. What's the difference? by pilot1 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Yes, I did RTFA, and it said nothing about what would be different between the "light" version and the normal version.

    Is it going to have fewer M$ programs bundled with it or what? And if it is, what the hell isn't too tightly integrated for them to remove? Solitare and pinball?

  4. Addiction by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Customers of this new entry level version of Windows would be presented with a clear and easy upgrade path to both Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional, he added.

    In France, tobacco companies have started selling packs of cigarettes containing only 19 cigarettes instead of 20. A "crippled" pack of smokes in a sense. Why? so that those who can't afford full-size packs since the latest price rises (read: kids and teens) can buy the 19 cigarette pack and get hooked.

    Sounds like Microsoft is doing exactly that with poor countries: snare customers then pull on the knot. "buy our cheapo limited software, then when you need more functionalities, it'll be a lot more expensive to ditch Microsoft and go for free-software than pay for the Microsoft upgrade".

    But I guess it's business as usual, all companies do that sort of thing, not just Microsoft, I'm not shouting evil-M$ here. But I do hope the Thai government sees through the trap ...

    --
    "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
  5. Re:You mean you can cripple it more? by jay-oh-eee! · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It's funny, people complain about how MS forces you to install everything (IE, Outlook, etc) and call in "anti-competitive" and when they offer it somewhere with these things stripped out it's called "crippled". There's no winning the article poster or OP, it seems.

    --
    Photo Aspect -- an open, free, J2EE & JBoss photoalbu
  6. Re:You mean you can cripple it more? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I would like to get my hands on one of these if it does not include all the applications i dont need - windows messenger , internet explorer, Outlook express. Just the basic UI. I can customize it the way i need. Lesser the functionality, more secure the box will be.

    It sounds like you want windows XP embedded. For the embedded market, MS lets you pick & choose which parts of the OS you want.

    Strangely enough, MS also says that this is completely impossible for the regular version, and that IE cannot be separated from the OS.

  7. Re:You mean you can cripple it more? by Pharmboy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Actually, I am guessing the "crippled" comment was more of a troll for the original author. Its a sure way to get comments, but then again, thats not a problem on /.

    I agree with the other posts, I wouldn't call this crippled if it runs the apps, I would call it streamlined. I would be interested in a copy, if they "crippled" out the media players and such. Im sure it still has IE tho, since they wont let you use windowsupdate with Firebird.

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    Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!