Microsoft and OLPC Agree To Put XP On the XO Laptop

Apro+im points out a NYTimes report which states that Microsoft and the OLPC project have officially agreed to put Windows XP on the XO laptop. While Microsoft has been working toward this for some time, analysts began to think a deal was more likely after Walter Bender resigned from the project and was replaced by Charles Kane. Former OLPC security developer Ivan Krstic had a lot to say about Windows on the XO as well. From the Times: "Windows will add a bit to the price of the machines, about $3, the licensing fee Microsoft charges to some developing nations under a program called Unlimited Potential. For those nations that want dual-boot models, running both Windows and Linux, the extra hardware required will add another $7 or so to the cost of the machines, Mr. Negroponte said. The project's agreement with Microsoft involves no payment by the software giant, and Microsoft will not join One Laptop Per Child's board. 'We've stayed very pure,' Mr. Negroponte said.

Comments

"'We've stayed very pure,' Mr. Negroponte said."

[Dystopian Rebel]

There's plenty of pr0n on the Web showing this kind of purity.

Re:Purity is in the eye of the beholder?

[nawcom]

'We've stayed very pure,' Mr. Negroponte said. Pure as in the Aryan race (MS) pure? heh. Sounds like it.

Rich Microsoft F@g0tts

[jrgp]

I can't believe this. I was actually seriously considering buying one of these, wiping it and installing Deban. Well, I just lost all respect for this project, I'll just stick with my System76 Darter.

Re:Give it to them for free

[Captain Splendid]

No offence, but you OSS geeks need to get off your high horses and get out more. From your post:

The mission was, in his mind, always getting as many laptops as possible out there

Now, fully granting that this was not the 'intended' goal of OLPC and that it's a shame (honest, I'm a big, big fan of OSS) that more emphasis wasn't placed on Open Source software, I'm still pretty happy with that statement. The countries targeted by the OLPC project suffer from a technology gap, not a free software one, and getting the ball rolling on cheap, reliable and easy to use laptops is a great step in that direction. Just look at how Intel, MS and others are falling over themselves to get in on this.

Simply put, anything that helps accelerate empowerment to those that couldn't previously get it is a plus in my book.

Re:Give it to them for free

[Rogerborg]

Just because the US and Canada are too deeply invested in Microsoft to even think of using anything else, doesn't mean the rest of the world is the same way.

It's a shame those bloody ignorant Sambos didn't subscribe to your newsletter, because apparently they disagree.