XP on OLPC

[RJM62]

Interesting:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=7261&tag=nl.e539

In summary, a private group, One Laptop per Child, is trying to build sturdy, cheap laptops for third-world kids. They use a flash ROM rather than a hard drive, and (until this announcement) were almost certain to include an open-source operating system (probably a Linux variant customized for the laptop's small storage capacity and limited resources).

So along comes Microsoft saying, "Whoa, there. Maybe we can come up with a version of Windows XP and MS Office that will actually run on those little laptops of yours -- and give it to you for free, even." The article examines what the author believes are Microsoft's true motives for their largess.

Personally, I think MS is barking up the wrong palm tree. I doubt that the OLPC developers are particularly interested in Windows. Many of these nations are pondering standardizing on open-source, and I imagine that OLPC want the kids to learn on systems that are similar to what they'll likely find in the real world.

It'll be interesting (to geeks, at least) to see where this goes.

Rich

 

[jwriteclub]

An interesting article, but perhaps a touch tough on Redmond (disclaimer despite my proximity to the MS campus, I don't work for them. Naturally, a number of people at the health club do).

XP is light years beyond "Suger" (the "O" operating system), but is quite large. In the past I have had a very stripped down commercial version of XP running in 2 GB of flash memory, so Redmond should certainly be able to engineer it down.

I do think that OLPC is wildly optimistic in it's expectations that Kids will successfully re-program the systems in a systematic and universal way in the wild.

My O should be shipping this week, I'll post once I see what the final package is like (although I cannot imagine that it out sports the Eee).

~ Christopher

 

[mikea]

The head of the program in Brazil had to defend a huge "scandal" to justify his turning down Microsoft's offer of free XP if Brazil's government just standardized on Windows rather than go with really free Linux. He said Microsoft sold Windows and Office using the same business plan as drug dealers. "Hey, kid, just try this. It's free!"

Microsoft sued him in court in Brazil claiming corporate libel. He said he welcomed the opportunity to hear Microsoft explain how they don't use that corner drug dealer business model.

Microsoft dropped the suit.

 

[ScottM]

probably a Linux variant customized for the laptop's small storage capacity and limited resources)

It is Linux

http://www.laptopgiving.org/en/software-and-interface.php

This is Nicholas Negroponte's project. He is an interesting guy. I have worked with him in the past on a few projects (not this one).