Nicholas Negroponte,
Windows 7 Home Premium, the head of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is speaking for Microsoft (once more).Negroponte was quoted by Computerworld as stating Microsoft is functioning with the OLPC group on the dual-boot Windows XP/Linux XO laptop computer.Microsoft officials have not publicly acknowledged any this sort of plans. All Microsoft officials have stated is the fact that they're nonetheless attempting to decide no matter whether XP will function about the OLPC XO methods. Area tests of XP-based OLPCs had been set to begin this month (January 2008),
Windows 7 Serial, last anyone heard.I;ve asked Microsoft regardless of whether they have decided to support a dual-boot Windows/Linux configuration as participants within the OLPC initiative. No word back yet in the Redmondians.Update: Microsoft issued a statement late on January nine denying that dual-boot XP/Linux laptops are on its agenda. Negroponte;s statements from CES this week elevate several questions over and above regardless of whether Microsoft has bestowed its blessing on dual-boot XO laptops.Initial: Why would anybody — kids,
Windows 7 Home Premium, governments and/or laptop makers — want a dual-boot Linux/Windows OLPC techniques in the initial place? Dual-boot Macs make sense: There are some Windows-only programs that Mac users want/need to run. But this scenario doesn;t make sense for the kinds of apps that XO laptops will be geared to run.Next: Will XO laptops even have enough horsepower to dual-boot Windows and Linux? Add some third-party apps on top of two running techniques and it sure sounds like a slow,
Office 2007 Professional, kludgey mess to me.Negroponte;s also gone on record saying that he strategies to introduce an OLPC for the U.S. market. Will these machines also be dual-boot XP/Linux methods? I;d think Microsoft;s OEM and system builder partners might have some qualms about Microsoft backing a low-end XP-based PC that could cut into demand for their other (Vista) techniques here in the U.S.Sure,
Microsoft Office 2007 Enterprise, a dual-boot Windows/Linux OLPC would end the debate as to no matter whether Windows or Linux OLPCs will have significantly more appeal in developing nations. But would these a machine be anything extra than an unnecessary compromise? What;s your take?