One Laptop Per Youngster (OLPC) chief Nicholas Negroponte is hinting the challenge is leaning strongly toward dumping x86 processors in favor of lower-power Arm-based ones for your next-generation XO-2 laptops. There;s one difficulty: A minimum of as Arm and Windows at present exist, a full edition of Windows is unlikely to load on an Arm-based machine.From a report on the Excellent Gear Guide (which I saw via OSnews):“As with the XO-1,
Office 2007 Standard Key, OLPC wants to offer a dual-boot option on XO-2 where users can choose to load either Linux or a full Windows OS. While Arm processors can run Windows Mobile operating systems, they can;t run a full Windows OS.“‘Like many,
Windows 7 Home Basic X86, we are urging Microsoft to make Windows — not Windows Mobile — available on the Arm. This is a complex question for them,; Negroponte said.”According to the article,
Windows 7 Ultimate, the OLPC is in talks with Microsoft to make a complete edition of Windows available for your XO-2s, which are still 18 months or so away from release.I asked Microsoft about the report and received the following statement from a spokesperson:“At this point in time, Microsoft;s plan is to offer a quality Windows experience on the current XO device and have no further information. Microsoft is not commenting on any future plans with regard to OLPC,
Microsoft Office Home And Student, nor does it comment on speculation.”I also asked if Negroponte;s characterization of discussions with Microsoft was accurate. No word back on that one.In the past, deciphering Microsoft;s intentions regarding OLPC has been a complex task. Typically,1. OLPC chief Nicolas Negroponte publicly announces what Microsoft will or won;t do
2. Microsoft declines to comment
3. Microsoft subsequently decides to comment and often contradicts Negroponte;s claims
4. Microsoft ends up doing, to a large extent, what Negroponte said it wouldWhat do you think will happen with the XO-2,
Windows 7 Ultimate Sale, given MIcrosoft;s growing interest in making WIndows available in developing countries? Will Microsoft find a way to port some version of Windows to Arm? Will the Softies make Windows Mobile its default on Arm-based laptops? Other thoughts?