Microsoft has announced an agreement with One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) that will make Windows XP available on the non-profit's low-cost laptops for third-world children. The "feature-complete" XP Professional installation now supports the laptop's e-book reading mode, networking, camera, custom keys, and power-saving features, says Microsoft.
The XO laptop, famously championed by MIT's Nicholas Negroponte, and produced for OLPC by Quanta of Taiwan, began to ship at the end of last year. In addition to the green-and-white case shown above, initial units featured an AMD Geode LX-700 processor clocked at 433 MHz, an integrated graphics controller driving a 7.5-inch, 1200 x 900 screen, 256MB of RAM, and 1GB of flash storage.
The OLPC laptop has been strongly associated with Linux, and shipped with a customized version that offers a special GUI (graphical user interface) called Sugar. Disappointing the open-source community, however, Negroponte publicly mulled installing Windows on the device as long ago as 2006.
Now, it's a done deal. Says Negroponte, "From the beginning, the goal of OLPC has been to use technology to transform education. Today's announcement, coupled with future plans for a dual-boot version of the XO laptop, enhances our ability to deliver on this vision. In addition, OLPC will work with third parties to port Sugar to Windows."
James Utzschneider, GM of marketing and communications for Microsoft's Unlimited Potential group, blogged that "the Windows port to the XO is a snappy release that doesn't cut features or functionality in order to work in the constrained memory and storage environment of the XO."
Windows XP supports the XO's power-saving, monochrome e-book mode
The version of Windows XP installed on the XO supports all the laptop's features, including networking, speakers, microphone, and webcam. It also allows the display to pivot into its "e-book" configuration and change into a power-saving, sunlight-readable monochrome mode (above), according to Microsoft.
Demonstrating the new software on video (see below), Unlimited Potential's Bohdan Raciborski said the XO can boot Windows XP in about 50 seconds, four times faster than its previously standard Linux environment. By tapping into the device's power-saving capabilities, it can also offer up to 20 hours of battery life, he added.
Those who have already purchased XO laptops -- perhaps through OLPC's limited-duration "give one, get one" program, or off of eBay, where they regularly sell for around $350 -- will not be able to run Windows, however. According to Raciborski, Windows could not fit on the XO's 1GB of flash storage, so Microsoft worked with OLPC and Quanta to add an SD slot to the device. Now, thanks to a BIOS newly developed in conjunction with Insyde Software, the laptop boots Windows from a preinstalled, 2GB SD card.
Microsoft had once planned for Windows XP to be off the market by the end of June, but has given it a stay of execution until at least June 2010, thanks to burgeoning sales of mini-laptops -- not just the XO, but also Asus' Eee, HP's Mini-Note, and Intel's Classmate. With 900MHz Celeron processors at best, and limited storage, these devices lack the power to run Windows Vista well.
Last month, Microsoft published design guidelines explaining how they can fit XP onto ultra-low-cost PCs (ULCPCs) with as little as 500MHz of processing power, 256MB of RAM, and 2GB of flash storage. For more details, see our earlier coverage, here.
Microsoft official Bohdan Raciborski demonstrates Windows XP on the XO laptop (click on arrow to play) Source: Microsoft
Accusing the open-source community of a "let the kids fix their own computers mindset," Utzschneider claimed "it's easier to find Windows system administrators in places like India and Africa than it is to find Linux system administrators." Because Windows is used by businesses around the world, it can also lead to better employment opportunities for children who have encountered it in school, he added.
Availability and further information
Microsoft said trials of the XO running Windows would begin as soon as next month in "key emerging markets," but announced no plans to make the configuration available worldwide. For more background, visit James Utzschneider's blog, here. For more information on OLPC, see the organization's website, here.
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Microsoft has announced an agreement with One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) that will make Windows XP available on the non-profit's low-cost laptops for third-world children. The "feature-complete" XP Professional installation now supports the laptop's e-book reading mode, networking, camera, custom keys, and power-saving features, says Microsoft.
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