$100 Laptop to Get Windows XP

[CadCrazy]

The much talked about $100 laptop, designed to work with the Linux operating system (OS), may soon incorporate Microsoft Windows software.

Microsoft is working on a basic version of Windows XP that will be compatible with the $100 (XO) laptop of the 'One Laptop per Child' (OLPC) foundation. The Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (R ADAG) will be bringing the XO to India.

During the Government Leaders Forum held in Washington in March 2006, Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates, had publicly slammed the $100 laptop, saying that the last thing one would expect from a shared-use computer is the lack of a disk and the presence of just a tiny little screen.

Gates had said that hardware is only a small part of the cost of providing computing capabilities, while the big cost typically comes from network connectivity, applications, and support.

The same Microsoft is now looking to associate with the $100 laptop. The company is spending a not-so-small amount of money in getting Windows XP to run on the low specifications machines.

The speculation is that Redmond is afraid of losing out on a major chunk of young users in future. With OLPC laptops designed specifically to run Linux, and with the target being children, Microsoft feels children would adapt themselves to Linux software instead of Windows, hence the apprehension.

Upon being powered by Windows OS, the laptops would allow their child owners to modify the source code, making them compatible with both Linux and Windows XP.

Source

[Gigacore]

cool . . . but it looks like a toy

[amitava82]

I'd rather get a ASUS Eee PC.. better looking.

[CadCrazy]

During the Government Leaders Forum held in Washington in March 2006, Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates, had publicly slammed the $100 laptop

The same Microsoft is now looking to associate with the $100 laptop. The company is spending a not-so-small amount of money in getting Windows XP to run on the low specifications machines.

This is for what microsoft is known for.

[Pathik]

+1 for amitava... the asus eee pc is much better and powered to atleast run normal win xp and some linux distros decently..
Asus EEE PC

[kumarmohit]

Originally Posted by amitava82

I'd rater get a ASUS Eee PC.. better looking.

Agreed

[naveen_reloaded]

Thats good.
Now atleast kids can use os freely instead of remembering the commands for linux...
Along with thier subjects.

[azzu]

The Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (R ADAG) will be bringing the XO to India.
Looking forward for this
Naveen: i dont understand y Linux Os user's reqirure Command's .yes i agree many things can be done only with commands but now there r many Gui for all the App's
and sincerely gotta tell u idont know any linux command and iam watchin DVD's,browsin,chattin ,many moore
if ur a good fan of M$ then pro' the M$ but don't Con open source

[naveen_reloaded]

If its true then i will give a try the linux.
But now itself my vista is not detecting my webcam..
I cant think of linux until the drivers and games come enough to shift.
Until then vista is cool for me.

[ax3]

nice 1 ...... ya it looks like a toy 2 me 2 ......

[The_Devil_Himself]

Originally Posted by CadCrazy

The speculation is that Redmond is afraid of losing out on a major chunk of young users in future. With OLPC laptops designed specifically to run Linux, and with the target being children, Microsoft feels children would adapt themselves to Linux software instead of Windows, hence the apprehension.

M$ feeling the heat!!!
Its a good step.....I mean there should always be choices.If M$ is pumping in some money than the costs can be lowered even more.Lets hope every child gets his laptop soon.

[MetalheadGautham]

^^^ Micro$oft thought right... I hope they don't succeed because the last thing we want is to let an opportunity to escape M$'s control over computer OSes go away...

besides, the Linux architecture makes it perfect to be used in children's laptops, and adding to that the fact that firewalling is as easy in feodra as allowing a attack is in windows, it becomes very easy to make content filters.

And linux has several resource light applications and even whole OSes like Vector and Xubuntu.

Linux also enables a heavy level of customisation and portability.


and I want to know if the R ADAG is going to introduce it in the mass market or only in schools. Asus's EEE PC could be much costlier too, to add to its good looks. so if they increase the XO1 laptop's free memory(aspace remaining after install of OS and other apps) to atleast 4-8 GB, I might very well be their first customer(and I have exactly its cost price saved up)




PS: don't think of me as a linux patron, I am only telling my views on the current situation

[azzu]

if they dont increase the space also iam gonna buy it
if its Availabel

[DigitalDude]

the $100 dollar laptop is not for rich jerks... its for poor kids in developing countries... I guess many of you are missing the point

anyway you can sponsor one to a poor kid buy buying one at the price of two.

so dont compare this with asus eeepc which a common commercial product.

[naveen_reloaded]

Guys what do yöü think?
Is it that microsoft products are bug ridden they are constantly being attacked by viruses and trojan etc?or is it widely used and popular so its being constantly attacked.
If the latter is true then i think we might expect more attacks on linux if it becomes popular? And will the linux community will be able to tackle it?and in time?and who will take the responsibilty if major damage is done?
Just curious..thats all.

[din]

@naveen_reloaded

Lin is very secure, that is a fact. And yes, once it become more popular and lot of people use Linux, there may be more viruses / attacks against it. But once Linux is popular, the anti virus companies will sure get into that and they will make Antivirus for Lin. There are already programs (anti virus) for Lin.

And regarding Linux community, yes they will sure make solutions for those kinda issues.

[naveen_reloaded]

Have to wait and see...
But once again when major AV companies enter,wont they charge for their products,ok leave it,i think to increase their products market value,they themselves will create loads of viruses and trojan .... And everything will start blaming each other.
Hope lin stays like this.

[The_Devil_Himself]

^^nice assumption naveen but linux is very safe compared to xp\vista(this is a fact)......and there will be open source anti viruses too if the need arises.And what makes you think some commercial Antivirus can be sold to a Linux user?

[gulgulumaal]

Originally Posted by amitava82

I'd rather get a ASUS Eee PC.. better looking.

Me too...any idea if and when Eee PC will be available in India ?

[bikdel]

^^^

i wanna clear a few doubts...

this laptop is not actually commercially available so you cant buy it... unnless you wanna buy it at the cost of two which im afraid wont make it any good...

of course we wont find that humanity here sorry to say that

And the price due to unexpected additional unforsees costs or whatever has hot up to 188 USD... not a great deal for people llike us...

anyways its a good venture for the developing countries but the fact is : the goverment will have to provide the technical support and the subsidy which will actually wont be much of a benefit to the GOvernment considering the fact that its a developing country in the first place.......


thats all...

lets look forward to all such ultra cheap options before buying out one...

and lets leave this option for those poor students who are really deprived of proper educational material...

regards
bikalp