One Laptop Per Child's Controversial Support for XP - Page 2

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Neither Microsoft nor OLPC talked money in their announcement. However, an FAQ on OLPC's wiki states that the version of XP planned for use will cost $3 per copy, plus the cost of a 2 GB SD-card to hold the operating system – increasing the cost per laptop by about $10 extra over one with a free copy of Linux.

OLPC will work with third-party developers to port the computer's standard Sugar user interface for kids over to run on XP, the two organizations' joint announcement said.

Additionally, according to OLPC, under the terms of the deal, users will still be able to get the units with Linux rather than Windows.

No Free Lunches or Laptops

The move is not without its share of controversies.

Many supporters of OLPC as well as open source advocates are incensed over the announcement, despite its founder's disclaimers. It is an outrage, they claim, that a laptop that's entire genesis was premised on the use of free software should suddenly have a proprietary operating system foisted on users, even if Linux comes on the laptops as well.

"From the beginning, the goal of OLPC has been to use technology to transform education by bringing connectivity and constructionist learning to the poorest children throughout the world,” Negroponte, founder and chairman of OLPC, said in online statements. "OLPC remains fully committed to our goal: a completely free and open learning platform for the world's children."

In addition, senior Microsoft executives downplayed any profit motives, especially in relation to the OLPC project.

"By supporting a wide variety of affordable computing solutions for education that includes OLPC’s XO laptop, we aim to make technology more relevant, accessible and affordable for students everywhere," Craig Mundie, Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer, said in a statment.

That's not the way Microsoft's critics see it, though.

"I wonder if Negroponte has done [due diligence] with regard to XP. Is it going to be improved and extended or even maintained?" a blog post on open source advocacy site Groklaw.net said.

The blog continued: "Who will fix it when it crashes? Who will protect the little children from malware, which Microsoft software is so prone to be a victim of? Sugar and the XO was set up to provide real security. Can anyone say the same about Microsoft's software? What are you doing to those children?"