Microsoft's XO Laptop Strategy... Huh?

gbulmash writes: "Microsoft is spending a "non-trivial" amount of money to get Windows XP working on the OLPC project's XO laptop. But why? Despite the conjecture that the Linux-based XO could convince millions of people in the developing world that they don't need Windows and build a huge base of developers for Linux, there still remains the question of how Microsoft would convince owners of XO laptops to buy and install Windows XP over the functional Linux-based OS already on it. It's doublful that Microsoft could encourage or coerce Negroponte to put XP on the machine, so whose arms will they twist?"

MS will give it away

[davester666]

It'll be XP Crippled, and only work on these wacky laptops, but there is going to be too many of these things being given to too many kids for MS to even consider letting Linux get that about of mindshare.

And they aren't going to aim at Negroponte to pre-install this instead of Linux. They will aim at convincing the governments where these laptops will eventually be shipped to, to get the government to demand that MS's software be installed so they can interoperate with the government's newly installed MS

Re:

[Robocoastie]

You're correct: it's about mindshare. That and the technology and practically coming out of XO is bound to produce products for the consumer market of a similar nature once people see that they STILL only need a Commodore 64 to get their work and school work done. This way MSFT will cement their place in that market as well. It's a last ditch effort though, and since they want to convince the world that Linux violates their patents they HAVE to try to do this or it'll be revealed to the world that their ar