01/09/2008, 1:55pm, EST
Wednesday, January 9thOLPC to mimic Apple's Boot Camp
The One Laptop Per Child project is developing an update to its XO notebook that will let users run two operating systems on one of the computers, group chair Nicholas Negroponte says in an interview. Though multi-boot setups are not unique to the Mac, the OLPC head says the portable for developing-world schools will soon have a multi-OS system "like on an Apple" that lets users quickly flip between the OLPC's custom Sugar Linux-based interface and Windows XP. Although concerns have been raised about the Microsoft software's performance on the $200 system, the OLPC group notes that the XO's version is not the same as on most computers.
"The version that's up and running of Windows on the XO is very fast, it's very, very successful," Negroponte says. "We're working very hard to do both [well]."
The development represents the first fruit of a deal struck in December that would have Microsoft experiment with Windows to ensure it runs well on the low-power system. The move has been largely regarded as unconventional for Microsoft, which has historically opposed open-source projects such as Linux. Microsoft's project is the result of a relatively softened approach, according to Negroponte.
"[Microsoft]'s become a little bit less religious than it was a few years ago and that's really good," he says.
No pricing has been discussed for any versions that might come with dual-boot pre-installed, though the XO may be integrated into some of Microsoft's existing programs to help develop a foundation for computing in developing regions.
Filed under: computers, industry
Other story tags: Microsoft, Linux, Windows, OLPC
, 
, 6
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
Top
subscribe to comments
for this article
No need to go into BIOS which has no mouse support, and find and change the boot drive to the particular device (which one was it? D or E drive?), then repeat to switch back to the original device.
It's the time when people realize the 10 step way (MS's way) is the wrong way.
Hit the F8 key on a Windows box, that usually does it.
Dual booting into WINDOWS has everything to do with Apple.
Windows machines already run Windows. Linux desktop users are too few.
Apple is the main platform, that needs to dual boot into Windows...by far.
Of course, its an apple thing.
You have to think like an end user.