One Laptop Per Child to Offer Windows XP Pro XO

One Laptop per Child (OLPC), the non-profit organization that has been offering cheap and affordable educational laptops for use in developing countries since 2005, will be delivering based on request an XO laptop with a specialized version of Windows XP Pro meant for its hardware.

OLPC has received many complaints from multiple countries that the XO laptop does not use a Windows based operating system. Some countries still prefer the open-source Linux version (Sugar), but the main concern from most is that students will not be prepared for higher paying jobs in a global market that is currently dominated by Microsoft.

The daughter of a Cnet editor, aged 8, tried both versions of XO and although she found the Windows XO a lot easier to use, the Linux version came pre-packaged with more fun learning games – something that I would assume would be rectified shortly. Nonetheless, there is no better or worse version of XO when it comes down the primary focus – and that is providing an affordable and effective learning tool to the children.

When will these Windows based XO’s be available in the Give 1 Get 1 program ? Unfortunately not at all, for now. OLPC does not plan on making the Windows based XO available in the U.S. You can still donate a Windows XO laptop, you won’t be able to get one of your very own. Also to add to all of this, it is nice to see Microsoft jumping on board with this - perhaps we will see Apple get involved some how in the future.

Note : Some other rumor sites / forums have suggested that the Windows XO version would cost more to donate – which is incorrect. The Windows XO version is still the same donation requirement, for the record.