OLPC: No Windows for us folks

The One Laptop Per Child Project won't be doing Windows.

Ken Fisher at Ars Technica reports that the OLPC project (blog focus) isn't doing Windows. Fisher notes that AP, Reuters and other mischaracterized the situation.

Fisher writes:

According to Walter Bender, president of Software and Content at OLPC, there is no agreement in place between OLPC and Microsoft to offer XO laptops with any version of Windows. Bender also indicated that Microsoft has not contacted OLPC regarding its $3 software bundling program, nor have any governments requested that the XO be outfitted with Windows. In short, there is no existing collaboration between Microsoft and OLPC aimed at outfitting the XO laptop with Windows.

Apparently, everyone jumped the gun on this one--including Nicholas Negroponte (could he be misquoted by two wire services?). We'll see how things develop from here. Microsoft's $3 Windows pitch is still out there and aims to dent open source in emerging markets.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes reckons the OLPC mix-up is a case of one hand not knowing what the other is doing. Adrian also argues that Microsoft will get involved at some point. Christopher Blizzard also serves up a plausible scenario leading to the mix up. 

Stay tuned.