Peru To Be First To Put Windows On OLPC Laptop

Da Massive writes "The government of Peru will run the first ever trial of the One Laptop Per Child association's XO laptop running Windows XP. This puts the nation at the heart of a software controversy that has been raging for years between those who advocate making software and its source code free, such as Linux OS developers, and those who charge for software and keep the development recipes secret, such as Microsoft."

Shining Path?

[WillKemp]

Is this Microsoft's shining path into South America?

Meanwhile....

[tgoodmannz]

In Other news, South America suddenly has reported a massive jump in instance of BotNet initiated spam......

Re:So... the OLPC...

[value_added]

Any responsible politician should be encouraging a home grown FOSS industry because it creates the basis for future jobs. Learning Windows is like learning to eat every meal at McDonalds.

An insightful comment if ever I read one.

I wonder, though, if we can extend the metaphor and conclude that the future IT professionals of Peru can now aspire to becoming the equivalent of drive-through-window order takers or, for the more highly skilled or experienced among them, certified fry cooks.

Or would that be too unfair? ;-)

This is something new

[hey!]

Putting a pig on lipstick.

Re:The Goal?

[mjeffers]

A larger number will be curious if presented with the opportunity to see the code, but will not even consider the possibility on their own simply due to a lack of awareness.
Most of these kids won't realise how computers can be programmed if you don't show them and give them the choice.

This is totally true, after all NO ONE who grew up using Windows in the 80s/90s ever became a programmer or got interested in computers.

Careful, your fanboy is showing.

Re:The Goal?

[Mateo_LeFou]

Most of these kids won't realise how computers can be programmed if you don't show them ...

This is totally true, after all NO ONE who grew up using Windows in the 80s/90s ever became a programmer...

Careful, your fanboy is showing.

Careful, your strawman is showing