Microsoft

[Jason Galyon]

info at olpc-peru.info wrote:
> Nick Negroponte has said :
>
> "Open Firmware V2, the free and open source BIOS, is now capable of
> running Linux, Microsoft Windows XP and other operating systems, and was
> developed by Firmworks with support from OLPC. This will enable dual
> boot of OLPC XO laptops with Microsoft Windows XP in addition to the
> existing Fedora-based system and will become the standard
> BIOS/bootloader for all XO systems when completed. With this "free
> BIOS," the XO-1 continues to be the most open laptop hardware currently
> available."
>
> This is totally different that we have been informed, the V2 version of the
> BIOS is able to run a double boot.  Huge difference!!!
>
> Good or bad? Everyone has its own answer.  Now the XOs are a more
> "general" tool, a broader range of happenings we will see.
>
> So... all the new 200,000 XOs that will come to Peru will come with this
> new V2 Bios.  and the first 45,000 will be updated?  Or we have to
> deal with a mixed enviroment? (no problem... just asking...)
>
> Best regards,
>
> Javier Rodriguez
> Lima, Peru
>
> _______________________________________________
> Devel mailing list
> Devel at lists.laptop.org
> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/devel
>   
Instead of saying what solution is good or bad, how about just asking 
these questions?

Does this vendor have a history of integrating with other platforms and 
solutions or do they force vendor lock in like the mafia or a drug dealer?

Does this vendor end of life products that require upgrades to continue 
to receive security and bug fixes?  (please don't debate whether this is 
reasonable, that is not the issue)

Does this vendor have a history of using open standards and ensuring 
that their own protocols or extensions are open and well documented?

Does this vendor show through its action that it respects its user base 
or abuses them?



So basically, can we expect Microsoft to open source their software 
allowing for the community to continue to enhance and fix it after 
Microsoft sunsets it?  Can we expect Microsoft to force single Windows 
only boots whether by outright elimination of other choices or providing 
a hostile environment for those other choices?  Will software run on 
both or just Windows or require Windows?  Will we require any outside 
resources (like servers or other hosts) that are MS Software only?  For 
that matter, will we be restricted to x86 hardware only?

What does the history of Microsoft show?

Character counts.