I believe microsoft's true intention (aside from some extra profits) is to make sure that these technologically developing nations grow up with Windows the same as we did, so that if and when their resident nations are no longer so poor, Windows is what they will be buying because Windows is what they're used to, much like most of us here in the states. If they grow up on Linux, guess what OS will be their first choice once they are developed. This means not only fewer future OS purchasers in those countries, but also (and this is a big money maker for microsoft) fewer MS Office users. I think it's all about getting an early toehold in these countries.

Microsoft is trying to share their narrow view of the universe with the poor on a 10.2 screen, the poor have, well, poor sight. Windoze looks better on 10.2 than Linux does... Voles look better on small screens than Penguins do, it is proven fact.

Darth Ballmer is also making sure the poor run their computers at bicycle speeds instead of the faster motorized vehicle speed the rest of us run our computers on. The poor can't handle anything faster than a bicycle.

The poor can't possibly store more than 80gigs of info, cause they are poor. 

"XP can make you rich beyond your wildest dreams govna', place your X here ________ and hand over the beans!"


Tried DOSBox?

I couldn't give 2 twats whether I run XP or Linux - what I care about is the applications I run, and all the crap I need to run runs under MS Oses.

I'd be more than happy to run a cutdown version of XP for $26 on my old equipment, primarily because 1/2 of the apps I run are THAT old (the new apps that do the same thing are so bloated, or don't do what I need anymore...gotta love LANs)

I'm actually thinking about buying the ASUS EEE PC just to run my old DOS stuff, primarily because there are NO aps that will do, workwise, what the old apps did. And at $26 for OS, BONUS. (FYI...anyone try DOS6.0 on the ASUS?)

whereas that free linux will run on anything.......... including that umpc [and do it faster too:P]

Why on earth would anyone pay for that cut down piece of junk; when they can simply get an Open Source OS with none of those limitations for ‘free’?

BIlly Bob, SHY STEVie, and company MAKING the poor PAY somthing for an erstwhile operating system that MicroSHaft and company were ( last year ) going to WALK AWAY FROM. EOL. STOP SUPPORTING!!! PLEEEEASE tell me I am not the only one for whom this irony is not lost on.
HEY!!! A BETTER idea!!!! I have some garbage I am binning, sell it to ya REAL CHEAP!!! PROMISE!!!!

Just wondering how they'd determine the screen size - or will it be resolution limited instead?

I've got an old machine that currently runs win2k from about 5-6 years ago which has specs at around those listed in the article.... the only difference being that it will run the desktop and applications in 1024x768.

I wonder if it will be hardware locked (i.e. chipset recognition or somesuch) or just the limit on speed and capacity? Would i be able to get it to run on my old machine?

I love XP but I'm fed up with Microsoft. My next OS is going to be Ubuntu or some other version of Linux.