The ‘at around the £200 mark’ - was referring to the 7" version that costs £225. The Linux version is £169. There was no intention to mislead or be disingenuous.

This looks like another score for the RM/Microsoft hegemony that continues to be supported by the British tax payer.

50,000 laptops all running an out of date operating system that Microsoft plan's to ditch by June 2010. Who will pay for the upgrades?

Once again Windows is being stuffed down the throats of young people (will an 8 year old really be using Windows when they're 18?) as a trojan horse for selling more software even when there are perfectly adequate and often more powerful applications to be found freely amongst the open source community as was recently indicated in a Becta report.

It's quite worrying that with so much money being invested in educational ICT using public money, e.g. Building Schools for the Future (£40B) and other schemes such as Computers for Pupils and the soon to be announced Home Access programme (which curiously enough was spec'd by RM) that such flagrant stitch-ups are allowed to continue.

No wonder they are launching at swanky hang-outs such as The Ivy whilst discussing disadvantaged learners. 

Trebles all round, eh?

Title: "RM delivers Linux-fuelled Eee"

First line: "RM launched its new Windows XP-based RM Asus miniBook – a rebadged version of the EeePC."

This is not the operating system you are looking for.

"Linux-fuelled" implies that there is Linux Inside (r) (c) (tm)

Yes, there is no Linux when Windows XP is installed.

> "At around the £200 mark these devices mean that no pupil in the UK should be disadvantaged by not having access to the very best learning and the very best technology.” said Tim Pearson, CEO of RM

Which models is Tim on about here ?.. in the flow of the paragraph it might seem to indicate the new models - which at £285 would stretch the meaning of "around" somewhat.