Despite its original goal to offer the world's poorest children a $100 laptop that ran free, open-source, modifiable software, One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is adding the Microsoft Windows operating system to its XO laptops.

Through an agreement with Microsoft, trials of XOs running Windows are planned to begin as soon as June in emerging markets. The easily recognizable green laptops will also continue to host Linux. OLPC said the addition of Windows will allow customers an expanded choice of operating environments that best fit their requirements.

"From the beginning, the goal of OLPC has been to use technology to transform education by bringing connectivity and constructionist learning to the poorest children throughout the world," said Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman of OLPC, in a statement last week. "[This] announcement, coupled with future plans for a dual boot version of the XO laptop, enhances our ability to deliver on this vision. In addition, OLPC will work with third parties to port its user interface, called 'Sugar,' to Windows."

OLPC and its XO laptops have faced several challenges since its founding on 2005, including Intel's exit from the not-for-profit organization. Intel, instead, has gone ahead with its own competing low-cost laptop, dubbed the Classmate PC. In April, Intel announced the Classmate will soon feature its Atom processors.

According to OLPC, customers and partners have requested Windows support for the XO laptop because it "opens the door for students and educators to access the benefits of existing Windows-based educational software and tools, as well as a broad ecosystem that provides extensive relevant and local educational content."

Microsoft said it has spent more than a year working with a variety of partners to develop customised drivers that allow Windows to run on the XO laptop. In doing so, Windows now supports the laptop's e-book reading mode, standard Wi-Fi networking, camera, writing pad, and custom keys, as well as the power-saving and other features of the XO hardware.

"Transforming education is a fundamental goal of Microsoft Unlimited Potential, our ambitious effort to bring sustained social and economic opportunity to people who currently don't enjoy the benefits of technology," said Craig Mundie, chief research and strategy officer at Microsoft. "By supporting a wide variety of affordable computing solutions for education that includes OLPC's XO laptop, we aim to make technology more relevant, accessible and affordable for students everywhere."

By Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News - Electronic News