Now the poorest children around the world can experience the blue screen of death! Sorry, that was a rather cheap shot at Microsoft who have rather generously partnered with OLPC to deliver budget laptops with Windows XP to some of the most poverty stricken nations in the world.

The agreement is still in trial stage and will see the delivery of OLPC XO laptops with Windows XP available in June. It’s taken Microsoft more than a year working with developers to create cusomised drivers that will allow the XO laptop to run Windows XP. The XO’s version of XP will support the e-book reading mode, Wi-Fi networking, camera, writing pad and custom keys as well as other original features that come with the XO.

The Linux version of the OLPC will continue to be made available. A video demonstration of the XO Laptop is available here.

Would you prefer Linux or Windows XP on a budget laptop? Discuss it in our forums.