The speculation is growing over the next steps that the OLPC will follow. The top topic appears to be that Windows is going to displace the Open Source efforts on the OLPC. This would be quite an interesting development–because I think it points at how difficult it really is to develop not just a good operating system and its base apps, but a great one that inspires. The OLPC tried with Sugar and other efforts, but this only got them so far. It’s hard to do.
Now whether strapping Windows onto OLPC hardware is the solution I don’t know. There’s so much more to what needs to be available to make a killer education product. Mesh networking is one important area, real-time sharing of content and interactions is another. Does Windows deliver here? Not yet. Is it more likely that these types of features will appear first in Windows than on other platforms? No, I don’t think so. It’s a 50-50 chance. However, whatever the technologies, targeting Windows is a smart move because of the shear numbers of users and developers. It’s a large community to leverage.
There’s one other thing for sure: The OLPC has ignited lots of interest in low-cost PCs. I doubt the Eee PC would have made it to market without the OLPC reaching production. Yes, competition is good. That’s one reason why I’d like to see the OLPC continue on.