OLPC XO emulation software hits the internets

While OLPC's XO laptops are just now starting to roll off the assembly lines in Taiwan, everyone's chomping at the bit to get their hands on one. Until the lean green machines start turning up on eBay after reaching Libyan shores, however, curious folks (like us) will have to settle for running the XO in software emulation. OLPC News has just published instructions on how to install the emulator on a Windows PC or on Mac OS X (pictured), but to accomplish either, you'll need VMware. Bonus points if you manage to paint your laptop the same OLPC green as the XO for the full effect.

[Via OLPC News]

Read - OLPC XO emulation for Windows
Read - OLPC XO emulation for Mac OS X

[cparker @ Nov 21st 2006 7:44PM]

Volunteers write the software. The Free Software community writes the software. The OLPC laptop runs the GNU/Linux operating system. And it's SUPPOSED to look like the Fisher Price computers, because these laptops are FOR KIDS!!! (OLPC = One Laptop Per CHILD)

[Grant H @ Nov 21st 2006 6:48PM]

Fun! For 10 minutes.

[tonsils_mckinly @ Nov 21st 2006 7:14PM]

Neat to think this could become a significant simplified OS that's entirely free. What is being planted?

Now someone please help me out here. I signed up for the vmware for Mac early access program but haven't heard a peep. Where do I get it?

[wako @ Nov 21st 2006 7:23PM]

Yeah, I was more curious on that aspect too. I want a piece of the VMWare Fusion beta software!

[Steve Packard @ Nov 21st 2006 7:26PM]

headed to Libyan shores, eh? Um.... These computers... what kind of processors do they have? And as far as IO options? Could they be modified to say...take input from terrain-following radar or an infrared sensor and output to something like...say...a thrust-vectoring solid rocket engine?

Could they, theoretically speaking, be clustered into a larger computer that could be used for such things as...for example...designing an implosion trigger system for a nuclear weapon? Or perhaps brute-forcing the encryption on military communications?

Could the wireless capabilities be used to communicate with say...a package...in a suitcase...


Um....I'm getting a bit worried here. Very worried.

[roundabout @ Nov 21st 2006 8:41PM]

Steve Packard + Joking = Vaguely funny.

however,

Steve Packard - Joking = Idiot.

[Brandon West @ Nov 21st 2006 8:45PM]

Holy crap, ease up on the FUD.

OMG EVIL LIBYANS ARE GOING TO GET $100 LAPTOPS WE'RE SUPPORTING TERROR!!1

Seriously, the world is a better place without this kind of fear-mongering. If Wilson released a new baseball bat in Libya would you assume it's a weapon or sporting goods? You're making a similarly asinine jump in logic here.

"Designing an implosion trigger for a nuclear weapon"? What the hell drugs are you on? Don't you think there would be an easier way then hand-cranking the battery on your plastic laptop, hacking a new OS, and writing design software for it? Use your freaking head.

Brute-forcing the encryption on military communications? Again, pull your freaking head out. If you had a computer that could do one teraflop (1 trillion key guesses per second), it would take about 2,000,000,000,000,000,000 years to crack 128-bit RSA encryption with brute force. These things can't even get close to a teraflop.

Honestly, try to think through things before you post them.

[rockintom99 @ Nov 22nd 2006 12:15PM]

Right, because EVERYONE from Libya is a freaking terrorist. Especially the kids that these computers are going to.

Remember, there are already freaking computers in Libya.

[ScooterJP @ Nov 21st 2006 11:33PM]

is Steve Packard worried that intelligent kids, armed with IT and web access, might have ideas of their own when they grow up?

Or is he worried that this technology, which could be used for the pursuit of evil, is a product of the USA?

[Matt @ Nov 21st 2006 8:19PM]

i did it and it was free err atleast i think so cause i didnt pay for any thing. i did the windows version and it works pretty well its a dull os but hell its ok i guess? oh i guess its based on linux since it has a linux boot loader and i noticed the pengin

[mattyK @ Nov 21st 2006 10:33PM]

Anyone else noticed the typo in the picture? (It says OPLC instead of OLPC in the browser)

[wayan @ Nov 21st 2006 9:15PM]

Now before y'all get too crazy with the emulation, note that it runs much slower than the actual Sugar UI. Me, I'll wait to buy the OLPC on eBay:
http://www.olpcnews.com/people/negroponte/ebay_olpc_sales_inev.html

[cameron @ Nov 21st 2006 10:06PM]

It's "champing at the bit," not "chomping at the bit."

[Mark @ Nov 22nd 2006 12:02AM]

For those with OS X and no VMWare:

Grab QEMU (or Q, the nice OS X interface for it) and just create a virtual machine

Point the drive to the VMWare drive image

Boot

I haven't messed with the various settings to get networking up yet, but it boots fine.

[Mark @ Nov 22nd 2006 1:12AM]

Just wanted to follow up, networking works, I just hadn't used the right option, and I was a bit off in mentioning Q as a just an interface, though it does have a top notch interface!

[godanov @ Nov 22nd 2006 12:03AM]

Mr Packard is an idiot.

[whiskey @ Nov 22nd 2006 5:45AM]

If you can, modify the vmware settings to 256 MB, this will make sugar more responsive.
Also, QEMU is (it seems) the preferred emulation method, because it's free, but you could also use vmware player which is also free.

[mark @ Nov 22nd 2006 11:03AM]

It's Champing, you nitwits.

[Hal @ Nov 22nd 2006 11:50AM]

Video of the interface in action here:

http://www.90percentofeverything.com/2006/11/21/short-video-of-the-olpc-ui-action/

Also on youtube.

[Randy Spencer @ Nov 27th 2006 10:22AM]

Is there another internet? You said "Internets" like there was. Or are you making fun of the president who doesn't have a clue. If so you should be in a political column so we understand your reference. Just using the president's words gives them weight. That would not be good "strategery". Soon we are all talking like him and the world would lose the rest of the respect it used to have for America.

[GoodWyll @ Feb 24th 2007 7:19AM]

I think its really a genuine effort...
Although I really dont know what they could do with 1 GB , and no hard disk, they will rely solely on the internet
and, where is the fast and free internet connection the people will have especially in devoloping countris and especially for the under privilaged.