Thailand"s People"s PC project, initiated last year by the ICT Ministry, has been the genesis of a new operating system from Microsoft Corporation that is now under development, according to Microsoft Thailand Managing Director Andrew McBean.
The new OS, as yet unnamed, but a new "light"" addition to the Windows XP "family"", will be released in limited, selected markets later this year and will offer reduced functionality when compared with Windows XP Professional and Home editions, he said.
Development of the code is being done in the company"s US headquarters in Redmond, Washington, but the concept stemmed from Microsoft"s participation in the Thai Government"s ICT project which was launched last May. When it joined the project, Microsoft offered Windows XP Home and Office standard edition to those buying budget PCs under the project for 1,500 baht, which had been an unprecedented departure for the company that does its best to adhere to a global pricing model for its products.
He said that no decision had yet been taken as to when, or where or how this new version of Windows would be introduced _ but that it would happen, and that this would follow the release in May of Windows XP Service Pack 2.