Microsoft announced plans today to expand support for Windows XP on budget flash-storage computing devices with an eye towards getting Windows XP running on the OLPC. The software giant will publish design guidelines next year that will make it possible for manufacturers of low-cost mobile devices to build hardware that provides optimal compatibility with Microsoft's legacy operating system. The company also announced plans for field trials next month that will put Windows XP to the test on One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project's XO laptop.

Microsoft's big plans to rule the Puppylinux market.

Red Hat says it has no plans to develop a consumer version of Linux, owing in part to the challenges presented by Microsoft's dominance of the desktop market. Red Hat's Global Desktop Linux, aimed at emerging markets, has also been delayed, owing to a number of reseller and services issues.

Microsoft Corp. clarified its plans to seek open-source certification for its shared-source licenses on Wednesday, saying it will submit for approval only the two licenses that allow source code to be used on any platform.

Microsoft's licensing plans are a twisted knot of complexity that the company is trying to untangle.

Well, this is perfect. SCO's plans for the future surfaced at TecForum 2008 in a presentation they've put on their website, so we can all have a laugh together. Here's the plan.

Canonical, promoter of Ubuntu Linux, has plenty of momentum on the desktop. But as Canonical gears up for a server push, one key Ubuntu partner plans to sit on the sidelines. Indeed, Dell has no plans to ship Ubuntu on its servers, according to a Dell source who spoke with The VAR Guy today.

If you read my blog yesterday, you noticed my entry about Microsoft's move to retire XP and effectively force Windows shops into a wasteful migration to Vista.

What is it about Microsoft's proposed OOXML standard that has boffins hurling death threats at each other? Brett Winterford investigates.