Analysis - Windows and Linux battle for the soul of the netbook

[dangel]

Ugh, that Microsoft PR piece has so much diatribe I wouldn't even know where to begin.

[removed]

[dangel]

....

[nichomach]

To be fair, I think aidan was probably referring to the MS PR flack's comments in the actual article.

[McPhee]

Though Microsoft won't admit it, it's Apple that have their arses saved here really. iTunes not working on Linux means Linux distros are useless for the large majority. Likewise with DirectX and gaming...

[Barrichello]

(although any sensible person would have iTunes on their main home desktop surely!), MS Office

itunes? (shivers) and Ms office? why?

Quite happy with Amarok and Openoffice thanks

[dangel]

To be fair, I think aidan was probably referring to the MS PR flack's comments in the actual article.

In which case, I apologise

[directhex]

In which case, I apologise

And he has a point

For one thing, you can't use the "familiarity" argument as a plus point for W7

[Stringent]

itunes? (shivers) and Ms office? why?

Quite happy with Amarok and Openoffice thanks

You might be, but the majority of people want Windows because its what they know. Wasn't there an article recently where a girl bought a Dell and it came with Ubuntu on it and she moaned? The average Joe (to which there are more of than us!) want Windows because they don't understand anything else.

[directhex]

You might be, but the majority of people want Windows because its what they know. Wasn't there an article recently where a girl bought a Dell and it came with Ubuntu on it and she moaned? The average Joe (to which there are more of than us!) want Windows because they don't understand anything else.

So short version, you're thick?

[nichomach]

*buys popcorn, settles back to watch flying handbags*

[adder]

I think linux is about to over take windows and in many aspects it already has, and windows know this and are trying hard to come-up with something. But I don't think they can. In the past most problems with linux has been hardware support and now thats not much of an issue.

I don't think even making windows free be good enough, but who knows whats around the corner, and it can all be good for us all.

[dangel]

And he has a point

For one thing, you can't use the "familiarity" argument as a plus point for W7

Tosh - of course you can, aside from the new superbar what's so different compared to Vista? A tweek here, a tweek there but the UI remains much the same as does the software you use.

The point is, W7 is shaping up to be rather good - it works well on netbooks and so.. why linux? Because it's free? It's never made any great inroads to the desktop on that point now has it? A few years ago the USPs of linux were (to my mind) stability, security and speed. Then MS made Windows pretty stable, pretty secure and now look to be tackling speed rather well. Meanwhile, linux distros are still struggling on usability - some even emulating Windows to try and gain cognitive ground with users. As much as I like (and admire) linux I don't really use it - because I don't really need to and Windows offers me more (in terms of what I want to do on a PC). Doesn't mean I don't keep on playing with live CDs, but - like what I ran OSX for a while - it doesn't offer me anything to keep me using it. Now, that's as a technical chap - joe public has even less time/patience for something radically different.

[directhex]

Tosh - of course you can, aside from the new superbar what's so different compared to Vista?
A tweek here, a tweek there but the UI remains much the same as does the software you use.

But what software is that? Which apps do you *desperately* need in a £200 device with a 9" screen and a keyboard designed for toddlers? Microsoft Office? Photoshop? Maya? Cubase?

[adder]

*buys popcorn, settles back to watch flying handbags*

Pass us some..........lol

[dangel]

But what software is that? Which apps do you *desperately* need in a £200 device with a 9" screen and a keyboard designed for toddlers? Microsoft Office? Photoshop? Maya? Cubase?

Ah, so we agree on familarity then?
Well, for starters - the keyboard is just fine on the acer - the 701? different matter. But yes, all those things do work (although I guess some of them are too obscure to be taken seriously) and yes, i've been asked to put office on (2007 runs well) by various now-netbook-owning folk. I've even be asked to wipe of the crappy linux distro when they see that windows works just as well (if not better in some ways) too. Why? Because they prefer something they know - horrible, but absolutely true. Never underestimate the chilling power of 'I want WLM'!

Don't get me wrong - in a fair World i'd like there to be good competition for MS but neither OSX or linux currently provide that to any real degree and i can't see that changing, even with uber-low-cost notebooks where the cost of a Windows licence could be seen as an issue. I don't (personally) bear any cost for the OS - but i'd of punted up the extra 20 quid for XP over the linux distros i got on the eee and one.

Your one hope is this: MS charge too much for W7 for netbooks or put a crippleware version on (starter/basic).

[directhex]

Ah, so we agree on familarity then?
Well, for starters - the keyboard is just fine on the acer - the 701? different matter. But yes, all those things do work (although I guess some of them are too obscure to be taken seriously) and yes, i've been asked to put office on (2007 runs well) by various now-netbook-owning folk. I've even be asked to wipe of the crappy linux distro when they see that windows works just as well (if not better in some ways) too. Why? Because they prefer something they know - horrible, but absolutely true. Never underestimate the chilling power of 'I want WLM'!

£100 of office on a £200 computer seems mad to me. Perhaps i'm just odd. Ditto the prices to add Windows after the event (i.e. not the discounted OEM netbook prices)

Don't get me wrong - in a fair World i'd like there to be good competition for MS but neither OSX or linux currently provide that to any real degree and i can't see that changing, even with uber-low-cost notebooks where the cost of a Windows licence could be seen as an issue. I don't (personally) bear any cost for the OS - but i'd of punted up the extra 20 quid for XP over the linux distros i got on the eee and one.

As I said, the Eee's OS is crappy. Not news. What's interesting is the FAR more polished affairs from the likes of Dell & HP which have evolved after only a few months

But in either case, they're not going to compete at *being Windows*. You're not going to get a Linux system which is better at running MS Office and MSN Messenger and MS this and MS that. That's dense. You MIGHT, however (well, can) get a better overall device. Certainly in terms of out-of-box experience. My one experience with a Windows netbook was... well, I'd pick the default Acer OS for preference.