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Non-Microsoft OSes Helped by Economic Conditions?
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| ABI Research reports that a downturning economy may be advantageous for
| inexpensive netbook computers. In 2008, 75% of netbooks ran Microsoft Windows
| XP, but ABI Research predicts that in 2012, netbooks running Linux-based and
| mobile operating systems will outnumber those running Microsoft operating
| systems.
`----
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4976
The down economy could give alternative netbook OSes a hand up, says ABI
Research
http://digitimes.com/news/a20090414PR202.html
Netbooks Are Destroying the Laptop Market and Microsoft Needs to Act Now
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| Netbooks are a cheap narcotic. They bring Windows OEMs a brief sales high,
| while laying their margins low. Microsoft and its Windows PC partners must
| get back to basic business fundamentals before netbooks destroy the lifeblood
| of the laptop market: margins.
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http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Windows/Netbooks-Are-Destroying-the-Laptop-Market-and-Microsoft-Needs-to-Act-Now-863307/
Even from Microsoft itself (its sockpuppet):
Netbook Price War Could Hurt Microsoft
http://www.pcworld.com/article/163095/netbook_price_war_could_hurt_microsoft.html
Recent:
Microsoft, FUD and the netbook market
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| Brandon Le Blanc from Microsoft posted an interesting post about Netbooks and
| Linux last week. While we agreed with his comments about customers wanting
| choice and looking for outstanding hardware options, we disagree with much of
| his analysis and unsurprisingly the overall ’spin’ of the post.
|
| While FLOSS software has been improving year on year, the launch of the Asus
| eeePC with Linux in late 2007 sparked a extraordinary chain of events. We saw
| an increase in the number of models of computers shipping with Linux, the
| acceleration of the PC industry’s knowledge of how to work in a non-Windows
| environment and the repeated extension of XP’s shipping life.
`----
http://blog.canonical.com/?p=151
Ballmer: GNU/Linux Will Win on Netbooks
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| I think this is a very frank analysis of the problem for Microsoft: after
| all, who's going to pay extra money just to get the Windows logo on a
| netbook, when they can get the same features for less with free software...?
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http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2009/03/ballmer-gnulinux-will-win-on-netbooks.html
Netbooks Open Linux Window at BETT
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| On the same stand a large screen showed off the design appeal of the latest
| Ubuntu. This includes multiple windows rotating or rescaling. As this is
| better understood some Netbook users may return to Linux. Asustek Chairman
| Jonney Shih has predicted that about 60 percent of Eee PCs to be shipped in
| 2009 will have Windows XP.
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http://english.ohmynews.com/ArticleView/article_view.asp?menu=A11100&no=384681&rel_no=1&back_url=
math: Windows 7 + netbook = failure - GNU/Linux as remaining winner!
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| Windows XP is basically gone, so an OEM license is worth 20 USD for a
| manufacturer, no problem at all. Windows 7 for Netbooks is the same as all
| other Windows 7 variants - no lean, light, vlighted, 7lited or whatever. Just
| a Starter version like in Windows Vista which gives you the "power" to run
| maximum 3 applications at the same time. Where again is the advantage? Oh
| yes, now Windows 7 Starter crippled edition costs a bit more than 20 USD for
| OEM, I would say around 99 USD after discounts, tax not included or did you
| think MS stops earning money?
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http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,1000000567,10012288o-2000637757b,00.htm
Otellini: Windows 7 Upgrade for Netbooks Will Be Tough'
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| Microsoft has a challenge: Sell a Windows upgrade as a way to save money.
|
| The company's fourth quarter Windows revenue declined 8 percent, as PC buyers
| opted for lower-priced netbooks that run either Windows XP or Linux, rather
| than the higher-priced Windows Vista operating system, which does not run on
| netbook hardware.
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http://www.pcworld.com/article/160967/windows7_netbooks.html?tk=rss_news
Reports: Microsoft Cripples Windows 7 Starter Edition in Hopes of Netbook
Upgrades
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| With Windows 7 Microsoft is releasing cheap versions of its OS for netbooks,
| but faces the challenge of getting customers to buy pricier versions
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http://www.dailytech.com/Reports+Microsoft+Cripples+Windows+7+Starter+Edition+in+Hopes+of+Netbook+Upgrades/article14532.htm
Microsoft’s Windows 7 May Not Cure Netbook Headache
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| This time, as Microsoft readies Windows 7, the company is planning a basic
| version, as well as more expensive editions that are also targeted at
| netbooks. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said last week that he will make sure
| consumers can “trade up.”
|
| ‘Pessimistic’
|
| Many netbook buyers won’t go for it, because they want the cheapest option
| possible, said John DiFucci, the JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst who asked the
| question that prompted Ballmer’s comment. That means investors shouldn’t
| expect Microsoft to make much more money on netbook software, the New
| York-based analyst said in a note to clients. Microsoft hasn’t released
| specific prices for the different versions of Windows 7.
|
| “I don’t know that there’s much room to charge more than what’s been charged
| currently,” said Michael Cherry, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft in
| Kirkland, Washington. “I’m pessimistic about this.”
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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=ahmXCOAixVMw&refer=us
Moblin V2 vs. Ubuntu Netbook Remix vs. Ubuntu MID
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| Last week Intel had pushed out a second alpha release of Moblin V2 and now it
| boots even faster, which means they are down to the point of being able to
| boot in just a few seconds. Beyond a very quick boot process, they have
| already incorporated kernel mode-setting and other newer Linux/X.Org
| technologies while also working to build a desktop environment around the
| Clutter OpenGL tool-kit. Moblin is certainly turning into an interesting
| Intel creation, but how does its performance compare to other mobile-focused
| Linux distributions? We have benchmarked Moblin V2 Alpha 2 and compared it
| against what is likely their biggest competitor in the mobile space, Ubuntu
| Netbook Remix, and the LPIA-based Ubuntu MID edition. Which of these mobile
| operating systems is the fastest? We hope to find out today.
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http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=moblin_ubuntu_mobile&num=1
What next for the netbook?
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| Price-wise I'd say that high-end netbooks are perhaps getting too far away
| from the initial premise of a small, cheap companion. These days the high-end
| models cost at least $900. Kogan Technologies is set to shake things up with
| its $499 10-inch netbook running gOS - a flavour of Linux designed to play
| nicely with Google services. I'm wondering if this will put pressure on other
| netbook makers to get back to basics and release a stripped-down 10 inch
| netbook to compete at around the $500 mark. Such a price war would certainly
| see netbooks take off again.
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http://digihub.smh.com.au/node/422
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