Asus: alas poor Linux Eee PC we fare thee well?

Oh wait, not it's not. Who cares if Asus offers both Windows and Linux on the Eee PC? Isn't having a real choice the very thing we keep nattering on about?

Quoting: According to a number of reports, Asus expects the Windows XP version of its sub-1kg notebook with 512MB RAM, 4GB Flash and a 7inch screen, to comprise more than 60% of sales of the device

40% share for Linux? Sounds pretty good to me. The article is positive about it, so I guess they need to tart it up to attract readers :)

Quoting:The article is positive about it, so I guess they need to tart it up to attract readers :)

Certainly.

And perhaps the the most positive part of this article is its avoidance of the typical anti-Linux FUD that other pro-Microsoft publications tend to insidiously insinuate. Sure, a title of 'Asus: alas poor Linux Eee PC we fare thee well?' is bound to evoke a certain degree of gloom-and-doom on Linux's success on the Eee PC compared to Windows XP, once this monster company's OS has already been let in through the door. Yet, the piece clearly concludes

Quoting:Meanwhile, does this portend the demise of the Linux Eee PC? Absolutely not! They're still flying off store shelves in volumes that no other Linux consumer computer has in history. For the first time ever, I can go down to a local major electronics and office products chain store and buy a Linux Eee PC off the shelf. The market for consumer Linux computers has been established. Chances are Asus will keep it that way.

Well, "business" people and journalists DO NOT like a choice, for the same underlying reason. You have to think.

For "business" people, having to think is apparently quite painful, and they'd rather not, thank you very much. They'd prefer that a choice be made for them, really. This observation is based on empirical observation of "business" people at a couple of small businesses and a couple of mega-corps.

Journalists don't want to have to choose - choosing only earns them unhappy email from "the losers", or worse, ad money gets pulled by "the losing" company.

I just wish Asus had the foresight to keep that preinstalled Xandros evolving. There are things it does right, and there are a LOT of things it just does wrong.

- You need a choice of, and easy way to install window themes. Currently all the themes use that oversized XP-like window border. The average user will have to fiddle to run new themes, would have to install new software, edit config files, etc.

- Make more software available. It has an Add/Remove Software option, but there's hardly anything availabl to install, and hardly any updates at all. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen any updates.

- The Eee works really well with a USB Bluetooth dongle, and can do all kinds of bluetoothy things, but again there's no method made available to manage bluetooth stuff.

The way to reinforce the idea to the average user that Linux is unusable, is to give him an unusable Linux.

(I am being harsh, of course... it's not "unusable", but it could be so much better)

I for one can't wait for the virus infected eeeeeepc's to be sold on the cheap!

My name is Colonel and I am a user.

I am that person that you are trying to bring into the Linux sphere. Here is my problem:

Y'all are too smart, you push the envelope. You max out the software and hardware. Don't you see that the users only need about 20% of the apps you do? Users don't need virtual. Users don't need servers. Users need the interwebs, some kind of office productivity apps and multimedia. If those are on the machine and work, that's it, done.

My machines only break when I try to geek something. Now that I have been Linux only for three years I am starting to learn how to do some of the advanced stuff. Like bork the machine with one simple command.

Does that sound like a m$ user? You bet. Its easy to bork winders. Any/every user can be blessed by the BSOD. Do the m$ geeks have problems? Not so much.

You buy some entry level system and then b*tch about its limitations. Phffffft. Those toys are for me, not for you!

If I can do Linux, anybody can do Linux. I can do it, you can help. But please don't over-help.