Microsoft, FUD and the netbook market

First off, I understand this was written by Canonical. They equate Ubuntu with Linux and, of course, nothing could be further from the truth. OTOH, Ubuntu Netbook Remix is the best preloaded Linux implementation I've seen on netbooks so far.

Second, the P.S. is hilarious and anything but true. The 4X return rate was never confirmed. It was speculation by an MSI exec before they even shipped with SUSE. Third, Microsoft is the king of FUD. They have no compunction about lying or making false claims and never have. Redmond is NOT better than that.

Pretty much what I was thinking. There is no level to which Microsoft will not stoop!

Ninety-six percent of netbooks run Windows, leaving the remaining four percent running without problems

CP, if we had comment ratings here, that would definitely get a +1 from me.

Thanks g3, but I stole it. Here is another one I stole: It's Official: Vista is the new Windows ME

I was shopping at my local target store last night. They carry two netbooks in stock (Asus eee somethings)

Both have Linux.

That's 100% Linux, 0% Windows. They don't sell any other computers, so based on my un-scientific survey Linux owns the entire netbook market.

Basing all netbbok return rates on the unsubstantiated comment from an exec from one netbook provider is about as valid as my survey of the netbook market place based on one shopping trip to a netbook retailer.

There are about three factors that will affect Windows netbook market share:

Will Windows 7 perform adequately on the netbook hardware (x86 based)?

Will netbook hardware specs advance at a pace that will support Windows software(reducing the importance of #1)?

Will Windows be hurt by lack of support for ARM architecture?

ARM may be the biggest issue. Microsoft has only successfully ported to non-x86 architecture twice. NT 3.x on Alpha, and the xbox 360 cell processor OS. Itanium was a disaster.

If ARM netbooks are sub $200, it probably won't pay for MS to try and port to the architecture. They might try WinCE on it.

n6x:

Let me guess, you were in a Target?

That's what I said "I was shopping at my local target store last night."

They had milk for $1.99 a gallon and with two kids the family goes through three or four gallons a week. I like shopping and only buying loss leaders. I can walk to target from my house, so its cheap.

The xbox 360 doesn't use a cell processor, it uses a custom 3 core power processor but not the cell, the ps3 is the only gaming machine currently using the cell. Though all 3 gaming systems currently use a power derived processor.

Quoting:# Will Windows 7 perform adequately on the netbook hardware (x86 based)?

Based on my boss having the beta installed on one for a bit, it will run failry well. Assuming of course they don't make it slower before release. It seemed a tad slower than XP on the same netbook.

Gah. That's what I get for posting without caffeine.

Thanks boom boom. I don't play games so I don't follow consoles much. I just know MS successfully ported to a different arch. Quite an achievement for them.

Comment from a Windows zealot "Hmph if Microsoft had the cure for cancer they still be called crooks."

My answer "yes because they'd want want your first born as payment, it would probably only work some of the time, and when it did it would allow other infections to run rampant, and they'd absolve themselves of all responsibility."