Linux Netbook Sales: Suffering From More Market Shrinkage?

We seen major vendors ready to ship arm based laptops, netbooks and for some reason or another they never made it to the shelves, even chromebooks still use intel. For a fraction of a second Gnu+Linux distro's were shipping too. I'm not quite sure about the why's... As for tablets I think it's fair to say it cut into the netbook/niche market, the rise of window7 I'm not so sure, power and performance does not cut it either. There are a few points not mentioned that really are not worth diving into.

I just recently got rid of my eeepc 4G but I'm only doing so to upgrade screen size (11-13 inch) and nothing more. The netbook fits the -->bill<-- for ordinary folks.

I never felt netbook was very popular on open or closed platform, tablet and cellphone are the main thing now. With the news of Ubuntu going to create a dock interface for Android phones, as much as people hate Ubuntu I think its a good step forward to the mainstream. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kipBNiBtjmQ People seem to like those Android tablet with add-on keyboard as well, but the OS is limited.

Netbooks have struggled in general simply because most of them were sold with Windows -- and Windows was just too heavy for the hardware. A competently chosen/configured Linux was a a far better fit.

Netbooks that laboured under Windows could fly under Linux) but Linux had little opportunity to prove itself because it was effectively barred from competitive access to the _general_ market. (Of course, this argument is generally dismissed as "conspiracy theory").

Microsoft and Intel both hobbled the hardware options available to OEMs in efforts to preserve the market for higher-margin product.

I think that a third factor, now, is that tablets have become a viable form-factor, and these are both profitable AND seen as less of a threat to other high-end hardware and components. So it doesn't really matter if there is a solid demand for "netbooks" -- the decisions that lead to tailing-off netbook production aren't being made by the customers, but by big players who have other preferences. Netbooks are being relegated to niche-product status, with the consequent fewer options and higher prices that such status entails.

"Three times is enemy action":

http://blogs.computerworld.com/microsoft_strikes_back_at_lin...

I gotta agree with the netbook supporters.My 200$ reconditioned Samsung netbook lagged a bit under the Windows 7 GUI but is perfectly responsive under Knoppix for viewing Youtube,running Java programs or VirtualBox,building software,although I use the home-built Intel i3 powered home theatre PC to run my TVcapture SW or the netbook would overheat.

I love my little ARM netbook... Sub-200$, close to 8 hours battery, and weighing in under 2 pounds. Whats not to love?

http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2012/01/genesi-mx-smartbook...

~Jeff

Jeff,I seriously considered getting that before opting for a 7" Craig CLP 281 Android netbook,because it answered two of my long-time fantasies:1)having a cute little 7" netbook I could call my own, and 2)being able to walk in a bricks and mortar retail store,slap down my money,and say,"I would like to buy that Linux netbook".

However now I have firsthand experience why the 7" form factor for netbooks didn't catch on - barely too small to touch type effectively & barely too big to fit in in my jacket pocket. (There was still fun with it running a chrooted Debian via androidVNC,and porting terminal apps to Android.)But , your review is very encouraging for my next gadget purchase,I am holding out for a powerful Arm device...