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Our Blogs The BeerFiles Asus: alas poor Linux Eee PC we fare thee well?
Our Blogs The BeerFiles Asus: alas poor Linux Eee PC we fare thee well? | Asus: alas poor Linux Eee PC we fare thee well? |
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| by Stan Beer | |
| Monday, 17 March 2008 | |
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Page 1 of 2 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, leaving the Linux version in its dust. However, the company insists that the Linux version will still be sold. And why wouldn't it? Ever since it came on the market in October 2007, the Linux version of the Eee PC has sold hundreds of thousands of units worldwide. For users who want a small lightweight computer that can surf the Web in Wi-Fi hot spots, exchange Skype messages and emails using Gmail, do basic office productivity functions using Open Office, the Linux Eee PC is perfect. Linux and FOSS were made for such a machine - lean, cheap, easy to use and nothing more to spend. And certainly nothing extra to spend on resource sucking anti-virus and anti-spyware packages. So why has Asus decided to put out more expensive Windows XP versions of the Eee PC? Simple - people want them. Earlier this year, a friend showed me his Eee PC recently purchased in an electronics market in Thailand. It was running a version of Windows XP that had been loaded by the store. In fact he says that's the reason he bought it. He was browsing stores looking at Linux Eee PCs with mild interest but as soon as he came across a unit that was running Windows, he snapped it up. Why? |
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