Stan Beer
Monday, 09 March 2009 09:09
Opinion and Analysis
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The release of the very nice
Asus Eee PC 1000HE signals a turning point in the sub-notebook market
and it's one that Linux desktop advocates will not like. It looks like
the 10 inch netbook has hit the sweet spot for consumers and that sweet
spot includes Windows but not Linux.
As
many have noticed, Asus has shipped the 1000HE only with Windows XP and
there is no Linux version to date.
The Asustek PR representative
in Australia has told iTWire that there is no word from Asus when or if
a Linux version of 1000HE will be shipped. I haven't checked with Acer
with what it intends to do but I reckon it's a fair bet that a Linux
10-inch netbook from that company is about likely as rain in the Sahara
tomorrow.
In his excellent
recent article
UnderNetbook: A tale of two markets iTWire writer and
reviewer Stephen Withers pointed out that "netbook" is a somewhat
nebulous term.
A netbook 18 months ago was one of those original Eee PC 701 boxes that
were little more than oversized mobile phone that couldn't make calls
but could surf the net while travelling, could make skype calls and do
some basic computing tasks. The 7 inch screen, tiny keyboard, limited
storage and lack of computing power made them a very limited device.
In fact, the original Eee PC concept - Easy to Work, Easy to Learn,
Easy to Play - seemed to be targeted at kids. However, because the
early devices were only available on Linux they became a favourite of
the Linux geeks who lauded the fact that at last the Linux desktop had
arrived.
Then - shock, horror - Asus started shipping Windows XP versions of its
new breakthrough product. The rate at which its netbook market
multiplied when the Windows versions started shipping no doubt caused
Asus, Acer and others to realise on which side the bread was buttered.
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