Dumbass consumers squander netbook experience by rejecting Linux

David M Williams
Thursday, 18 December 2008 15:48

Opinion and Analysis

The Economist recently provided a guide on how to choose a netbook and made the point that buyers ought to resist the temptation to opt for Windows just because that is their previous experience.

In particular, The Economist were keen to emphasise that netbooks are not mini laptops on which you install a range of apps. By the time you add the hardware items (extra RAM, external optical drive, more storage space, etc) and software items (Microsoft Office, anti-virus package, etc) you may as well have just bought a smallish laptop.

The Economist didn’t say it in these words, but their learned opinion amounts to anyone who wants to buy a netbook – because it’s cheap – and then expect to treat it like a Windows-based laptop is just plain missing the point and being a dumbass.

The Economist said the sweet spot is ultra-lite Linux based netbooks that have a focus on pre-installed software catering to the most common tasks.

And that’s because a netbook is, by design, by budgetary constraint, a low-end device. It won’t run Crysis. It isn’t going to be your primary business device. You wouldn’t run MYOB on it.

Google hit on something which precipitated their development of the Chrome web browser: they realised the future was web apps. And that’s where a netbook excels; it gives you the ultimate in portable web browsing coupled with the ability to run some other software. Heck, this is why the term “netbook” was coined; these aren’t fully-fledged workhorses. They’re for working online.

Consider this too; Windows XP may be familiar, but it’s seven years old. Yet, you can run the most modern release of Ubuntu Linux on a netbook. By contrast, Windows Vista will bring a netbook to its knees.

Roger Lawrence, Microsoft Australia developer evangelist, recently purchased an Acer Aspire One and notes that he opted for Vista but adds “clearly I’m not running Aero.”

He does add that he is really looking forward to installing Windows 7, due to its promised smaller footprint and optimised performance.

Whether Windows 7 can really blaze on a budget netbook remains to be seen in the fullness of time but there’s no two ways about it at this time: Windows Vista is not for netbooks, and as more and more home users upgrade their desktop computers even the argument that XP is familiar may wane.

So come on, don’t be a dumbass. Give yourself the best. Stop demanding the beaten path which is trod by beaten people and liberate your netbook by using the operating system that fits it like a glove.