David M Williams
Wednesday, 27 May 2009 16:22
Opinion and Analysis
Page 2 of 3
The original Eee was diminutive in size and grunt. Yet, this machine flew off shelves and was imitated repeatedly. It was so influential that it spawned a whole category of machine. It may even claim to have had a bearing on Microsoft’s impending Windows 7 operating system which is lighter on resources than Windows Vista.
For ASUS to turn their back on Linux is to snub the operating system who helped all this come about.
After all, it can’t be denied that one of the major selling points for the ASUS Eee was its price tag. This was not solely a consequence of the virtually antique hardware. The fact its operating system added exactly zero dollars in licensing fees also played a significant role.
Had ASUS opted to use Microsoft Windows XP they might have been mocked for using a superseded operating system. Users would definitely have found it slowed down once loaded with anti-virus software and various other bloated apps. And, without any doubt, the price would have been reaching up towards the low end of the conventional laptop market.
Had the ASUS Eee been closer in price to a 15” laptop with 40GB HDD, DVD drive and 1GB or more of RAM it would have been a far tougher sell. Consumers might appreciate its sheer light weight and portability, but this would be seen as coming at a high cost – the loss of many, many features – rather than a machine that delivered good value.
ASUS chose Linux because it kept the price down. The Eee sold because it was cheap. Now the market has settled and the netbook is entrenched we see Windows-based units creeping back up to $1,000 and the value must again be questioned.
By snubbing Linux ASUS has rejected part of their formula which yielded success – and sure enough as the DET tender shows, ASUS’ fortunes have turned.
Sure, Lenovo likely had better hardware or pricing but by removing Linux ASUS gave up competitive distinctives. They ignored the lesson of Ronald Reagan who, love him or hate him, exhorted people to “always dance with the one that brung ya.”
It would be naive to think that the decline of ASUS’ Linux line is not due to many complex factors but some measure of blame must fall on the internal marketers and their own perceptions of what computer users wish to see.
Computerworld reported that ASUS Australia consumer market product manager Gordon Kerr today said
Linux was likely to be phased out entirely from their products.
That's not all he said! Brace yourself.
