So you thought Linux was the key to the Eee PC's success? Not so, according to ASUS. "The bulk of the requests and requirements we see in the marketplace are for the model with Windows rather than Linux," says Henry Lee, Acer's senior product manager. "It's a give and take between simplicity of usage for the masses versus full customisation. The Linux version is really only to use exactly what is provided, and someone in the know can easily remove what's been installed. But consumers are accustomed to the Windows environment, and the Windows version will be a stronger player eventually." Editor's Note: More broadly, this piece examines whether the popularity of the Eee and its Linux-bearing cousins will be sustained, or if they will ultimately get beaten out in the netbook space by Windows-based versions. What do you think?
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Member since:2005-11-10
Spot on. Stick Ubuntu on the eee by default (NBR). Xandros is awful in every way.
Hey Asus: OS with 95% of the market sees demand on new device, news at 11.
Don't you think Linux on the eee is helping that little bit to change the idea that you _have_ to have Windows? It won't happen over night, and the fact that people are more interested in Windows on the eee only tells you that Windows is required for more things that it should be. It doesn't mean that Windows is "better". (as you take it to be)
edit: unicode plz
Edited 2008-07-14 11:04 UTC
Member since:2006-12-16
Just one problem with your logic - if Windows works better for the end user, then it IS better. For the average, non geek user, Windows does the job, and does it well.
Linux is still a ***** to get running, don't even get me started. If you're prepared to do the time on setting it up, then it can potentially be better than Windows, depending on how Windows has been set up (i.e. hardened), and even what version of Windows.
Dave
Member since:2005-06-29
Looking at the Amazon page you linked, it's very interesting to see that not only are the Linux-based small laptops outselling their XP counterparts, MacBooks are also outselling all other laptops period. Windows based laptops coming in at third place, and by a seemingly wide margin, is a first in this game. It's a good sign if you ask me.
Member since:2007-02-17
Exactly.
Is it any surprise really?
Your choices on purchasing a laptop (meant to be portable, after all) these days are:
(1) A nice (but regrettably expensive) Mac,
(2) buy a nice ULCPC with a Linux distribution that is not a sell-out to Microsoft (Acer and Dell seem to be the go here) ... lightweight, ultraportable, fully functional and inexpensive,
(3) buy a Vista laptop and watch your battery charge deplete before your machine manages to boot, or
(4) buy a ULCPC with XP Home, find yourself unable to connect to any business network, and find out that you have to pay as much again after purchase in order to get any actual desktop applications for it.
OK, so I exaggerate just a little ... but the basic point is made.
Edited 2008-07-14 13:30 UTC
Member since:2006-03-24
I can't believe you got a +4 for that comment. Ofcourse Macs are number one on Amazon - it's simple arithmetic. It is a lot smaller market, only Apple make them and (probably) compared to most other manufacturers they have a small product range.
Apple sell more per model of its handful of models (making those models 'bestsellers'). I would be surprised if Apple sold more laptops than HP/Acer/Asus/Sony/Toshiba individually - and I would be astonished if they sold more than all those manufacturers combined.
Similarly Linux Asus EeePCs tend to be bestsellers because their 4 models (701/900/black/white) are pretty much the only Linux Laptops you can buy on Amazon (okay, there are a few crap overpriced HPs).
Just to re-iterate, if you have 100 people buying 1 of 4 models you are bound to have more sales per model than if you 10,000 buying 1 of 1000 models. Fact is you still only have 100 EeePC sales compared 10,000 non EeePC sales.
Also, it doesn't take into account that Amazon might be a particularly good place to by Macs. Most of the online retailers don't do a high turn over of Macs (and therefore can't do a good price), because they have tradition of only selling Windows boxen.
Member since:
2007-02-17
One manufacturer with a "non-tame" Linux distribution on a UMPC would invalidate every single attempted point made by that article.
The problems that the article lists for the ASUS EEEPC are due to it's use of Xandros as the base distribution ... they are not due to the use of Linux per se.
The Acer Aspire One uses a variant of Fedora called Linpus Linux Lite ... it is yet to be seen if that will cause a similar problem for the Acer Aspire One (I doubt it, because unlike Xandros Fedora has no limiting deal with Microsoft, but we shall see).
The Acer Aspire One with Linux beats the EEEPC with XP hands down in this head-to-head comparison, for example:
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/personal_...
However, I am waiting for the Dell E to come out. Indications are that the Dell E will use Ubuntu and let you install whatever you want from the vast Ubuntu repositories.
If that is the case ... then the quoted article will not have a leg to stand on.
PS: As for the article's claim that the XP versions of ULCPCs are out-selling Linux versions ... there are other sources of "sales popularity" that give a very different picture to that:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/pc/565108
Edited 2008-07-14 11:03 UTC