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I doubt that, since the article says the data is from NPD Retail Tracking Service, which tracks sales data.


Given that netbooks are available in both Windows and Linux varieties, I find it hard to believe that a significant number of people would buy the Windows one over the Linux one so they could wipe it and put Linux on it.

Considering how sub-par many of the OEM linux implementations are, maybe interested Linux users buy whatever one is on sale at the time.

It is possible, since many recent models are sold with Windows only (often the Linux configurations, if any, are very hard to find, especially in retail stores).

That said, I've never been convinced by the argument that Linux could be undercounted due to people buying the Windows version to install Linux on their own(inevitably followed by some personal anecdotes). For all we know, there could be just as many people buying the Linux configs to install Windows on their own.

Edited 2009-04-09 15:25 UTC

I hear it's actually difficult for some to actually find the Linux versions of a particular netbook. Stores will only have the Windows version even though the manufacturer makes a Linux version as well. So the idea that people buy the Windows version and replace it with Linux, may not be so far fetched.

It depends what's available. For many linux fans the lack of "Windows tax" is a bonus, rather than a necessity (i.e. they'll live with the "Windows tax" and install linux over XP if their chosen netbook only comes with Windows).

Of course many people will also install XP over linux, meaning these statistics are pretty meaningless.

Uh, have you looked at the specs of most Linux netbooks versus their Windows counterparts lately? The Linux versions, when you can find them, typically have less built-in hardware and a small ssd rather than a standard hd, and typically these cheap ssds they use are dirt slow. Also, consider a netbook like the Asus EEE PC 1000HE. I'd dare to say that, right now, that's the best Atom-based netbook on the market and, of course, it only comes with Windows though it is as compatible with Linux as any other EEE model. Why would I settle for a lesser configuration when I could just buy the Windows one--at the same price, mind you--and install my preferred Linux on it? I'm not going to settle for lower quality hardware just so I can get a Linux netbook, especially seeing as I'll just end up replacing the supplied Linux in most cases anyway? If I'm going to reinstall, I might as well buy the model I really want and install the os I really want to use.

I know I did. SLED 10 was available for my netbook but those models lacked Bluetooth, more RAM, and a bigger/faster HD that the Vista models came with.

It's not far fetched or not understandable. I want good hardware with Linux on it, unfortunately the OEMs seem to relegate Linux to the cheap stuff thinking that no one would possibly want the higher end hardware with Linux. It's a shame really.

Most of the time the Windows variant is better specced than the Linux variant. So for a few dollars more (Windows Tax), you get a better Linux machine.

Not everybody is as crazy as me and buys a Linux Aspire One with a crappy 8GB SSD and replaces that SSD with a fairly expensive Seagate Lyrion 60 GB 1.8" hard disk. I wanted the Linux sale to count, so...

Brand recognition pays a big part in it; two ntebooks side by side but one has a familiar desktop background image - sold. Better, worse or applicable to the need; doesn't matter, it's not different.

For those who consider the difference in OS, the Windows versions have generally had better hardware specs. People who know the benefits of better hardware but will replace the software with something that fits there needs also contribute to the Microsoft market share figures.

We'll have to see how the new crop of netbooks does using the same hardware specs for both software platforms.

If the same hardware configuration was available with both OS's on a given product, I'd agree, but that is not the case. If both the Linux and Windows version of a Netbook was available at retail outlets, side by side, I'd buy the argument. But it is not that way.

I have, due to the Netbook I wanted with the Nvidia graphics card only came XP.

I doubt that, since the article says the data is from NPD Retail Tracking Service, which tracks sales data.

Also they are counting how many people buy those, not how many stayed with Windows

Given that netbooks are available in both Windows and Linux varieties, I find it hard to believe that a significant number of people would buy the Windows one over the Linux one so they could wipe it and put Linux on it. "

Well it is RETAIL tracking, and most B&M stores gave up the Linux versions early-on because nobody knew what to do with. The major sellers of netbooks don't stock Linux version in RETAIL at all anymore.

Retail specifically excludes online sales.. it makes them look better.

I don't see it. They basically EOL'd XP and were going to make zero on it. Now a new platform arrived that could not use Vista. They could have let linux run wild and made zero... or they can make 20$ * 96% of the netbook market for zero additional cost to produce. THEN in a couple of years stop releasing security updates for the EOL'd OS and repeat with Win7-8. It's a slaughter.

Who cares if it's pirated or not? It's a choice being made by the consumer: "I don't want this Linux thing" -- so they go out and download Windows.