News 96 percent of netbooks use Windows, says Microsoft

[CardJoe]

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardwar...-use-windows/1

Microsoft claims that most people buying a netbook want a fully-featured Windows PC, rather than an unfamiliar Linux machine.

[Mankz]

I use Ubuntu on my Aspire one.

STFU Micro-gay.

[zimbloggy]

It makes no since to have windows on a netbook. First of all, netbooks have significantly less power than their notebook or desktop counterparts, so linux is clearly better than windows here. Secondly, netbooks are supposed to be as cheap as possible, and Windows costs $$. Thirdly, the only purpose of netbooks are to surf the web, and write documents, etc., something that linux can do just as well (if not better) than windows. Yes, there are a couple of websites that don't work on linux, but web developers need to adapt to that.

The only reason that people would choose Windows here over Linux is that it is familiar. Most people fear linux.

"in fact, the exact opposite turned out to be true – a number of analysts and researchers following the space see ample evidence indicating customers really DO want netbook PCs to work like their larger brethren – and that the way the vast majority of consumers make that happen is by buying a netbook PC with Windows.”

also, people are idiots.

[Krikkit]

From my experiences with Linux-based netbooks, ones with windows are simpler to use for normal folks.

I'm sure that'll angry up the blood of you Linux diehards out there, but it's the truth. Only the other day my sister's Acer Aspire went mad, with the wireless drivers just being a pain in the ass. The fix? Reinstall the drivers, via the command line and various tweaks. Not for your average user who's used to just downloading a file and double clicking.

I'd buy a netbook with Linux, but I can see why the sales are dominated by Windows-based ones. XP on a netbook works surprisingly well.

[edit] Roffle, 10 minutes up and already we've got 2 angry linux posts.

[wuyanxu]

hit me up with MSI Wind using Hackintosh any day.

Windows: great for gaming, not good for everything else
Linux: too hard to get stuff done for normal folks
Mac OSX: great for few-task small machine such as laptops and netbooks.

[Gunsmith]

i dualboot ubuntu and xp.

[mclintox]

I doesn't really matter what we here would want,the things are aimed at users who dont know any different and think that MS is the only choice they can have,ie:Joe Public

[Sir Digby]

I tried my eee with the default linux, once it was in full desktop mode and sorted out it was ok but if I'm honest once I got windows installed on it became a lot more useful to me and even ran slightly faster...

[itazura]

Originally Posted by Mankz

STFU Micro-gay.

hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhfhgh.

i wonder how long until someone says m$.

[proxymoron]

I have XP, but I want Ubuntu. I installed both Hardy and Intrepid, and neither one could use the wireless card or built in 3G modem of the machine, so it made my netbook more like a notbook: back to XP, fuming, I went.

[robyholmes]

I don't think M$ (There you go itazura) have this right, 96% a bit high. I can see that windows does have a place in netbooks, but not in 96% of them. Linux on the other hand needs to take a look at this and really start developing for netbooks, they are ready are in most cases.

I personaly would go for ubuntu only. Maybe have XP, but depends on what I use it for. Currently I don't have a netbook. I think M$ has a place, but its not as big as they want, and so it shouldn't be!

[pimlicosound]

Originally Posted by zimbloggy

It makes no since to have windows on a netbook. First of all, netbooks have significantly less power than their notebook or desktop counterparts, so linux is clearly better than windows here. Secondly, netbooks are supposed to be as cheap as possible, and Windows costs $$.

I run XP on my MSI Wind and I have no performance problems until I try to run HD video. It boots, restarts and hibernates quickly and the interface is always very responsive.

Windows versions of netbooks tend not to cost much more and generally come with better specs included, like 1GB RAM as opposed to 512MB with Linux.

People aren't idiots for choosing XP netbooks over Linux varieties.

[mikeuk2004]

I was um and aring about a netbook and just went for a full blown laptop with vista. My dad however went for a linux netbook and loves it even though hes never used linux before.

[Woodspoon]

"in which he also admits that Windows accounted for less than ten percent of the netbook market share in the first half of 2009"


Ummm we're in April the 4th month how is that the first half of 2009?
If he's talking about the first half of 2009 he should hat least wait untill June.

[thEcat]

A work mate of mine, in his mid 50's, bought his wife, of similar age, a cheap Linpus Acer for Xmas. I must admit, I cringed inside when he told me what he had done. Sure enough at the start of the year he appears at the office with it in his hands and asks me to help sort it out

'How do get the WiFi working?' <chuckle>, I showed him the switch on the front and set a basic configuration. Off he went only to reappear Acer in had two weeks later.

'The WiFi is great, works a charm. How do I set up the email account from my isp?'. I set the bits and off he went once more.

A few weeks later, back again but sans Acer I asked how his wife was getting along with her new toy. 'Excellent, web, email, web cam, photo's - she loves it'. Ah ha.

Curious I had to ask where all this new found computer literacy was coming from. Turns out his eight year old grand daughter is sufficiently familiar with computers that she can work out the Linpus interface and apps by playing around. Amazing.

I would have recommended Windows, it would make my life easier if support were needed, but my work mate and his wife had no knowledge of computers, Windows/Linux it didn't matter to them. The grand daughter is so familiar with computers and similar devices she is in effect OS agnostic.

Must dash, I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions.

[leexgx]

i skiped reading the comments untill i posted this (as its likey an Linux vs XP flame war going on)

one of my customers got an netbook with linux on it had to send it back as she did not even know what she was buying, was sent back as the printer did not work other one was wireless was not working well (seems about right) and software for work and play would not work as well, got an replacement same one but with XP and an DVD-RW Dual USB drive

not all bad i got 1 customer thats got 2 eepcs 4g model that thay get from school all running linux, once i set the network to WEP securty wireless worked fine on them

[evanbraakensiek]

I tried a number of distro's on my 'EEE PC 900, but I too use a streamlined version of 'XP now. It might seem like a cop-out but it is just easier for me, and no matter how much I like Linux I am not going to inconvenience myself on a daily basis to satisfy some elitist predisposition.

[Narishma]

To me it makes no sense to buy a Linux netbook when you can just buy the Windows version for the same price and then install Linux on it for free. At least this way you get a cheap copy of Windows in case you need it.

[naokaji]

Why would I want to bother with Linux? Windows is easier to use since I am used to it and everything I have (be it software or hardware) just works with it....

[evanbraakensiek]

Originally Posted by Narishma

To me it makes no sense to buy a Linux netbook when you can just buy the Windows version for the same price and then install Linux on it for free. At least this way you get a cheap copy of Windows in case you need it.

I know from experience that the Windows version of the Asus EEE PC 900 came with a 12GB hard drive, the Linux variant came with a 20GB drive, however.