Differing trends for Linux on netbooks

There appear to be some opposing trends involving Linux on Netbooks. PC World's article Netbooks Will Boost Adoption of Linux, Says Novell CTO notes: "A surge in demand for netbooks is helping drive business for Linux, as the devices are designed to be low-cost with smaller storage, according to Novell's chief technology and strategy officer for Linux. " People typically don't care what operating system is on the netbooks, because they don't buy them to run a suite of applications like Microsoft Office, but to be on the Web using a Web browser," Nat Friedman said in an interview with IDG News Service."

Laptop Mag's article Ubuntu Confirms Linux Netbook Returns Higher than Anticipated quotes Canonical's marketing manager Gerry Carr: "“We don’t know what the XP return rates are. But I will say that the return rate is above normal for netbooks that offer open-source operating systems,” Carr echoed. Carr highlighted a few reasons why Ubuntu-running netbooks are returned more often. “Unclear selling is happening, typically online. The customer will get their netbook sent to their home and they imagine to find something like a Microsoft desktop, but they see a brown Ubuntu version. They are unwilling to learn it and they were expecting to have Windows.”"

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