Whatever was needed [LWN.net]

Whatever was needed

Posted Apr 6, 2009 10:42 UTC (Mon) by nye (guest, #51576)
In reply to: Whatever was needed by man_ls
Parent article: Light and Cheap, Netbooks Are Poised to Reshape PC Industry (New York Times)

Yeah, Linux on the netboox seems to have been a 2007 thing.

Last year when the Eee 901 came out (a couple of months late) I was going to buy one, but it took so long for the Linux version to arrive that I'd lost interest (I'm working under the assumption that the Linux version did eventually materialise, a few months down the line - okay I've just checked and two of the three online shops I tried have the Linux version, though not in stock).

The cynic in me can't help but think that the use of Linux was a way of forcing MS to provide XP for a couple more years at a cut-down price.

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Whatever was needed

Posted Apr 6, 2009 22:04 UTC (Mon) by man_ls (subscriber, #15091) [Link]

Probably OEMs were not even that cunning. It was just that Linux could be made to work in those puny machines; I can imagine that Microsoft tried to sell them Windows Vista or (gasp) CE and the Taiwanese recoiled in pain, so they went to Linux vendors.

True, they got cheap XP licenses this way for 10% of their machines; but they also risked their relationship with the OS of choice for the remaining 90%. Right now they have sweet deals with Microsoft, the machines work well with Linux and everyone is happy. Except us Linux geeks who have seen the best opportunity as of yet come and go.

Risked their relationship?

Posted Apr 6, 2009 22:42 UTC (Mon) by dmarti (subscriber, #11625) [Link]

Risked their relationship? Remember, the only companies that MSFT treats with respect are those that have somehow shown their capability and willingness to go Linux. (Matthew 18:12 Marketing?)