Implication of many Netbook Oses on Windows monopoly!

[icett]

The new trend of Netbooks, Notebooks and other small similar devices has aroused many new operating systems the majority of them based on Linux such as Ubuntu, Moblin, Xandros, and the coming Google's Chrome OS and many others. They have captured this new market more quickly than Microsoft Windows and Windows lags behind in this segment of the market. However, at present Windows rules the desktop operating system market but I see that very soon it would face challenges from the operating systems which are currently dominating the new market. The Oses succeeding in the Netbook, Notebook etc. market would surely progress and enter the desktop market too. For example Chrome OS, Moblin, etc. This could begin the era of Linux dominating the destop market too. What do you think about my view? Am I right?:)

[ChrT]

GNU/Linux software distributions are not "based on Linux", they're still the GNU/Linux operating system, with different software configurations. I think calling them seperate OSes is a bit of a stretch, you've still basically got MS windows on one side and GNU/Linux on the other on the netbook market.

[pwnst*r]

recurring ->

[marchwarden]

They have captured this new market more quickly than Microsoft Windows and Windows lags behind in this segment of the market.

I don't see how you come to this conclusion, Microsoft pretty much dominates this sector. Whatever first mover advantage the Linux companies had, Microsoft quickly put to bed.

[SunnyRabbiera]

Yes but the Moblin project is pretty promising.

[drawkcab]

I think it is safe to say that MS crushed the first wave which largely consisted of Xandros installations on eeepcs.

Even while MS is currently on top of the market, there are some things to think about.

1. Xandros stinks and its no wonder that Asus and its customers fled to Windows. Something like 1 out of every 5 Xandros eeepcs sold in the US were returned.

2. Other manufacturers are starting to have more success with well-designed, netbook remixes such as Ubuntu nbr. Moblin will surely increase attention.

3. While some netbooks are becoming increasingly powerful, i.e. good enough to run win7 basic, there is going to emerge a number of "smartbooks" that will be unable to run win7 and therefore must rely on Linux.

4. Microsoft's marketing strategy isn't designed to respond to the increase of interest in netbooks, it is rather looking to torpedo the market altogether because it can make more money if folks get back to buying full-sized laptops.

In short, I think there will be a second round and that Linux stands to do better this time. That said, it won't lead to a desktop revolution...not even close.

[Paqman]

Windows lags behind in this segment of the market.

Er, not really. They have a smaller market share than they do in the rest of the desktop OS market, but they're still outselling Linux machines by a large margin.

I put the blame for that one on the OEMs themselves. Most made some pretty dodgy choices of distro for their early netbooks, which coupled to people's natural inertia meant they had to start offering XP quickly.

[LowSky]

Windows Won the fight like it always does. Linux lost because the netbook makers used their own versions of linux that were horrible and basically broken.

Windows 7 runs fine on my Lenovo S10 netbook. Its can even play HD content (sure the screen is really HD in size but its playing HD recorded TV just fine, and much better than Ubuntu did. I actually blame Intel for the horrible driver support, and adobe for poor flash drivers.

[cmay]

I for one is pretty optimistic. I have a gut feeling that withing the next five years linux is going to become mainstream on notebooks ,smartbooks,smallbooks,whatever.

I have to admit that I bought a asus EeePC that had xandros installed which I wiped within two hours. If only they could preinstall a regular ubuntu or any ohter beginner friendly linux version or even Desktop BSD or PC-BSD but stay away from customizing the distribution them self I believe that it actually has a chance.

[NormanFLinux]

Windows 7 is not specifically designed for small screens. I think Kubuntu Netbook Edition shows how the Plasma concept can be optimized for small form factor devices. The widgets can be dragged to the taskbar at the top and individual applications appear in an applications window. Microsoft has nothing like it.