blogs.computerworld.com— If you think that Windows now completely rules the netbook world, you've been drinking way too much Microsoft kool-aid according to Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu.
Apr 8, 2009View in Crawl 4
"This was a couple of years ago, and I can't remember which version it was"Try it recently, because Linux makes leaps and bounds with every new version. I have almost always found improved functionality with every release. You're right, it doesn't always work right away, but I find it's no worse than Windows driver woes. However, you've shot your credibility in the foot with saying you haven't used it in years, and can't remember what you've used. I tried Red Hat 5, back before they re branded it Fedora (Many years ago). It was a lot harder to setup than any GNU/Linux distro I have tried lately. The end result is that my very computer illiterate girlfriend uses Kubuntu every day and loves it. She needs equal amount of help using it and using my Vista machine. Once I show her how to do something, she can handle it no problem. I even saw her updating her system the other day, all by herself. Try it again, you'll be surprised.
Toshiba are apparently now starting to offer OpenSolaris. That's a very good Unix-like OS, although markedly slower in my experience than most Linux distros. It might be interesting to see how well they do.
Let me tell you how Windows is subpar with application installation.Linux allows you to browse, then click to install usually a very decent app along the lines of what you want (or exactly what you want)-- for free, right then and there. Not all the major distros make the searching great (of course, I usually use google), but some definitely do a better job than others.On Windows, after searching (online or by walking through a store), you have to send in payment, then frequently wait more than a few seconds (sometimes days or weeks) before you get the software.There are other issues, both plus and minus, for software installation for these two platforms, but what I just described is the average case, best I can tell, as the average computer user would see it.Retailers know or have found out these problems. They are not prepared. They are not ready for Linux as they fear short-term losing add-on customer sales. Retailers who are not prepared have every incentive to make Linux look bad today (at least they have that incentive once Microsoft makes you the sweet offer).Before Linux takes off from a store-visible fashion, retailers will have retooled (or fallen to those that do) to prepare to tap into the Linux ecosystem. At this point in time, I doubt most are ready. Better to stick with costly Windows for a while longer; however, long term, less money for Microsoft and more freedom from Linux software means more money and opportunities for resellers and for everyone (besides Microsoft) with Linux.
Yeah, but windows NEVER just works, unless someone else has done the legwork for you.I just reinstalled XP, and my network card didn't even work!! I had to dig up a motherboard cd from some boxes in the garage just so I could activate windows. Then I had to go search for printer drivers, and get the latest video drivers... arghh.. Way more effort than it takes me to install Ubuntu on the same machine. But yes it does take a little tweaking.
Easy to agree with you until your last statement about revenues.<rant> Microsoft develops the most popular operating system for the most powerful and trans formative technology since movable type. Until everyone in the world has access to computing and the internet there will be competition to serve their needs. One opinion is that this is a race to the lowest price and most useful operating system. GNU software has a small lead and that closed source can't be as flexible. There is money to be made for all developers but consumers must ask "What type of computing do i want." even a large generous single company shouldn't be allowed to dominate even if that is the easiest way to provide standards and interoperability. 1.) A single code base is a single point of failure. 2.) Legislators would find it easy to coerce. 3.) Innovation is a product of competition. The best developers enjoy a challenge and bored developers aren't competitive. Competition benefits everyone. Netbooks and phones provide development for ubiquitous affordable computing. Be a consumer considerate of the trade off between convenience and freedom. </rant>
This is the same sort of rubbish that Microsoft is sprouting!Please provide some details! eg.XP on the eeePC is a trimmed down OS designed to run on low spec systems. Did you install a similarly spec'd Ubuntu or a standard image?Seriously, you could put the most basic of Ubuntu installs that would run 10x faster than XP or Windows 7, but you probably wouldn't be able to do anything much other than running the benchmark tests from the CLI. Try either trimming down the Ubuntu install yourself, or install eeeBuntu & then compare apples with apples!
The one thing the Linux puppets do not understand is that about .5% of the purchasing public does what they do while the other 95.5% of the purchasing public runs whatever OS comes with their hardware... so yes a sale in 95.5% of the cases does indeed translate into a usage state.
trancephreakApr 9, 2009
This is the year of desktop linux! -2008, 2007, 2006, ...
tntbassApr 9, 2009
"This was a couple of years ago, and I can't remember which version it was"Try it recently, because Linux makes leaps and bounds with every new version. I have almost always found improved functionality with every release. You're right, it doesn't always work right away, but I find it's no worse than Windows driver woes. However, you've shot your credibility in the foot with saying you haven't used it in years, and can't remember what you've used. I tried Red Hat 5, back before they re branded it Fedora (Many years ago). It was a lot harder to setup than any GNU/Linux distro I have tried lately. The end result is that my very computer illiterate girlfriend uses Kubuntu every day and loves it. She needs equal amount of help using it and using my Vista machine. Once I show her how to do something, she can handle it no problem. I even saw her updating her system the other day, all by herself. Try it again, you'll be surprised.
mattbdApr 9, 2009
Toshiba are apparently now starting to offer OpenSolaris. That's a very good Unix-like OS, although markedly slower in my experience than most Linux distros. It might be interesting to see how well they do.
hozeldaApr 9, 2009
Let me tell you how Windows is subpar with application installation.Linux allows you to browse, then click to install usually a very decent app along the lines of what you want (or exactly what you want)-- for free, right then and there. Not all the major distros make the searching great (of course, I usually use google), but some definitely do a better job than others.On Windows, after searching (online or by walking through a store), you have to send in payment, then frequently wait more than a few seconds (sometimes days or weeks) before you get the software.There are other issues, both plus and minus, for software installation for these two platforms, but what I just described is the average case, best I can tell, as the average computer user would see it.Retailers know or have found out these problems. They are not prepared. They are not ready for Linux as they fear short-term losing add-on customer sales. Retailers who are not prepared have every incentive to make Linux look bad today (at least they have that incentive once Microsoft makes you the sweet offer).Before Linux takes off from a store-visible fashion, retailers will have retooled (or fallen to those that do) to prepare to tap into the Linux ecosystem. At this point in time, I doubt most are ready. Better to stick with costly Windows for a while longer; however, long term, less money for Microsoft and more freedom from Linux software means more money and opportunities for resellers and for everyone (besides Microsoft) with Linux.
phate8263Apr 9, 2009
Yeah, but windows NEVER just works, unless someone else has done the legwork for you.I just reinstalled XP, and my network card didn't even work!! I had to dig up a motherboard cd from some boxes in the garage just so I could activate windows. Then I had to go search for printer drivers, and get the latest video drivers... arghh.. Way more effort than it takes me to install Ubuntu on the same machine. But yes it does take a little tweaking.
iiiearsApr 10, 2009
Easy to agree with you until your last statement about revenues.<rant> Microsoft develops the most popular operating system for the most powerful and trans formative technology since movable type. Until everyone in the world has access to computing and the internet there will be competition to serve their needs. One opinion is that this is a race to the lowest price and most useful operating system. GNU software has a small lead and that closed source can't be as flexible. There is money to be made for all developers but consumers must ask "What type of computing do i want." even a large generous single company shouldn't be allowed to dominate even if that is the easiest way to provide standards and interoperability. 1.) A single code base is a single point of failure. 2.) Legislators would find it easy to coerce. 3.) Innovation is a product of competition. The best developers enjoy a challenge and bored developers aren't competitive. Competition benefits everyone. Netbooks and phones provide development for ubiquitous affordable computing. Be a consumer considerate of the trade off between convenience and freedom. </rant>
fairdinkummateApr 10, 2009
This is the same sort of rubbish that Microsoft is sprouting!Please provide some details! eg.XP on the eeePC is a trimmed down OS designed to run on low spec systems. Did you install a similarly spec'd Ubuntu or a standard image?Seriously, you could put the most basic of Ubuntu installs that would run 10x faster than XP or Windows 7, but you probably wouldn't be able to do anything much other than running the benchmark tests from the CLI. Try either trimming down the Ubuntu install yourself, or install eeeBuntu & then compare apples with apples!
Closed AccountApr 13, 2009
The one thing the Linux puppets do not understand is that about .5% of the purchasing public does what they do while the other 95.5% of the purchasing public runs whatever OS comes with their hardware... so yes a sale in 95.5% of the cases does indeed translate into a usage state.
int19hApr 13, 2009
I think Windows 7 will be one of the better editions of Windows,but I have no idea what I should use it for.Happy netbook + linux user.
ccmachinedApr 26, 2009
mainly the fact that their favourite app(s) aren't available I imagine.