Windows Eee PC Will Outsell Linux Version, Says Asus

[greggh]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,14340 ... ticle.html

Asustek Computer (Asus) predicts the Eee PC it has started selling with Microsoft Windows XP Home edition on board will outsell the original Linux-based version by a ratio of 6 to 4 in the market by the end of this year, a heady prediction considering the Windows machine costs nearly twice as much as the cheapest Linux one.

They muck up a perfectly good little device with Windows and people will pay more and buy more of them. Disheartening.

[Vogateer]

People seem to want familiarity above all other things.

Let's look on the bright side, though. If the desktop ratio of Windows to Linux were 6 to 4 (and there hadn't been major compromises to the Freedom of Linux), then I imagine everyone here would be pretty damned happy about those kind of numbers.

I just wish the Eee PC didn't run Xandros. I'm sure it's a great environment, but I just can't go with a company that signed a patent agreement with Microsoft. At least Novell could say that they didn't really know how the community would react, but Xandros signed a similar deal after the community was expressing serious displeasure.

[snarkout]

No it isn't - it's staler than freaking mepis, or at least it was last time I took a look.

[LinuxMint-4]

If Windows XP is supposed to be discontinued in a bit over three months, does this mean...

1. Windows XP will not be discontinued June 30 2008 ?
2. They are going to sell it with Vista?
3. Once all the XP licenses the company bought for the machine runs out,
....they will again sell it with Linux only?
4. They are going to continue selling it with Windows XP until Windows 7 is released?


Rumors are still going around that XP will be extended past June 2008, did Microsoft let the cat out of the bag with this one?

[Tsuroerusu]

If Windows XP is supposed to be discontinued in a bit over three months, does this mean...

1. Windows XP will not be discontinued June 30 2008 ?
2. They are going to sell it with Vista?
3. Once all the XP licenses the company bought for the machine runs out,
....they will again sell it with Linux only?
4. They are going to continue selling it with Windows XP until Windows 7 is released?


Rumors are still going around that XP will be extended past June 2008, did Microsoft let the cat out of the bag with this one?

The actual life cycle of Windows XP is far from running out:

Support for Windows XP without a service pack (RTM) ended on September 30, 2004[39] and support for Windows XP Service Pack 1 and 1a ended on October 10, 2006.[40][41]

Mainstream support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 will end on April 14, 2009, four years after its general availability.[42] As per Microsoft's posted timetable, the company will stop licensing Windows XP to OEMs and terminate retail sales of the operating system June 30, 2008, 17 months after the release of Windows Vista.[43]

On April 14, 2009, Windows XP will begin its "Extended Support" period that will last for 5 years until April 8, 2014.[44]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_XP ... _lifecycle

[davijordan]

There was a version of windows xp called windows flp which was to be for older systems to combat free software. I have played with it in an unnamed country and what a no go. I wonder if either that, the crippled version of xp that is being sold in the far east, or god forbid windows homeless edition might be put on the eee. Then again, I wonder if they will sell a vista flp for the eee. Microsoft has to extend the life of xp or give vista away to be able to compete now. I think the tide has turned for linux to be the main desktop.Too many people know how to use linux and realize they do not need Microsoft MSwindows or Apple osx. What is going on in Russia is a prime example of that. I also think asus will have to stay with linux to be competitive with all the clones of the eee coming out. Xp even if it does out sell linux will be short lived.

[Tsuroerusu]

Microsoft has to extend the life of xp or give vista away to be able to compete now.

Not really, they simply continue to do what they're doing, because Vista comes on the vast, vast majority of new PCs these days, so everybody will get it when the hard drive in their XP machines finally die, or some other component fails.
Microsoft don't need to make anything of particularly good quality to be able to compete, because they've got such an enormously strong monopoly lock on both the desktop market, and also on the general population's mind.
For example, where I live, and in large parts of Europe, a thing as simple as a translation-style dictionary is extremely critical for a student, and there is no such thing for GNU/Linux. And Wine is never an option, because you're never assured that something is gonna work. So that keeps a great bunch of people locked to Windows. And also the classic one... games! The Sims 2, World of Warcraft, all the Steam-based games etc. etc. that's a whole can of worms by itself.

I think the tide has turned for linux to be the main desktop.

I think you're getting a little too overconfident. Never underestimate familiarity, it's ingrained in our human mindset. In most aspects of life we tend to favor things that seem familiar to us, the same is true for computers. Your average computer user, would rather have to deal with spyware and virus problems than to learn a new word processor, a new file manager etc. etc. for them that's just easier. Because when their Windows takes a dump, then they just call the local computer-knowledgeable guy to fix it, and then they go back to doing what they were doing before. The slightest inconvenience with something like GNU/Linux, is immediately noticed. People are so used to what you and I see as problems with Windows, that they think that that is just how computers are and ignore it, so when they try to use something different, they may see a different problem (Like a specific application not working, and having to use another one) and immediately see it as an actual problem and go "Well, Windows does this fine, this Lajnix thing does not work for me".

Take a look at this: http://www.informationweek.com/blog/mai ... _gets.html

Windows is still king of the roost as far as desktop OSes go. It's what people know and are comfortable with -- even if most of their existing documents can be opened and used on Linux, there are still many people who simply prefer to stick with what they know, even if it means (and in some cases especially if it means) dealing with familiar hassles.

I've seen parallels to this sort of thing in my own experience. One friend was suffering from the usual trauma of a spyware-infested computer. I mentioned a couple of Linux distributions, and his response was on the order of "It sounds nice, but I don't want to have to learn everything all over again." It's a case of the devil you know vs. the devil you don't know, and if anything went wrong at least he could always throw in his restore disc and start over.

(Emphasis is mine.)

Too many people know how to use linux and realize they do not need Microsoft MSwindows or Apple osx.

Dude, most people don't even know what exactly Windows is, they simple know it's "something related to their computer". And acually most people do believe they need it, because they don't know what it is, and that there actually exists other things. I have actually come across quite a number of people who don't believe a computer can even run without Windows, because they believe say a driver (This is the slightly smarter folks) is for "the computer" and not Windows specifically.

What is going on in Russia is a prime example of that.

Not really, because what do you think they were using before? This thing in Russia is simply a case of people finally getting REALLY seriously bitten in the nuts, by their use of Windows (Lawsuits, punishment etc. etc. all sorts of non-technical problems), and then starts using their brain. Young people (I am 19½ years old, it's pretty much people around my age I am referring to) who take drugs like cocaine, knowing that it's dangerous, often don't really care, because they think "It'll never happen to me!", or "But this is so awesome!", or when you try to say that it can severely shorten their life they go "Man, I want to live now, not in 60 years!", then when they having the serious problems they were warned up their ass about, if they have a slight amount of brain left, then they think "OK, this was not such a good idea! Damn I should have taken those warnings! I'm gonna go tell other people that my parents' and school teachers' warnings were right!", and then the whole circle restarts with people saying "It'll never happen to me!", or "But this is so awesome!" ...
The Russian guy I quoted in my above reply, is in this analogy one of the former drug-addicts who tries to educate people, but only with some rare success. My point is that the only time people actually want a change, is when they have problems that they actually do not like. People don't really care about virus-, spyware-, reliability- and stability problems, because they just get a local guy to fix it, pay somebody to fix it, or (If they're wealthy) simply buy a brand new machine (Yes, even though the hardware is perfectly working, but Windows screwed up! Because these people are so non-knowledgeable that they think Windows is an actual part of "the computer"). The only time people care about security is when they loose something of value to them, such as personal information getting intercepted by a trojan-horse, or having their bank account ass-raped.

I also think asus will have to stay with linux to be competitive with all the clones of the eee coming out. Xp even if it does out sell linux will be short lived.

I will definitely only believe that when/if I see it.

[davijordan]

Che suona come egli ultimi morendo sbraitare di un mal di perdente! que un buffo...... certemente sta Microsoft FUD. Ciao a dire Estefano Ballmer e Mr Guillermo Gates per me. L'ultima que si perde e la speranza! Mi dispiace, ma Microsoft posible e nello morto!

[davijordan]

To Greggh: If he was really from Europe, he should understand. I do not speak Italian, but Google is a great helper!!!

[allix]

That's ludicrous to think that all European people can understand all European languages.
What do you mean by "if he was really from Europe, he should understand" ?

[davijordan]

He can use his translator. It was at one time you were required to learn several languages in school. Actually the base languages in southern western Europe are based on Latin and the northern countries are base on some kind of German roots. I took a little Spanish in high school, so I can read a bit of Italian also. Computer languages are in some ways the same. Knowing several languages it makes it easier to pick up the syntax, even though the language is different. Having said that, even in Italy as with other countries each part has it's own dialect. Enrico Caruso generally sang in a dialect from Naples that is not exactly Tuscan Italian as I know it. He also often slurred words. Back then he had a great voice, it is just a shame that his words did not match written lyrics of even the Naples dialect When I rarely do watch Italian comic operas on tv, I disregard the English subtitles except to use them as a crutch, the words actually sung are hilarious.

[Tsuroerusu]

Che suona come egli ultimi morendo sbraitare di un mal di perdente! que un buffo...... certemente sta Microsoft FUD. Ciao a dire Estefano Ballmer e Mr Guillermo Gates per me. L'ultima que si perde e la speranza! Mi dispiace, ma Microsoft posible e nello morto!

I'm sorry, but I don't speak/read Italian.

He can use his translator.

Hvis du har lyst til at svare på et andet sprog end engelsk, er du meget velkommen til at svare på dansk. Virker noget ulogisk at du skriver et svar til noget jeg siger på italiensk, et sprog jeg ikke forstår.

It was at one time you were required to learn several languages in school.

In Denmark, English is obligatory, German (In real life, you just need to pass an exam, not really know the language) is optional but often required for education outside of standard public school.

Actually the base languages in southern western Europe are based on Latin and the northern countries are base on some kind of German roots.

If reality was as simple and easy as you make it sound like, then explain to me why most people in Denmark find German very very very difficult? In fact, most find English MUCH easier.

[Tsuroerusu]

For example, where I live, and in large parts of Europe, a thing as simple as a translation-style dictionary is extremely critical for a student, and there is no such thing for GNU/Linux. And Wine is never an option, because you're never assured that something is gonna work. So that keeps a great bunch of people locked to Windows.

This is what I was referring to in the statement above:
















I made these screenshots on my sister's laptop, which came with Windows Vista.

[davijordan]

Of which you've desire to that answer på a different languages than british , are you highly welcome to that answer på danish. Works anything ulogisk that you writing a answer to anything i says på italian , a languages i no suburb.

Behage tilgive mig , JEG gjorde ikke have i sinde at kuldkaste jer i hvilken som helst måde. Må der være fred nemlig vi alle. At blive hæderlig , igen i lang skole JEG mødte en anden en af Vest Jomfruelig hvem spoke engelsk og JEG kunne ikke opfatte sig nemlig adskillige måneder netop indforstået hos alt hun sagde indtil JEG kendte sig bedre.

I prefer to speak english when I can, but I will adapt if necessary also.