[ale] OT: M$ vs. Linux netbooks

[Robert Reese~]

> I still don't understand how this can be.
>
> http://www.mwave.com/mwave/notebook.hmx?
>
> I'm referring to the Acer notepads. Same model but the one that
> comes with M$ XP has an extra 512MB also a 16GB vs an 8GB SSD and a
> webcam whereas the Linux one does not (as near as I can tell) but
> the M$ version is $40 cheaper than the Linux one. The typical M$
> drone is going to go for the "cheaper" Genuine M$ unit and not even
> consider the Linux unit.

Microsoft is subsidizing the cost of the MS one to "undercut" the competition.  
These Netbooks have made serious inroads to the general public very quickly over 
the past 18 months, and most all of them have been Linux and have been less 
expensive than the XP models.

Doing what has worked for them in the past, Microsoft would rather lose money 
than lose a customer.  The last thing Microsoft wants is for a customer to 
'taste' Linux and find that it works as well for them as Windows.  Worse, people 
are becoming accustomed to organic operating systems on small devices such as 
those seen on these brick-sized touch-screen cell phones.  Windows CE has never 
had much market share on the PDA, and these Netbooks are essentially a cross 
between a PDA and a laptop/notebook, and around the same price as a PDA.

An irony here is that Microsoft is actually shooting themselves in the foot by 
giving Linux VALUE.  Many people won't try Linux because they perceive it has no 
value: "you get what you pay for".  This mentality is often the bane of FOSS 
supporters and one of the main reasons Linux still has just 1% of the market 
share in the U.S.  However, this concept is going to work in our favor because 
this makes it appear that Linux's value is actually worth MORE than Windows.

Geoffrey's right... buy the cheaper one and put Linux on it.  Then blog like mad 
how to convert one for free for a faster, more powerful Netbook.  And then blog 
like hell about the false data when Microsoft touts sales as proof of the 
superiority of their OS and/or sales.  Or, make $40 by buying one with MS on it 
and put Linux on it and resell it for the same price as the other Linux machine.

Cheers,
Robert~