Microsoft Says Win7 Wins on Netbooks

[Marcus Yam]

Even with the lauded release of Windows 7 beta, there still is a small question mark next to what will become the defacto operating system for netbooks.

Microsoft Says Win7 Wins on Netbooks : Read more

 

[geoffs]

Windows works with everyday programs like Microsoft Office and popular applications like Apple's iTunes and Microsoft's Zune,....

I think you missed the punctuation, should look like this:
"Windows works with everyday programs like Microsoft Office, and popular applications like Apple's iTunes, and Microsoft's Zune,...."

Otherwise, it looks like he's saying iTunes and Zune are both popular, and no one can say that with a straight face.

 

[jhansonxi]

Does the three application limit include processes for antivirus, firewall, and DRM? What if I want to run something useful?

 

[pug_s]

We will see if win7 actually delivers its promise.

 

[notherdude]

[citation][nom]geoffs[/nom]Windows works with everyday programs like Microsoft Office and popular applications like Apple's iTunes and Microsoft's Zune,....I think you missed the punctuation, should look like this:"Windows works with everyday programs like Microsoft Office, and popular applications like Apple's iTunes, and Microsoft's Zune,...."Otherwise, it looks like he's saying iTunes and Zune are both popular, and no one can say that with a straight face.[/citation]

MS could say it with a straight face, but only MS, hehe

 

[foxman]

"Microsoft Windows works with Microsoft Office [...] and with Microsoft Zune." What a ridiculous statement. I mean, I HOPE they work together, those products are all coming from Microsoft.

Anyway. I do agree with this: "Customers expected a Linux-based PC to look and function like their Windows-based desktop PC and they were disappointed". Linux isn't Windows, and if you expect it to be exactly the same, you sure will be disappointed.

 

[Greatwalrus]

[citation][nom]foxman[/nom]Anyway. I do agree with this: "Customers expected a Linux-based PC to look and function like their Windows-based desktop PC and they were disappointed". Linux isn't Windows, and if you expect it to be exactly the same, you sure will be disappointed.[/citation]
Good god, I would not be using Linux if it was anything like Windows.

I heard that netbook is supposed to be a trademark by Scion, so we may have to use a different term in the future... like "webbook"

 

[Tindytim]

Why is Tom's using that fake 'Windows Se7en' logo. That was created by some graphic artists, that's not the logo for Windows 7.

But I'm sure the 3 app limit will be based on the apps in the Taskbar (as in, only having 3 windows in the taskbar at a time). I'm sure there will be a registry hack to open that up.

Although I doubt many netbooks will be able to run 7 well, except for those with ION.

 

[radguy]

I have been really impressed with the 7 beta on my msi wind. I think this starter idea with only 3 programs is pretty stupid. If they had 5 or prefered 7 would be much better but the overall idea is still stupid and step down not up. My wind runs just fine for everything I use the netbook for: IM, office, surfing, a few other little things. Windows runs well and overall I'm impressed enough to stick with it. Got about 5% increase in batt life too.

 

[Flameout]

The return rate of linux based netbooks/notebooks isn't surprising. Most of them are morons that expect a non macintosh computer to have windows. The thought of having something other than windows is too much for them to handle, even though linux has all the programs and utilities you need.

 

[that_aznpride101]

Brooks also took the chance to boast Windows' ubiquity, saying, "Windows provides a level of application and device compatibility you simply don’t get with Linux. Windows works with everyday programs like Microsoft Office and popular applications like Apple’s iTunes and Microsoft’s Zune, PC games like “World of Warcraft,” and a host of others. It also works with the largest set of printers, digital cameras and other devices. Linux doesn’t come close to doing any of these things.

"That may be why return rates of Linux-based netbooks are so high. Partners MSI and Canonical have mentioned to press that return rates on their Linux-based small-notebook PCs are about four times those of Windows-based small-notebook PCs."

That's a shot at the waist.... As much as I hate Microsoft, what he's saying about Linux is somewhat true.

 

[jhansonxi]

[citation][nom]that_aznpride101[/nom]That's a shot at the waist.... As much as I hate Microsoft, what he's saying about Linux is somewhat true.[/citation]"Somewhat" is correct. Closed-source driver availability is dependent on the manufacturers. If they feel like having their existing products support newer versions of Windows then they make drivers available. If they don't then you have to replace them which is effectively "planned obsolescence". If open-source drivers are available then as long as someone feels like maintaining them then the hardware can still be used. Microsoft had all kinds of complaints about manufacturers not having drivers ready when Vista was released in spite of it's ridiculous development time. I've encountered a lot of hardware, especially wireless NICs, softmodems, softprinters, and video cards, that aren't supported on Vista (and now Windows 7). Since Linux has both open and closed source drivers available it supports many more older devices and quite a few of the newest depending on the manufacturer. Office (X), iTunes, and World of Warcraft are available on Macs also. The Zune is insignificant compared to the iPod.

 

[curnel_D]

[citation][nom]GreatWalrus[/nom]Good god, I would not be using Linux if it was anything like Windows. I heard that netbook is supposed to be a trademark by Scion, so we may have to use a different term in the future... like "webbook"[/citation]
I'm on my way to the patent office now to coin that term, so dont even think about it.

 

[WheelsOfConfusion]

"The fact is that Windows XP is getting way past long in the tooth..."
People keep saying this, but I've never seen a decent explanation for it. What is it that XP fails to do on netbooks? Aren't most of them Atom-based, and isn't that about as powerful as a Pentium 3? Do any of them use more than 3GB of RAM? How many applications for netbooks can benefit from being 64-bit?

Is it just inadequate security, or something?

 

[daveloft]

[citation][nom]foxman[/nom]"Microsoft Windows works with Microsoft Office [...] and with Microsoft Zune." What a ridiculous statement. I mean, I HOPE they work together, those products are all coming from Microsoft.[/citation]
So by that logic I guess I should be able to use my copy of Office on my Xbox, right?

 

[geoffs]

F*** all of you MS bootlicks!!!! You rated me down to a -5 for the pointing out that MS actually suggested that iTunes and Zune are popular, when the stats show that the Zune is virtually dead. Others made essentially the same point, but were less obvious about it and they're at +2?

Y'all need to lighten up a whole lot and get related to reality. Zune is a failure, iPod and iTunes are kicking butt. By the same measures, Windows is still kicking butt on Mac OS X and Linux, despite the recent gains of those systems. Just because someone points out that MS is not dominant in every market, or that Apple is winning/dominant in one market, doesn't mean you have to rate that post down.

Buy a clue or get a life. I don't care which, but do something!

 

[Tindytim]

It has nothing to do with what you said, we just hate you, and love to see you pissed.

 

[daskrabbe]

Microsoft...
You might not want to steal your logo from a movie about a serial killer.

 

[Tindytim]

[citation][nom]daskrabbe[/nom]Microsoft... You might not want to steal your logo from a movie about a serial killer.[/citation]
You do know that's not the Windows 7 logo, right?

Wasn't made by Microsoft, and Microsoft hasn't used it in any of it's publications or products.

 

[daskrabbe]

heh

 

[Guest]

Can Windows 7 run under 256 Mb RAM?

I just made this experience: created a virtual machine with just 256 Mb RAM and installed XUbuntu -- a lightweight desktop system.

When I turned on the machine, the operating system would use just 130 Mb of memory. Here's a screenshot:

http://i40.tinypic.com/vfj9k3.png

Then I turned on Firefox, and memory was still below 180Mb.

That's why Linux will dominate the low-end ($200) netbook market: not only because it is free, reducing the software cost by $30-$60, but also because it requires less hardware, reducing the overall cost by other $30-$60.

If you consider software AND hardware, Linux is what will make it possible to sell netbooks for $200, while Windows netbooks will start at $300. (Windows at $200 will be a non-starter.)

If you want to repeat this experiment, try XUbuntu:

http://www.xubuntu.org/

 

[tenor77]

Unless MS comes up with a cheap, low resource mobile 7 version of Windows there's no point to running anything other than Linux. I don't think I'd ever waste my money on a netbook or whatever we're supposed to call them now, but if I did I'd be running Linux without a doubt.

 

[TwoDigital]

obviocapitao: while Xubuntu may be the smaller of the Ubuntu installs, it would be in the manufacturers' interests to cut it back significantly more... I love Ubuntu and use both the desktop and server version for various tasks, but I bet you could cut a standard lite Linux distro footprint down by another 50% as far as memory goes. In these netbooks we know we aren't going to be getting new video cards, etc. and that overhead would cut down on both the kernal and the add-ons for x.

 

[crom]

Got to love the 'long in the tooth' comment about XP. I wonder if that factors in when it comes to the fact that it still has a larger install base than Vista does. I would think calling it a 'mature' OS would be better.

Regarding the linux expectations, I agree with that. Most consumers don't even know what linux is, let alone how it's different from Windows. To them, there are only 2 systems, Microsoft and Apple.

 

[killerb255]

[citation][nom]foxman[/nom]"Microsoft Windows works with Microsoft Office [...] and with Microsoft Zune." What a ridiculous statement. I mean, I HOPE they work together, those products are all coming from Microsoft.Anyway. I do agree with this: "Customers expected a Linux-based PC to look and function like their Windows-based desktop PC and they were disappointed". Linux isn't Windows, and if you expect it to be exactly the same, you sure will be disappointed.[/citation]

The problem is, the average Joe does. While Ubuntu is probably the most user-friendly distro so far (and is still getting better with updates), it's still not quite there. Flash drives should "just work" when plugged in, not require commands in a terminal window to mount it. There are a lot of great open-source substitutes for known software products out there, but think of how a high-school teenager views the world: a $100 pair of Nikes are "hipper" than a $20 pair of "Buddies" or something. Macs and PCs with Windows come off "hipper" while Linux is that nerd with a pocket protector--while the nerd has plenty to offer to society, he/she is so socially inept that his/her offerings to society come off awkward or strange. Same with the 'nix.