Netbooks, Linux, Windows – What to do?
I read an artical a short while ago about Microsofts plans for Windows 7 and notebooks, it explained how they intend to give a version of the operating system that can run a certain number of applications at one time and if more is required they could upgrade. My initial thought of this was it wouldn’t happen, Microsoft would realise it’s a bad idea and not move forward with it.
However another article cropped up and apparently it’s called Windows 7 Starter, which will only be able to run 3 applications and have some of the limited features of Windows 7. Now I don’t have a problems with the concept of a cut down version of Windows 7, it makes perfect sense because lets face any weight we can cut out of the Windows OS would be a great idea to save resources on the netbook.
But these features are still there, installed on the netbook but not enabled until you pay for an upgrade.
Now this has a number of things wrong with it in my mind, if the netbook can run more than 3 applications why not allow it? If the features are installed why not enabling them?
I understand this is tough for Microsoft since they need a cheap OS for the netbook market, so this way will give them more money by charging the end user rather than the netbook manufacturer.
I know I’m a biased point of view as I am a user of Ubuntu a free linux distribution, which for the Asus eee pc they made it so it would run without any problems, which poses the problem of why would I ever want to use Windows Starter with all its limit with a free option which has none of the limitations?
I can only imagine the messages that will pop up persisting to explain how and why I should explain to the full versions of Windows 7. The only thing I can imagine being an advantage of Windows 7 over a Linux OS is iTunes. All other applications (In my opinion) have a perfect open source partner.
Anyway that’s just my point of view and anyone and everyone is welcome to pitch in there 2 cents about it all.
Don’t you know how MS plays? Bad and dirty, very dirty.
As OS seller MS is dead and they know it.
[...] Netbooks, Linux, Windows – What to do? But these features are still there, installed on the netbook but not enabled until you pay for an upgrade. [...]
“The only thing I can imagine being an advantage of Windows 7 over a Linux OS is iTunes”
Come on, learn to love Songbird! I think it needs to work on it’s start-up time, and it’s missing one small feature – the ability to add a specific folder of music, where it will copy the songs into your library, sorting them in Artist – Album directory format. Apart from that, it’s got ALL the other features of iTunes that I used to use (inc. the pretty UI), and even MORE features with the add-ons (there’s no Exorcist extension for iTunes)!
Jakc I love songbird, but it doesn’t sync with my ipod touch, the minute I get a working sync with virtualbox and itunes I will be set.
But this still raises the issue of needed a Windows XP license, so not solving the problem.