Linux boosted by netbook demand
THE GROWING MARKET for netbooks is helping drive Linux adoption around the world according to a new report from star-gazers at Forrester.
The report, Netbooks are the third PC form factor, reckons Netbooks have driven adoption of Linux all over the place, except - naturally - in the USA.
"While Linux-based netbooks haven't gained much consumer acceptance in the US, their success varies greatly by geographical market - in developing countries, Linux-based Eee PCs have fared better," Forrester analyst JP Gownde wrote.
"Even if a majority of netbooks run Windows, the minority that runs Linux are the most successful non-Windows, non-Macintosh consumer PCs in the industry in terms of penetration."
Demand for netbooks is strong he said, with over a third of US households mulling buying one. There, the devices are primarily being considered for second or third computers, for use by children or to use exclusively on the go.
The good news for manufacturers is that it seems that the new segment will not encroach on the laptop market, with less than a quarter of USAsians questioned saying they would consider getting a netbook as a replacement for a laptop.
In fact, laptop owners are the most interested in buying a netbook, with desktop PC owners second and non-PC owners third. Of the 15 per cent of non-PC owners questioned, barely a third were interested in a netbook, suggesting there remains a hard core of consumers who don't want a PC at any price.
Netbooks are seen as better for mobile data use than mobile phones. More than half of those questioned said mobile phone screens are too small in comparison. µ
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I have to say that I like the linux netbooks better than the windows. It is hard to find one around here with XP on it, I have seen a few, but mostly vista. I got a chance to use both a linux and a windows netbook. I have to say that the linux runs considerably faster than both the XP and vista models. They are also great for people who don't have a lot of money who need a computer to go. I use my ipod touch as a net book, but it is no where as powerful as some of the netbooks. It sure is cool though...
Given that the Linux distributions which have been chosen so far for the mainstream netbooks are crap, Linux adoption should pick up even more once they choose the better mainstream distros. Fedora & Ubuntu both runs really well on them, so why do they still ship with rubbish like the crippled Xandros?
Ubuntu and Fedora are crap :)
They just like MS, great ideas with poor implementation. The difference is the price tag. Don't get me wrong, i do recommend people to use Ubuntu when i asked about user friendly distro, but it's still Crap :) (Gentoo is my way)
And by the way, Dell mini uses Ubuntu, so don't say there is nothing you like out there :)
I bought an EEE 701 (with Xandros) for my girlfriend this xmas. She's in love with it! She has a decent desktop, and older laptop, and a Palm she has trouble keeping charged.
Even with the default Xandros with simple interface, she's using the media player, the PIM, and doing lots of browsing.
This is in the USA.
netbooks are fairly classic vehicles for disruptive innovation. Don't expect to see massive take up in rich sectors. Market disruption occurs when a low cost product that is good enough for a big section of the population gets new users into a market. The technology improves and moves up the market pyramid displacing more expensive offerings as the user base grows. Give it a few years and a netbook will be able to do everything any top end PC can do and prices will go down making any premium for an OS license a bigger and bigger hit. At the same time Linux and the hardware will get better.
Let me guess... Linux has doubled its market share... from 0.01% to 0.02%
"Let me guess... Linux has doubled its market share... from 0.01% to 0.02%'
ha,ha,ha!
some people still live at 2001!
the Linux adoption is speeding!
by 2012 Linux will have prevailed!
Yes, yes! It will have PREVAILED just as in the meaning of this word in Iraq. Remember, we will prevail?