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Ballmer confirms Windows 7 Starter restrictions for netbooks
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| Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently confirmed that the company will limit
| Windows 7 Starter, the edition expected to end up on netbooks, to systems
| that sport small screens and low-powered processors.
`----
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9136454/Ballmer_confirms_Windows_7_Starter_restrictions_for_netbooks?source=rss_news
Netbooks, Microsoft, a Turning Point
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| About 18 months ago a silver (actually white) bullet known as the eeePC
| running Linux appeared. They were literally sold out immediately (example
| story) â despite the fact that they were pre-loaded with Linux, and well
| before the onset of austerity from the financial crisis. Within 2 or 3
| months a version of the eeePC running Windows XP was announced, first
| shipping in early (perhaps Jan??) 2008. At about the six-eight month mark
| (give or take) people were happy to report the form factor being sold at
| 70-30% in favour of Linux (google it or see Brendan Leblancâs claim of âunder
| 10%â in the first half of 2008).
|
| Since that time something has happened. The specifications for this class of
| portable device have been steadily increasing, closing the gap between them
| and standard laptops (so much so, that there may not be a ânetbookâ market
| anymore). With that the price of these machines has also increased. Linux
| versions of the eeePC are either not available at all, or are only available
| on the lowest specification models.
`----
http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/netbooks-microsoft-a-turning-point/
Recent:
Bloggers outraged at Asus
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| A while back, Asus decided it would save itself ooodles of cash on marketing
| and advertising by picking six people from the ranks of the unwashed masses
| and asking them to 'blog' about certain products they'd been given for
| review. Readers, said Asus, would be able to vote for their favorite blogger
| and the winner of the popular vote would be able to keep their Asus review
| kit. But alas, it wasn't to be.
|
| Readers, in their naive ignorance, voted for a particularly honest - read,
| not entirely Asus kissing - blogger by the name of Gavyn Britton, a choice
| Asus wasn't so keen on. So the Taiwanese computer maker decided to change the
| rules of the competition.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1433394/bloggers-outraged-asus
PR disaster alert: Asus attacks on Linux
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| As the articles here and here as well as the discussion here point out,
| leaving Linux is not only a bad move from a technical point of view but the
| way it was done also angered and insulted members of the Linux community,
| many of which are your customers. Guess what? They are not you consumers
| anymore. Worse, these are usually people responsible for purchasing the
| computing equipment for their families or their companies, so the loss goes
| much deeper than just a few Linux users. Let's look at a few chosen comments
| from the articles above....
`----
http://www.tech-no-media.com/2009/06/why-asus-linux-insult-is-pr-disaster.html
Asus Eee and the 'It's Better with Windows' Campaign
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| However, despite the first flurry of rumors that the campaign was a hoax,
| Asus has admitted that the campaign is legitimate. In a way, the news is a
| relief. For those of us who have looked askance at Microsoft's sponsoring of
| open source conferences and efforts to create its own open source ecosystem,
| the It's Better with Windows site is a return to the familiar. At least when
| Microsoft is spinning half-truths about free and open source software (FOSS),
| you can be in no doubt where everybody stands.
|
| The site is very much a classic piece of FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt),
| the likes of which we may never see again as Microsoft becomes more subtle in
| its struggle to survive in a market where FOSS is a player.
`----
http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/osrc/article.php/3822996
Is Microsoft âBuying-Offâ Linux Netbook Vendors? [Updated]
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| This whole thing reminds me of the stupid and cringe-worthy adverts you see
| in the press where Vendor X says that they âRecommend Proprietary OS Home
| Premiumâ. Do they hell. Do you think they really believe that? Or do you
| think they have been given incentives to say so? I often wonder if there
| could be a case here with the Trades Description Act (if that still exists).
| IANAL so donât really know but it seems as though many vendorsâ adverts are
| not being totally honest when they make these recommendations. Itâs bloody
| obvious they are being paid in some form or another to say that.
`----
http://www.theopensourcerer.com/2009/06/02/is-microsoft-buying-off-linux-netbook-vendors/
Related:
More evidence of Microsoft "tying up" the Asus EeePC
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| Then, one of the makers of Netbooks will release a fantastic product using
| the paid Ubuntu/Netbook Remix, which will make us all forget about the EeePC
| â or, maybe weâll remember it as one of the makers which used GNU/Linux in
| order to launch a product, and then gave in to Microsoftâs pressure.
|
| The real question is: will the next maker manage to resist Microsoftâs
| pressure? Or will everybody end up closely tied up with Microsoft?
`----
http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/columns/more_evidence_microsoft_tying_up_the_asus_eeepc
EXCLUSIVE: ASUS Speaks on the EEE PC
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| TechTree: States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka promote the Linux
| operating system in its education and government sectors. Will ASUS roll out
| Linux alternatives for the new 904HD and 1000H models in India?
|
| Benson Lin: Currently, we're closely tied up with Microsoft and the EEE PC
| with Windows XP would be available to the Indian market.
`----
http://www.techtree.com/India/News/EXCLUSIVE_ASUS_Speaks_on_the_EEE_PC/551-91486-581.html
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