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What's wrong with Linux netbooks? Netbooks are supposed to be the killer category for Linux. According to netbook vendor MSI though, that's not necessarily the case. In an interview with Laptop magazine an MSI exec claims that the return rate for Linux netbooks is higher than it is for regular (non-Linux) notebook computers.
"They start playing around with Linux and start realizing that it's not what they are used to," MSI's Director of U.S. Sales Andy Tung said in the Laptop mag interview. "They don't want to spend time to learn it so they bring it back to the store. The return rate is at least four times higher for Linux netbooks than Windows XP netbooks."Frankly - this doesn't surprise me in the least. I suspect that most retail consumers simply don't have a clue what Linux is. So they walk into a retail store buy a cheap netbook open it up and see something different - so they return it. Linux does not look the same as Windows (though of course you can make it look pretty close - which is something that Xandros does well) and it doesn't run all the same desktop applications that Windows does. Certainly there are replacement applications - OpenOffice for Microsoft Office and Firefox for IE - BUT still, if a user has a certain expectation (and that expectation is Windows) and they don't get it...well what do you expect? While the netbook industry has done a great job of pushing price - i'm not so sure they've done a great job (so far) of evangelizing Linux. Then again, this is the comment of one vendor - so it will be interesting to see if other netbook vendors have had the same (negative) experience. 0 TrackBacksListed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: What's wrong with Linux netbooks?. TrackBack URL for this entry: https://swarm.jupitermedia.com/mt-tb.cgi/5435 4 CommentsLeave a comment |
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Truthfully, I'm not even sure they've done a good job pushing price. You can buy low-end notebooks with 2 gigs of ram, a 15" screen, and a non-Celeron processor with lots of hard drive space and HDMI output in the $400-600 range. That's the same range I see many of the netbooks in with specs that aren't comparable. I'd gladly use Linux on a netbook if I could get one in the $200 range - which is all I'm willing to pay for something that would feel like a tinker toy in my hands.
I use an older IBM A30 laptop. I have had it for years. The first thing I did was dump windows and install Linux. It does everything I want and I have never seen the blue screen of death. The only thing that doesn't work is the modem but who uses dialup anymore. The wireless card works just fine.
The real problem with using Linux for the "common" person is the common person would rather die then think. And millions have.
I completely agree with CJ. I just bought a very powerful dual core laptop with almost every bell and whistle for a little over $400. It was a clearance sale, but those are very common. I would love a netbook for on-the-road work while traveling, but I just couldn't justify paying more than about 50% of the cost of my full blown laptop. $200 is all I'd pay for the average anemic netbook on the market.
I also think Luke Johnson hit the nail square on the head, and I've never heard it said better. The common consumer has been conditioned to always have someone else, or something else, think for them. Therefore actually having to learn or think seems to be looked upon as painful by 90+% of the masses, from Joe Redneck to Mrs. Rich Soccermom.
The first thing I did with my new laptop was blow away vista and install a GNU/Linux based OS. It immediately ran nearly twice as fast and I was up and running watching videos, surfing the web, and doing office work within a few hours.
The common person seems to give up on anything the doesn't give them the gratification they seek within a few minutes. I just can't understand why several hours work on something that is going to give me solid, reliable, virus free service for a couple years would not be a good investment.
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First off.... Companies like Acer,MSI and Asus did not make this product to be a cheap alternate to buying a full size laptop. Its great for people like myself who own a full size laptop but hate lugging it around. I just take this with me. Its quick and easy. Fits in a small bag or purse.... and serves all the same purposes as my sony vaio. (I have the 160gb model acer aspire one)