• http://arghyle.com Sal Cangeloso

    Nice post Rick. We’ve seen some limitations as to what screen sizes can be used with the low-cost XP license as well as (which you linked me to) SSD size. Here is a list concerning Atom systems:

    1. Main storage: Max built-in flash drive of 16GB and/or a hard drive of no more than 160GB.
    2. Graphics: No greater than DirectX 9.0 capability.
    3. Main memory: No greater than 1 GB.
    4. CPU has to be single-core and no more than 1 GHz unless it’s one of the following: Intel Atom (N270, N230, Z500, Z510, Z520, Z530, Z540); or Intel Celeron 220; or AMD Geode LX, Athlon (2650e, Sempron 210U); or VIA C7-M (ULV), Neon (U2300, U2400, and U2500) CPU.
    5. Screen size: NetBook: Up to 10.2 inches. Large screen NetBook: Up to 14.1 inches. NetTop: No limit given.


  • hodar

    This is perhaps the best, most authorative article on Netbooks I have seen.  Very nicely done!
    MSFT’s business plan, in theory, should be designed to maximize sales to MSFT – not bias the market with regard to hardware.  If WinXP is a standard OS, used for laptops and Netbooks alike (and I understand there is no ‘special’ Netbook OS) then it makes no sense whatsoever why MSFT would impose the limits as written.
    Provided that the hardware passed WHQL testing, MSFT’s concern should be limited to a simple qualitative viewpoint – “Does our MSFT product perform reasonably well on this hardware set?”

  • Dizzle

    “I don’t want to turn this article into a sales pitch for Ubuntu”

    What’s to sale?  Ubuntu is free!

  • jw

    Extraordinarily well-written and informative article; great job!

  • pirewit

    Nice article.    I Think that the mass doesn’t  care. They just pay and consume The world is bigger then windows or ubuntu.  Ther are other distro’s  around.

  • Pastychomper

    Good article, thanks, Rick.  I’m not sure that Ubuntu operates like Windows out-of-the-box, though – I’ve never known a version of Windows that’ll run off a CD, work with all my hardware without needing a download, and run as long as I want without a reboot. :o)

  • PMichael

    I’m not much of a techie person but previously I took the plunge and opted for Ubuntu on my netbook. How is it they give this stuff away for free?!
    1. It’s been really easy to use. Software installation is just a couple of clicks. (I thought it would be a lot harder to use.)
    2. I haven’t had to purchase any software. (I still don’t fully understand this…)
    3. Almost all of the software works just as good as on Microsoft. (Open Office didnt work so well with my exel docs but Gnumeric solved that! Also, it seems Abiword is better with doc files too.)
    4. I haven’t had to worry about viruses and spyware. Apparently I dont even have to de frag my hard drive. (I’m still trying to get use to this too.)
    5. It seems to just work. I’ve had no problems with any crashes.
    6. Support hasn’t been a problem either. The Ubuntu forums have been extremely helpful with any questions I have had.
    Why didn’t I know about this before?! I could have saved a lot of money and headache! My thanks to a local tech person who steered me in this direction.

  • k1773r37f

    It is high time for OEM’s to stop kowtowing to Microsoft. If I were one I would be saying, Fine, if you don’t want me to put your trash on the Hardware I spec, I’ll just go with this Linux thing. Then I would ignore their phone calls later.

    M$ has been the playground bully for too long.

  • Raz

    So slightly different point of view
    1. XP is no longer a publicly available product, it’s being sold as an exception at a fraction of the cost to the OEMs vs. current products. Hence the limitations and restrictions (it’s not a conspiracy theory)
    2. If you really want to see what Microsoft is doing for the Netbook market, I highly recommend you download the Windows 7 beta/RC, put the Ultimate edition on and you will see a premium build Windows OS (not a 6 year old XP) with a great experience, especially when looking at performance/sleep/resume/boot time vs. XP on that hardware.
    3. While I like Ubuntu and so do a few of your readers, as you noted, the general public doesn’t and hasn’t gone for Linux (in an age where Apple has made a business off of an OS that is for people who are “too stupid to use windows”)

  • WaruiKoohii

    Rick, you seem to only have, or, at least, only tell, part of the story.
    Yes, Windows XP isn’t capable of using DXVA 2.0.  Video cards were far less capable in 2001 than they are now.  I would suggest running an 8 year old Linux distribution, and seeing how limited you are with that.  Old operating systems are never as capable as new operating systems.
    In regard to Microsoft dictating the hardware that XP can be installed on…remember that Microsoft is selling it for <$15 per copy.  If there were no sales guidelines then OEM’s could offer $15 XP to compete with ~$60 Vista.  While Vista is the better OS (in my opinion, of course), it’s hard to sell one thing for $60 when a somewhat comparable thing is available for $45 less.  This is on top of the fact that Microsoft is trying to phase out XP, just like they do with all old operating systems.  You can’t keep selling an OS up until the point where you cut off all support.  That’s class action lawsuit right there.
    You also ignore the fact that, historically with netbooks, customers haven’t been super warm in welcoming Linux.  Linux netbook return rates are much higher than Windows netbook return rates.  It’s not that Microsoft has forced themselves into the market and pushed Linux out.  People are not as open to Linux as you seem to think they are.
    Netbooks are more than capable of running Vista, especially those netbooks with GN40 GPU’s.  If you’re feeling limited by XP, upgrade to 2GB RAM and stick Vista on the thing.