Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

OEMs Looking to Ubuntu for Netbook Market

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the big-bad-microsoft-gets-left-behind dept.

Anon writes "Mark Shuttleworth provides much more detail today about development of the Ubuntu netbook platform, and says OEMs are calling Canonical when they want to start building netbooks. Channelweb notes: 'It's actually a big deal. For example, Dell CEO Michael Dell has been carrying around an early version of a Dell mini-notebook, and referring to it as the device for the next billion Internet users [...] Asus has become an industry rock star by using GNU Linux to power its Eee PC. HP's niche Mini note runs SLED 10 Linux. The iPhone, of course, doesn't run Microsoft software. Is anyone paying attention in Redmond?'"

6 of 224 comments (clear)

  1. Re:ASUS Eee PC by je+ne+sais+quoi · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, if you read the latest Distrowatch Weekly, they say that Linux on the Eee PC is almost a thing of the past.
    Which is especially strange since the linux version of every model of the eeePC is outselling the windows version on Amazon. I would say it's the larger hard drive, but the older model linux version is selling better too and it has a slower clock speed than the XP one. I don't know, I don't pay attention to this stuff.
    --
    Gentlemen! You can't fight in here, this is the war room!
  2. Re:Interface needs a make over by Drooling+Iguana · · Score: 3, Informative

    The EeePC doesn't run Gnome by default, and it does run a very minimalist interface. Not minimalist enough for my tastes, but that should be mitigated when the 9" ones come out.

    --
    ... I'm addicted to placebos
  3. Re:ASUS Eee PC by notdotcom.com · · Score: 5, Informative

    ..but if you read Linux Format, the cover story this month is the Eee PC and the Eee 900. From (Linux Format's TFA: "A current poll of Eee users shows that only 29 percent are running MS Windows."

    --
    Grandpa: My Homer is not a communist. He may be a liar, a pig, an idiot, a communist, but he is not a porn star.
  4. Re:Interface needs a make over by tknd · · Score: 3, Informative

    Ubuntu netbook remix or whatever it is called is going to address this by providing a new interface designed for small screens. Ars has a bunch of screenshots and more information. The solution isn't perfect but is in a step in the right direction.

    This (good interface real estate usage) is one area that I have to give credit to Apple for doing very well. Apple interfaces are very clean and for the most part a good use of screen real estate (minimal window border, fewer menus and toolbars). Gnome tends to be a little on the fat side with buttons, menus, and toolbars but hopefully that will start changing with this new market. I do wish that application developers would stop using the default "file" menus as a crutch to stuff things into or stuffing toolbars with buttons all over the place (gimp, open office, old versions of ms office, many IDEs). On small screens that becomes especially annoying since there is no more room to grow the windows.

  5. Re:Stop the mind control by xant · · Score: 3, Informative

    Christ, could anyone be more self-important than Richard Stallman? There are fifty-two justifications in that FAQ about the fucking name! If you feel that insecure about something, maybe it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

    I agree with the GP, stop the mind control already.

    --
    It's rare that you're presented with a knob whose only two positions are Make History and Flee Your Glorious Destiny.
  6. Re:Difficult to beat the price by feranick · · Score: 3, Informative

    Must be something typical of NZ. In the US, Linux versions are sold out (check Amazon). while there is plenty available with XP. In addition (reading reviews from real users), Linux version works out of the box, while there is nothing useful in the default installation of XP. It'd be interesting to know what are such things you believe being "wrong".