
Thin and Inexpensive Netbooks Affect PC Industry - nickb
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/technology/02netbooks.html?src=sch
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RK
_Netbook makers have turned to Linux, an open-source operating system that
costs $3 instead of the $25 that Microsoft typically charges for Windows XP._

I think I owe somebody $3!

Seriously, what an odd statement/error. Maybe someone is charging somebody $3
for Linux, but you would think that the nytimes.com would know what Linux
is...

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3pt14159
Not an error at all. Linux is free "in terms of liberty, not price". Just
because you know how to get it, install it, and customize it to your settings
for free doesn't mean everyone does. That $3 covers things like sending
consultants to the manufacturer, writing specialized drivers, and removing
certain parts of Linux to make it run faster.

~~~
DougBTX
I'm sure it's possible to work out a per-copy price for Linux, but that number
probably came from the cost of Windows XP Starter Edition, and the reporter
got it muddled up.

<http://www.google.com/search?q=windows%20%243>

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jballanc
Forget, for a moment, about whether this is the end of the PC industry or not
(I would bet on not...). What I find intriguing about this article is the
mention of AT&T giving away cheap netbooks to wireless subscribers. What I
find even more intriguing is that, even with 4 desktops and 2 laptops on my
desk (don't ask), I'm really tempted by that offer.

Maybe not the next generation of standards (LTE and 802.11n), but the
generation after that will, I believe, mark the end of the distinction between
local wireless and long-range wireless. That devices like iPhones and Netbooks
should appear as an consequence (or even in anticipation) is not so
surprising, then.

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nutmeg
I am thinking of getting either an Asus Eee or HP Mini. Does anyone have any
experience playing Hulu or other flash sites on one of these? How does it
compare?

~~~
willwagner
FWIW, I really love my Acer Aspire One which I've been using for 6 months or
so. I'm not an active Hulu user but I did just give it a try and watched about
5 minutes of Family Guy without incident; your mileage may vary.

Originally, I picked it up just to satisfy my inner geek and thought it might
be good for my 7 year old daughter. On that score, it sucks because
educational/kids games just can't handle the small screen. I can play a mean
game of desktop tower defense or a few goodoldgames.com games, but as a gaming
machine, you'll be disappointed.

I use it mostly for surfing the web, skyping, and watching video while
traveling, and it works great. I bought a 3rd party battery off ebay and can
literally run it for 6 hours watching video which covers most of the travel
I've had to do. When around the house, I tend to use it more than our other
laptop; it's just so light and easy to carry from room to room, I prefer it
for short stints of web surfing.

It's also fairly hackable; I have it running linux, winxp, and MacOS (although
I did replace the wireless card to get it working properly).

My wife is going to give it a go for a couple weeks to see if she can
effectively use it to replace her laptop at work. With the slightly smaller
keyboard and less than stellar mouse, I don't think it would be good for 8
hours of office work alone, but when connected to a monitor, keyboard, and
mouse, it might work for her and you can't beat how much lighter it is to lug
around.

I think the sweet spot of the market is teens and college students who don't
care about video gaming. With it's long battery life and small size, it would
be awesome for taking notes in class, and be good enough in a dorm room with
an external monitor and keyboard, for most other non-gaming use.

You also can't beat the price albeit for $200 more or so, you can get a pretty
decent laptop these days (or if you are like me and buy extra junk like a
battery, external dvd reader, and a wifi card, it's almost a wash).

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pchristensen
How are they not considered part of the PC industry?

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ashot
they are cheaper and lower margin

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illumen
Thanks OLPC.

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Tichy
More "thanks Asus", I think?

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jballanc
Well, if we're going to play that game, wouldn't it be more like "thanks Alan
Kay and Dynabook"?

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lacker
No, it's pretty fair to say Asus developed the first netbook, proving the
segment was commercially viable. OLPC got some publicity among the nerd crowd
but had no real effect on the market.

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ashot
short dell, appl, hp?

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nessence
RIP PC, for at least you lasted longer than VHS.

