With the rise of new, ultra-small netbook computers, Linux has a chance to make its case to consumers. Windows Vista usually won't fit on netbooks, XP already has one foot in the grave, and many netbook buyers may give Linux serious consideration when choosing what OS they want pre-installed. Microsoft says Windows 7 will target netbooks, but until that OS is released, the ball's in Linux's court.
The netbook battle is on. If Linux is going to beat out Microsoft as the OS of choice on netbooks, the Linux community will have to convince consumers that "costs nothing" does not mean "not worth anything."
Several vendors -- including Asus are selling miniature laptops called "netbooks." These pint-sized wonders, usually measuring about 10 inches, often feature solid-state hard drives and retail for as low as US$350 to $500. Other models are endowed with traditional hard drives that store almost as much data as a full-sized notebook. The operating systems most often offer pre-installed with netbooks are Windows XP, Ubuntu Linux, and one or two hybrid mobile Linux distros.
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