Microsoft

Where did all the Linux netbooks go?

Adam Williamson asks the question after doing a bit of research across several major vendors and online shops.

where the hell did all the Linux netbooks go? In 2007 you couldn’t buy a netbook with Windows; in 2008 to 2009 you could still walk into a big box store just about anywhere and pick from a few with Linux; now, you can buy one from one store in England with an Android dual boot, one from a hidden page on Ubuntu’s site with an inferior configuration to its equally-priced Windows equivalent, and one from a very well hidden bit of HP’s site with a $132 premium over its identically-specified Windows equivalent.

I am not a big expert in this matter, but I tend to agree with some of his conclusions:

the cynical side of me can come up with a lot of explanations as to where all those pre-loads went, and all of them involve large amounts of money going out of Microsoft bank accounts

And I think that’s pretty reasonable. After the netbook market is different from the desktop one. In the desktop world, Linux has a number of ongoing problems, such as office applications, games, and so on and so forth. But most netbooks aren’t powerful enough to run those applications. Their primary use is of a simple Internet device – browsing the web, reading email, chatting, etc. And for this purpose, the operating system is pretty much irrelevant. Most of these tasks are done in the browser. And browser-wise Linux is rich – Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, and more.

So, how come all these netbooks are now selling with Windows and not Linux. It can’t be just Microsoft Internet Explorer. After all, most end users don’t even know what the browser is. There must be another reason. And probably it’s not a technical reason. And as Adam says, it must be some of those reasons that involve large amounts of money going out of Microsoft bank accounts.

If you have any other ideas, please do share via comments.

Office wars are back

It’s been a while since I heard something from the office applications front lines. And today, while catching with news in my Google Reader, here is what I saw (or almost what I saw, since I am reading in Expanded mode, and not in List):

Three articles in a row, and all are about the office applications. Either it’s an unlikely coincidence, or TechMeme is doing something wrong, or … the office wars are back and that’s the most exciting and hyped about topic in the tech industry right now. Which one do you think it is?

P.S.: Here are the links to the articles: one, two, three.

Pen-based computing? Really?

Here is a quote form Bill Gates that made me go “Huh? Are you for real?”:

Microsoft has a lot of different tablet projects that we’re pursuing. We think that work with the pen that Microsoft pioneered will become a mainstream for students. It can give you a device that you can not only read, but also create documents at the same time.

What? Pen-based? Really? In 21st century? For students? Even me, who dropped out of college a decade ago considers pen to be nothing but a pain and an absolute last resort for input and notes. I can barely write anything longer than my own signature, and even that comes out different every time I try it. Stylus? Do you mean that thing which is constantly lost or broken or stuck in the pocket? I can’t believe it…

I could understand it as a familiar interface for older people. Yes, why not. But for students? Have you seen any students recently? Most of them have mobile phones growing out of their thumbs. They can type with a single thumb faster than I can do do with ten fingers.

A pen? Nope. I think we tried the combination of pens with computing devices, and we are done with that. It’s been confirmed a painful experience and I don’t think anyone should be betting anything on pen’s future in the technology world.

On privacy

Blogoscoped quotes Google executives on the issue of privacy.

Eric Schmidt:

“If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.” Eric goes on to say, “But if you really need that kind of privacy, the reality is that search engines – including Google – do retain this information for some time. And it’s important, for example, that we’re all subject in the United States to the Patriot Act… it is possible that that information could be made available to the authorities.”

Marissa Mayer:

“I really feel that the virtual world follows the physical world … There’s very few things you can do anonymously in the physical world. I think that over time, on the internet, there will be less anonymity. And I actually think that’s good; I think it creates, you know, more accountability, people acting more responsibly.”

And here is a quote from law #9 – Absolute anonymity isn’t practical, in real life or on the Web – from Microsoft’s own 10 immutable laws of security:

All human interaction involves exchanging data of some kind. If someone weaves enough of that data together, they can identify you. Think about all the information that a person can glean in just a short conversation with you. In one glance, they can gauge your height, weight, and approximate age. Your accent will probably tell them what country you’re from, and may even tell them what region of the country. If you talk about anything other than the weather, you’ll probably tell them something about your family, your interests, where you live, and what you do for a living. It doesn’t take long for someone to collect enough information to figure out who you are. If you crave absolute anonymity, your best bet is to live in a cave and shun all human contact.

Trailer : Office 2010

There are only three things that I can say about this trailer:

It is hilarious.
It probably did more to promote Microsoft Office 2010 than anything else. Combined.
Well done!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUawhjxLS2I]

If that was a real movie, I would by it on DVD.