Where Are All The Linux Netbooks?

khess 0 402 Views

I've read almost a dozen articles in the past week about Netbook computers and am sorely disappointed with some of the news about them. The general consensus is that Windows dominates the Netbook space. The info was gathered from sales reports by Asus, , Dell and Sylvania. This news is an amazing smackdown to those of us who were hoping that the Netbook space would be overwhelmingly Linux-owned.

It's shocking, to say the least, that vendors would use a heavy operating system like Windows on a lightweight system such as a Netbook. What are they thinking? The whole point of a Netbook is speed, light weight, low power consumption, and quick booting. How fast does Windows boot on even the fastest computer?

To me, this seems more like trying to make an elephant ride a tricycle. It's funny but I just don't get it.

I understand that there is a perceptual barrier to Linux and there have been a lot of people return their Linux Netbook to have Windows installed on it or exchanged for the Windows version. It's familiar to them and the comfortable choice.

I'd like to do a side-by-side "taste test" with Netbooks using Linux versus ones using Windows (XP, Vista, 7) and see for myself--and report back to you of course--if there are performance-related issues with Windows-equipped models. To be fair, they will have to be equivalent hardware for both operating systems.

To learn more about Netbooks and the Netbook Revolution, check out my latest show (March 6) with guest .

If you own a Netbook, I'd like to know about your experiences and possibly feature your experiences in this blog. Use the comments section below to tell me which Netbook you have, how it's equipped, and what you think of it.

Dani AI

Generated

A short, practical follow-up to the discussion started by and the real-world report from : the “missing” Linux netbooks weren’t absent because Linux can’t run on small hardware — many community builds and netbook-specific editions proved otherwise — but because market and usability forces pushed mainstream buyers and OEMs toward the familiar, better-supported platform. (blogs.windows.com)

Two problems repeatedly drove returns and limited retail Linux choices: first, mainstream buyers expect familiar apps and codecs to work out of the box; second, early Linux images often missed drivers or multimedia support (Flash, codecs, certain Wi‑Fi chips), which led to frustration and returns. Those usability gaps explain why many shoppers chose the mainstream OS even when a lighter OS would technically fit the hardware. (wired.com)

That said, the workplace story describes is exactly where Linux netbooks succeeded — controlled environments, pre-configured images, and small training or UI tweaks remove the friction. Community and vendor work produced netbook-focused builds and hardware support pages that steadily improved compatibility; checking those resources for a specific model saves time. (wiki.ubuntu.com)

Practical checklist for anyone researching or buying a Linux-capable netbook today:

  1. Look up the exact model on distro hardware pages (known issues and firmware steps). (wiki.ubuntu.com)
  2. Boot a Live USB and “Try” the distro: test Wi‑Fi, suspend/resume, webcam, and media playback before installing. ()
  3. Watch for Broadcom wireless or other devices that may need proprietary firmware; the distro docs show the steps and packages to install. (help.ubuntu.com)

Linux netbooks never truly disappeared — they moved into niches (IT fleets, enthusiasts, vendors that sell Linux preloaded). For low-hassle Linux on small laptops, pick machines with upstream-friendly components and validate them with a live session first. (wiki.ubuntu.com)

Member Avatar for Member #498464
Member #498464

Where are they? They're at work.

We have a pool of XP laptops available as loaners. I brought in a few EEE's w/ EEE-Ubuntu and they took off like rockets. We now have about six EEE's (all Ubuntu). Everybody who borrows an EEE requests one the next time. The XP laptops are getting lonely.

The real shock here is that the laptop borrowers do not know what linux is. They're not the brightest bulbs as a group, yet no one has had a single problem or has even said anything about the OS.

I took one to my parents, in their 60's, and they had no issues with it. The GUI has been hacked a bit to make it easier to use, to great effect.

This seems to be a story that is not being told....


Long before the netbooks came out, I was thinking about putting together a linux desktop that looked like an XP desktop. With the exception of a few proprietary apps, this is looking more and more possible.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.

Edit Preview