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Here's another reason to think twice about running Windows on your netbook: It's going to cost a comparative bundle once Microsoft "upgrades" the world to Windows 7.
Words is that the company plans to charge manufacturers $45 to $55 for each copy they license of Windows 7 Starter, the supposedly slimmed down version of the operating system designed for netbooks and other sub-PC devices.
That compares with the $25 to $30 currently charged for Windows XP. And with the cost of netbooks now hovering around the $200 mark, it means a ludicrous portion of the price tag for a device will represent commodity software.
Various netbook-specialized versions of Linux, meanwhile, are free, run fast and lean and don't act much different from any standard graphical interface.
For more info: Microsoft asking $45-55 for Windows 7 Starter? (Ars Technica)
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Comments
Yeah, but Windows 7 has one major point over linux, and that is, it's a windows OS, and it'll run software I need it to run.
And here's a shocker, windows xp is, what, 10 years old, now? Of course it'll cost less than a new operating system. People freaking out over a comparatively low price for a new os aren't being realistic, anymore.
I am going to get burned for this, but Windows 7 is a superior product.
"Cost of netbooks hovering around $200"
Eh? Really? I'm pretty sure the average price is more in the range of ~$330. Go to newegg and compare their netbook price range.
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