Yes and no
|
| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| qcimushroom Jan 17, 2009 1:22 AM EDT |
Linux will face an uphill battle... until people finally realize that you only need anti-virus if you use Microsoft products. |
| d0nk3y Jan 17, 2009 2:56 AM EDT |
I find this whole discussion rather interesting given: A) Windows 7 is pretty much still vapourware B) Windows on a netbook right now is on XP Home and the hardware has been capped at 1.6ghz Atom's by Microsoft C) Windows 7's hardware requirements are reportedly the same as Vista. So, that means that, once Windows 7 comes out (and assuming that all the current things that are being said about it remain true once it's available. The hardware cap on a Windows netbook will be taken off - and that'll be necessary to make Windows 7 run. That means that the cost will rise and the actual low-cost netbooks (read, the ones currently in existence - and the lower cost ones later) will still run best with linux. Also, linux was under no threat from Windows *before* netbooks even came about - so why would it be now under threat because Microsoft's not-yet-released OS *may* work better on beefed up more expensive netbooks (arguably no longer a netbook). |
| Steven_Rosenber Jan 17, 2009 3:03 AM EDT |
The strategy for MS might be to keep Win 7 specs at Vista levels and hope that netbooks boost their own specs (multiple cores, 3GB RAM) to match it over the next year or two. Could happen. |
| bigg Jan 17, 2009 10:01 AM EDT |
More garbage straight out of 1985. The folks who write this stuff remind my of Dr. Evil asking for $1 million. Then all the Linux users break out in laughter when we read, "Does Linux stand a chance?" Note to author: Linux is not the name of a small proprietary software company. |
| land0 Jan 17, 2009 10:30 AM EDT |
LOL! Three cheers for @bigg! |
| jdixon Jan 17, 2009 10:34 AM EDT |
> ...and hope that netbooks boost their own specs... Except that if they do that, Microsoft won't let them sell Windows XP on them. Sort of a catch-22. |
| rijelkentaurus Jan 17, 2009 10:41 AM EDT |
No one has ever explained to me why a multi-multi-multibillion dollar company is so concerned about an OS that supposedly has >1% of market share. Also, why are the Windows users not mad about the point d0nk3y made, that the hardware is capped by manufacturers' agreements with MS? Linux users should also be mad about that, although we have the distinct advantage of having an OS that thrives on low specs. |
| Shagbag Jan 17, 2009 10:43 AM EDT |
It'll be interesting to see if ARM-based CPUs take hold in the netbook market. Most people I know think of Windows CE (Crap Edition) as something that runs on a PDA. |
| Scott_Ruecker Jan 17, 2009 11:33 AM EDT |
Quoting:until people finally realize that you only need anti-virus if you use Microsoft products. I couldn't agree more. While in Vegas last week I stayed with a longtime friend (his firstborn son is my godson) and helped him get a Toshiba laptop and his XP desktop 'back to normal' and most of what I did was get rid of POS Anti-viruses along with getting rid of some of what they hide on your computer even after they say its been uninstalled. I also did some updating and removing of miscellaneous crud too, but still. His stuff and many others I have helped with their computers, they all run better after you actually get most of the AV crud off their computers. I think that the anti viruses are a big part of the problem. I know I am sounding a little like a tin hat wearer but has anyone considered that maybe those companies want you to be or get infected, so they can come along and save the day? AVG is the only anti-virus that I have seen not seriously bog down a computer after a while.. |
| tracyanne Jan 17, 2009 6:45 PM EDT |
@Scott ClamAV (ClamWin) is probably the best, lowest footprint AV and it's Free Software. I use it on my WinXP Virtual Machine, one of the blokes I work with uses it on his home and work machines, reckons it's better than any of the proprietary AVs. As for Win7, I don't think it will make much, if any difference, first, as has been pointed out, it's still basically vapourware. Second it will still require more resources than Linux and WInXP, Third they are talking about pricepoints, which means large inducements to OEMs and like the version of XP marketed to poor Asian countires it will likely be gutted. The thing that will make a difference, is the Marketing/Advertising blitz that Microsoft have planned - and, of course, the leads being sent to the journos and the bloggers are part of the lead up to that blitz. They can make a Win7 powered netbook competive, on price, with Linux powered netbooks (they've already done that with WinXP), but what they can't do is keep the aftermarket costs down, that's where Linux really shines, as there is no need to purchase additional software in order to make the system useful, and secure. All the FOSS people need to do is continue to improve the software. I'm currently testing Eeebuntu, I'd like to get a copy of Mandriva's Mini, but you have to be an OEM to get access, and I'm really impressed with it, So far I have it on a VM on my laptop, with a 800x600 screen and 1 Gig of RAM, I'll install it on a VM on my partners machine - it's an older machine with only 756 Meg of RAM, so that should be a Good test, as I'll give 512 Meg of RAM to the VM. The CPU might be a little faster than a typical netbook CPU. Shortly I'll also get an actual EeePC to test it on. |
| azerthoth Jan 17, 2009 7:01 PM EDT |
Something that I read recently has given me a huge paradigm shift in regards to the Mac/Linux/BSD/Windows/$OS debate. It applies here in a sense, not in the AV for the Virii from Redmond, discussion, but the netbook OS. Ken brought home to me that 99.9% of people are more interested in their apps than their OS. This concept is painfull to Apple, but they know it well, and potentially devastating to Microsoft. The question is, are you a computer user, or is the computer the place that has apps you want to use (i.e. are you just an application user?) Food for thought, because this can really change your approach to advocacy ... honestly when was the last time that you were talking to someone and you saw them get excited that the Linux code fell under any freedoms at all? |
| Scott_Ruecker Jan 17, 2009 7:06 PM EDT |
That is the other thing that gets me, just how you going to fit W7 on a Netbook? I guess they will have to have cheap 120gig solid state drives by the time it comes out or are they just going to say that any laptop under $500 is a Netbook? |
| Sander_Marechal Jan 17, 2009 9:26 PM EDT |
Quoting:> ...and hope that netbooks boost their own specs... Not really. They just make the jump to Vista. No hardware cap on those lisences. That's what HP did on their MiniNotes. They beefed it up enough to run Vista. Of course, this does have a downside. The netbooks capable of running Vista aren't exactly cheap. And you won't be able to get anything cheap above the hardware cap until hardware prices drop naturally. Companies won't be making netbooks that are above the hardware cap but not able to run Vista. There will be a chism in the netbook market. You will get the really cheap netbooks running XP and Linux that are hardware capped, and you will get the expensive netbooks with a lot of horsepower that can run Vista and Linux. There won't be any "medium" netbooks. Say, something like 2 Ghz with 1 Gb RAM. Seeing as the EU is quite happy to investigate Microsoft, perhaps someone is willing to file a complaint about the hardware cap at the EU commission? |
| jdixon Jan 17, 2009 9:31 PM EDT |
> AVG is the only anti-virus that I have seen not seriously bog down a computer after a while.. AVG and Avira seem to be the best of the free (as in beer) virus scanners out there. That said, if you're willing to pay money, I've heard some folks really love nod32. > ClamAV (ClamWin) is probably the best, lowest footprint AV and it's Free Software. I ClamWin would obviously be better, but AFAIK, it doesn't perform any on access scanning, so it won't catch viruses as IE downloads them from the web (yeah, I try to tell folks to use Firefox, but some of them never listen, and I've even seen malicious downloads take place when using Firefox under Windows). > I guess they will have to have cheap 120gig solid state drives... The Dell Mini-9 already has an option for a 32GB SSD, so I'd say drives large enough to run Vista/Windows 7 are not far away. However, in the meantime they'll just use a real 120 GB hard drive. That's what the they offer on the Aspire One at Walmart right now, and it's selling for $340 on their website (with XP, of course). |
| d0nk3y Jan 17, 2009 11:43 PM EDT |
>Shortly I'll also get an actual EeePC to test it on Hey TA, yeah, I've run Eeebuntu 1.0 on my 900 and recently upgraded to 2.0 - it's great. Have also run it on a 901 at work and it works great there too. >There will be a chism in the netbook market. I agree Sander - except, once Windows 7 'saves the day' for MS in the Netbook market, I expect they'll kill off XP once and for all. So you'll have nice-n-cheap netbooks at one end which linux will thrive on, and more expensive Windows 7 netbooks at the other - which linux will also thrive on. Has anyone else seen the funny side of all this spin on the fact Windows 7's hardware requirements are the same as Vista? And they say it's a good thing because hardware is much more powerful now? So, basically, they've done *nothing* to make it better it's just that hardware has caught up - and those people who were sold Vista-uncapable machines two years ago will still not find that Windows 7 makes the situation any better. Queue a whole 'nother round of forced hardware upgrades. I guess the amazing thing is that most will fall for it, and buy it en-mass. Astounding.... |
| tracyanne Jan 18, 2009 12:09 AM EDT |
@d0nk3y: just read your message fron an iPhone, which I'm trying to get working with Linux. |
| d0nk3y Jan 18, 2009 12:14 AM EDT |
@TA: Nice - I'd be interested to hear how that goes (not that I have one mind - just got upgraded - by work - to a Treo Pro. It's kinda nostalgic to carry around windows in my pocket.....) So, are you just up at a really strange hour, or do you hail from the same end of the world as I (NZ). |
| tracyanne Jan 18, 2009 12:32 AM EDT |
Australia. |
| tracyanne Jan 18, 2009 12:34 AM EDT |
I wouldn't have got back to you so soon, as I went out to mow our lawn, but the ride on decided to throw a sickie, we'll have to drop it into the mower man tomorrow. |
| d0nk3y Jan 18, 2009 2:33 AM EDT |
Groovy. Doh! I hope it all comes together for you. Just reinstalling intrepid.... |
| tracyanne Jan 18, 2009 3:31 AM EDT |
Looks like I might not be able to get iPhone and Linux talking unless I jailbreak the phone. Mandriva is telling me it's a camera, but I can't access the photo directory on the iPhone and none of the iPod applications I install, not Songbird, not gtkpod, not Amarok, nor iTunes for Windows under Wine seem able to locate the Phone either. I've got an IPod I need to try as well, hope I have more success with that. |
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