While there's no evidence (...yet) to indicate that Microsoft are doing any shenanigans here, I find it pretty hard to believe there's nothing going on behind the scenes here. Microsoft must be shitting actual entire bricks about this thing - they've sold 1 million eeePCs to date, giving the mass market its first real look at Linux-on-the-desktop.

Odd, they're the same price as each other in the U.S., All $549.

Mmmm Windows. These things would be good for 'lite' media PCs. Just gotta hook it up to a HD 1080p capable video card :P

There is no distribution of Linux that looks anything like a Windows killer.

Linux on the EeePC is almost like one of those kiddy-laptops with the calculator screens. You can do certain things on it, but its tiny, and its not very customisable.

Boba pointed out that they were the same price?

last edited by natslovR at 13:17:48 09/May/08

You can do certain things on it, but its tiny, and its not very customisable.

I told my parents to buy an eeePC before they went overseas on holidays. They did, and they haven't found anything they can't do with it that they want to be able to do. They're using it for photos, skype, browsing, email, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc. Who cares if it can't run Quickbooks or iTunes? Almost 99.5% of things you're going to want to do on a computer these days you can do on an eeePC running Linux

I did the same when my wife's PC died a couple of weeks back - She wanted to get an eeePC to replace it, when I told her that it runs Linux & what not, she didn't care as it does what she wants (Internet/Email/photos etc). Seriously thinking about a 900-series for myself when they launch, providing I can find the 20gb one for a bit cheaper than the above rrp.

That said - Is the extra storage just the 4gb internal Solid State drive + a 8 or 16gb SD card ?

they've sold 1 million eeePCs to date, giving the mass market its first real look at Linux-on-the-desktop.

How is a million units mass market, given that a large percentage of the purchasers seem to be IT professionals or technically advanced users? How many average joes are really buying Ees - and how many of these average Joes are turned off by the lack of support for their favourite wanky programs?

Worldwide PC shipments will grow 12.8 per cent in 2008 to reach 302 million units fuelled by demand for portable computers, according to IDC's latest Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.

Growth will continue at above 11 per cent in 2009 followed by high single-digit growth to 2012, boosting annual shipments to over 426 million.

A million Eees sounds like a lot but its a third of one percent of the market for one quarter, hardly universe-shaking.

Microsoft no doubt hate systems being sold without Windows and would take any opporunity to jump into and dominate the ultra-heaps-portable market space, but I don't think the Eee is really scaring anyone at Redmond.

last edited by Hogfather at 13:51:10 09/May/08

EePC EePC Ee Ee Ee Ee EePC, she's a naughty girl with a bad habit, a bad habit...

I believe microsofts concerns centre around ending support for windows xp and their new steamingpileofshit not being able to even boot on hardware at that end of the market.

the entire supercheap laptop segment of the market is out of their reach with their original plan to make xp no longer available from june.

while their may be only 1 million EEEs, the segment is going to expand rapidly not just in emerging market but I have no oubt will be targetted by schools as a much more affordable tool for students over the full priced laptops they have relied on in the past.

Starting next year all schools have been directed to achieve a 1 is 2 computer to student computer ratio for student in 9 to 12. With the eventual goal to be 1 to 1.

And you have roughly $1000 a student to do this.

Given that upgrading power and cooling in classroom is not viable (read too expensive) and classrooms simply do not have alot of desk space per student. Vandalism of desktops results in unfair downtime on students who didn't vandalise anything. A small mobile/battery powered device will let you avoid the problems.

So this bottom end of the market is about to become a lot bigger atleast here.

The eee PC does all that and fits in the budget. There are only a couple of other options that even fit the basic requirements.

Huh? Sub-1000 notebooks are commonplace Obes.

I believe microsofts concerns centre around ending support for windows xp and their new steamingpileofshit not being able to even boot on hardware at that end of the market.

Vista isn't really designed for the sort of hardware that is in an Eee. I would expect something built on the base of the upcoming Windows Mobile 8 will more appropriately fit the niche that ultra-portables need, with Vista (and its successors) remaining their OS product for luggables and desktops.

last edited by Hogfather at 14:41:51 09/May/08

Like a true IT professional you skipped the most of user requirements and looked at the price. And I didn't give a full run down of the requirements.

Small means small.
A student desk is not large, some of the small ones are tiny (eg. 40cm* 50cm).

Decent battery, student needs to be able to get atleast a couple of hours between charges (there aren't 30 points in classrooms). I get 45mins off my heavy toshiba.

Light ? ... kids already carry a tonne of books and gear. A 2kg notebook won't cut it)

Sold state is a bonus. (less moving parts)
Wireless (cos classrooms are not wired, and its amazing what simple things cheap notebooks lack)

And remember in that 1k, you have to include the cost of imaging/preparing/rollout/cases/warranty/insurrance (kids will be kids).

How is a million units mass market, given that a large percentage of the purchasers seem to be IT professionals or technically advanced users?

I think its a mass-market because:

a) 1 million is a lot regardless of what proportion it is
b) its a REALLY big amount for Linux desktops

Also I dunno if the majority of USERS are IT pros or tech users. I've seen a lot of comments that IT types are buying eeePC for their other half/parents (like me)/less tech savvy people just looking for a nice simple lappy.

Hmm I get what you're saying trog, a million is a great big number .. but.

This site claims that as early as 2001 there were as many as 18 million Linux users.

So if a linux-based system sold a million units in 2001 to 100% new users it would have increased the userbase by as little as 4-5%. Presumably there are more linux users now than 2001 with stuff like Ubuntu flying around the internets.

In order for Linux to challenge the MS hegemony there must be much, much bigger numbers at play than a million or so Ees. Sure its significant - but are we talking about people being exposed to Linux as an alternate OS or people buying a $400 mobile web browser that is no more a threat to Windows than Symbian or the BB OS is?

Oh yeh, I knew I had a c)

c) they're on sale at places like Myer, rather than Random McComputer Store XMart

How can the windows one be cheaper? Unless ASUS had to do a heap of tweeking for the linux they're rolling out and are trying to recoup some of the costs involved in that?

Did you read the OP? Smaller solid-state drive.

What's more, apparently you'll only be able to get the XP ones in major retailers, and have to go to computer shops for the Linux ones.

Don't suppose anyone has any idea when the Atom-based 900s will be coming out to Aus? I was just reading that ASUS will be launching them at a trade show in June...

Linux on the EeePC is almost like one of those kiddy-laptops with the calculator screens. You can do certain things on it, but its tiny, and its not very customisable.

There's apparently an advanced mode which gives you a normal desktop (KDE I think) and console so you can do all those linuxy things like cron/ssh/nmap/kismet/etc. :)

Having said that, I just had a play with one of these in store and I'm thinking if I got one I'd probably just wipe the OS and put something esoteric on there like Linux-from-scratch for fun.

I think its a mass-market because:

a) 1 million is a lot regardless of what proportion it is
b) its a REALLY big amount number of Linux desktops

Fixed. As:

Use the word amount with quantities that cannot be counted and number with quantities that could be counted one-by-one.

From here.

You've already counted them and the number equals 1 million.

So Trog:

last edited by Triamks at 16:11:03 09/May/08

What's more, apparently you'll only be able to get the XP ones in major retailers, and have to go to computer shops for the Linux ones.

This part is the killer :( Removing the best chance we've had in years to introduce average users to something that's not Windows

Having said that, I just had a play with one of these in store and I'm thinking if I got one I'd probably just wipe the OS and put something esoteric on there like Linux-from-scratch for fun.

yeh, I am still very keen to get one of the 900s for traveling. I'll probably absorb the extra cost (or fucking import buy one in the US) and put Slackware 12 or Xubuntu on it

so you want to pay more but still wipe whats on there and install something else........crazy

? it's pretty easy to justify:

a) I get an extra 8gb
b) I get to contribute to Linux sales, helping prove that there's a market for Linux OS
c) Microsoft aren't getting anything else from me (if they are anyway)

yeh, I am still very keen to get one of the 900s for traveling. I'll probably absorb the extra cost (or fucking import buy one in the US) and put Slackware 12 or Xubuntu on it

Indeed, I was planning on getting one for traveling as well, was hoping they'd come out here before I go but heading to Canada in about 1 1/2 weeks so I reckon I'll just pick one up while I'm there. The fact that there's a price difference between the linux and windows models in Aus is just more reason to nab one while I'm over there as well.

But I don't see a problem with getting the linux model and chucking a different distro of linux on there you're more familiar with using, I do the same thing with a windows laptop anyway and probably will chuck ubuntu on the eeepc too.

Out of curiosity, how do you reinstall the OS on to an EeePC without an optical drive? Does it have native support in the BIOS to recognise USB drives or a bootable recovery partition or something?

Hogfather: from: ubuntu.com:

o install Ubuntu on the Asus EeePC in its stock form, you will have to create a USB based bootable installer or use a USB-connected CD-ROM drive to run/install Ubuntu. In addition to this, a few simple software modifications will have to be completed for hardware support.

when are these being sold? and also i dont understand this solid state stuff, can u just put a big 120gb portable usb hdd on it and not really worry about any of that stuff?

How can the windows one be cheaper? Unless ASUS had to do a heap of tweeking for the linux they're rolling out and are trying to recoup some of the costs involved in that?

suck it down

windows wins again

no optical drive is a little dongs, how are you meant to burn your photo's?

USB key is one option I guess... but they could have at least put in a slot load

Odd, they're the same price as each other in the U.S., All $549.

I'm wondering what the specs are because I know for a fact that the Linux version has better specs.

How is a million units mass market

it wasn't. the call for another 10 was. this was dumped by many disties when the 9" linux model with the 20gigger was announced.

What's more, apparently you'll only be able to get the XP ones in major retailers, and have to go to computer shops for the Linux ones.

huh? (checks work website).. er.. no dude. dunno if Myer sell Linux models though.

Out of curiosity, how do you reinstall the OS on to an EeePC without an optical drive? Does it have native support in the BIOS to recognise USB drives or a bootable recovery partition or something?

the same way you preinstall XP/Vista/Server 2003 from a USB drive?

check out http://forum.eeeuser.com/

The fact that there's a price difference between the linux and windows models in Aus is just more reason to nab one while I'm over there as well.

I have this 'hunch' that the linux ones will change in price again

when are these being sold? and also i dont understand this solid state stuff, can u just put a big 120gb portable usb hdd on it and not really worry about any of that stuff?

http://forum.eeeuser.com/

AMDwindows wins again

oooh it's awn bitch. it's awn. :P






last edited by koopz at 20:51:15 09/May/08

I've got Ubuntu running really well on my EEEPC on a 8Gb SD card, standard Xandros is on the main drive still. This means I can easily switch between them depending what I'm doing. Also upgraded the RAM to 2Gb which made a bit of a difference to speed.

Plenty of people have modded bluetooth, usb hubs, and even 20Gb Ipod hard-drives into them. so they can be modded pretty well. Only real complaint I have is the camera is pretty crappy with bad driver support.

What sort of things do you go back to the default Xandros for? I've been wondering if there's any good stuff in it; from what I've seen there's nothing I could live without or not get working easily in Ubuntu.

it can be handy when I want to do something quickly as it does load heaps quicker than ubuntu does. Also if I want to lend it out to family the default xandros is good.

I'm still wondering why the new Asus X38 motherboards aren't coming out with Xandros SplashGate built into the motherboard as advertised last year :/

I'm sure MS have had nothing to do with that it :/


**edit**

last edited by koopz at 22:04:51 09/May/08

it can be handy when I want to do something quickly as it does load heaps quicker than ubuntu does.

ah yeh ok, fair enough. Surely there's stuff that can be done to make ubuntu load faster?

Are you running regular Ubuntu or Xubuntu?

huh? (checks work website).. er.. no dude. dunno if Myer sell Linux models though.

I hope you're right, and the damage is just limited to Myer. From TFA:

Adding to the impression that Linux is now the poor cousin, the XP version will be sold through "selected retailers" while the Linux machine will be available through "computer resellers". (Translation: No more Linux machines in Myer.)

the EeePC wouldn't have gotten much credit if Myer didn't get behind it in the first place.

I keep thinking I owe someone in the online community a big thank-you for this eh.

the triple e really should have died by now in our pissy little Aussie market, but it's going pretty well.

that said.. who the hell buys the pink one? we've done a lot of them thru work by special order... and it boggles the mind. who other than Paris Hilton is going to walk around the place with a Pink lappy?

that said.. who the hell buys the pink one?

Koopz in case you wondering who the people with long hair and funny bumps on their chest are ... they are called women and the bumps are called boobs

does anyone know when they are being released in australia? Noone seems to have a clue

hamij, the article I linked says the end of May

Yeah - only issue is that I've called many local stores and they havent even heard of it - even though they stock the 701, would just assume that if they were getting it in then, they would at least have heard of it

I'm wondering what the specs are because I know for a fact that the Linux version has better specs.

Specs are exactly the same apart from the Windows version being 12Gb and the Linux version having 20Gb, the idea was to keep the price the same because one model you pay for a bit of extra flash space, the other you pay for a windows license to balance it out, apparently the extra flash is worth more in Australia though.

What's more, apparently you'll only be able to get the XP ones in major retailers, and have to go to computer shops for the Linux ones.

guys, we have the linux one at harvey's