When Microsoft presented a beta version of the coming operating system Windows 7 one of the highlights was its relatively low system requirements. Some have asked themselves why Microsoft would care about it, especially since it launched a quite heavy OS in the form of Windows Vista. The reason is spelled netbooks. The market for tiny and cheap budget computers is growing with each day that passes and they all have one thing in common, they can’t run Microsoft’s latest operating system.
Instead of installing Vista, manufacturers have chosen to use Microsoft’s older and less demanding Windows XP. Or even worse, for Microsoft, resource efficient Linux-based operating systems.
“Netbooks mark a new threat to Microsoft. As netbooks grow in popularity at the expense of full-performance PCs, the company can’t sell full-priced copies of its operating system as fast as it previously had. It also doesn’t have the same penetration in the fast-growing netbook market as it does with other machines. Earlier this week, Microsoft’s Windows chief Bill Veghte said about 70% of netbooks come bundled with a copy of Microsoft Windows, much lower than the roughly 90% share Microsoft has for the wider computer market.”
With each sold netbook Microsoft has lost a potential Vista user, which does not fit with the software developer’s economical plan. According to DowJones, the netbook success is starting to tear on Microsoft’s calculated income and it is hardly a coincidence that Windows 7 was demonstrated on a netbook a few weeks ago. An operating system that has been pushed forward for some odd reason…
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