And every other Ultra Lowcost Mobile PC (ULMPC)…
Microsoft’s been pushing hard for det vendors, Asus, HP and others, to preinstall a crippled XP-version, instead of Linux.
And I’m afraid to say, they seem to be succesfull.
Bugger !!!!
Microsoft is offering a special version of the Windows XP, at a “Special Price for You” to the vendors…
But only on certain terms !!!
Some of the terms are, that Microsoft cripples the hardware on those little PC’s, so as they wont begin to compete with the Vista market.
If ULMPC’s became powerfull enough to compete directly with ordinary PC’s, capable of running Vista…, and are preinstalled with Linux…, “Microsoft Don’t Like” !
These are some of the terms, set by Microsoft:
Screensize to be limited to 10.2″.
- Not really that much of a problem, because the ULMPC’s have to be small anyway…
But if foldable screens was to become an option, why then decide on limitations ?
Why any limitations at all ?
No touchscreen.
- Piss of Microsoft, and leave innovation to the vendors.
The ULMPC’s are perfect for touchscreen, so this is a clear evidence, that Microsoft just want’s to kill every one of them.
But it’s not gonna help with Windows 7 !!!
Microsoft’s real fear is, that it’s gonna be evident, that Microsoft didn’t invent (multi)touch technology, if the Linux based ULMPC’s incoorporate it already.
Harddrives limited to max. 80 GB.
- Doooh…, why ???
Microsoft stupidity, again.
In two years, its gonna be hard finding a HD that small…
And if Microsoft want’s XP to cramp the space on a HD, then it’s like shooting themselves in there big (clay) feet…
1 GB RAM – memory !
- Again, this is only to aggravate the customers…, and to prevent the ULMPC’s from stealing Vista – marketshares.
RAM has to be expandable on a ULMPC, as every other PC !
CPU speed, max. 1 GHz !
- Like I said above !
Luckily CPU’s move ahead faster than Microsoft…
And then there are exeptions from those demands for certain vendors, if you belong to the “Microsoft friend-club”.
Those demands only shows, that Microsft has turned in to a dinosaur.
Driving technologi and innovation ahead in a multitude of directions, is not nearly as important as the greed for Dollars !!!
Microsoft has turned into a parasite on innovation and freedom in this world.
What else is in the “Special Price for You”-package ?
Nobody know’s, but we are talking Microsoft, so it’s most likely linked up with all other Microsoft products, leaving the vendors no choise but to install the crippled XP on the ULMPC’s, if they don’t wanna be forced to pay Microsoft countless millions of dollars.
I have an idea’, that the Microsoft aggreement is, that Microsoft is to get $, no matter what OS is on a sold ULMPC.
Microsoft might be lucky in stopping those pesky little PC’s, but every one else, you and I, will be loosers in this !
Microsoft dosn’t do this because they truely believe, that XP and Vista are the best thing that has happened to humanity ever.
They do it, cause’ they want…, not a piece of the cake, but the hole cake, from all those millions of ULMPC’s sold out there…
Since Microsoft can’t change that they have created a Monster OS in Vista, that only runs on power-consuming and expensive hardware (Green company profile ??? NOT!!!), they have to tweak XP and use it to do the fighting on the ULMPC battlefield.
And kill Linux in the same offensive, witch could very well happen, if the Linux community is not aware of the danger.
Microsoft prepares a Linux assault !
Some time ago, Microsoft tried to intimidate the Linux world, with the company-armada of lawyers they have.
And somehow they succeded in forcing some of the Linux company’s to sign an aggrement.
Nobody know’s what’s in it !!!
Microsoft want’s it to be kept in the dark shadows of secrecy.
The main point was something about Intellectual Propperty’s, but if those company’s really did violate something, why did Microsoft choose to be satisfied when those aggements was signed ?
Why not take it further ?
I know that Red Hat signed and that Xandros (the eeePC OS) signed, but what about all those that didn’t just bend-over to Microsofts claims and demands ?
Apparantly Microsoft have chosen not to persue the case of the IP’s further, which shows that they didn’t really have much of a case.
A case that could only be investigatet completely, if Microsoft would be willing to let a neutral party do sourcecode comparising.
“Microsoft Dont Like!”
I really hope that Canonical (Ubuntu) have prepared for this, the day that Microsoft launches there full broadside attack on them.
The signed aggrements between the Linux companies and Microsoft runs to 2011, so most likely Microsoft will role out the canons a year in advance…
Just you wait and see.
Microsoft seeks domination in a scaringly fascist/communist way.
“There can be only One!!!”
Even though Microsoft definitely has it in for Linux and open source, I think these stipulations mainly have to do with XP v. Vista. They don’t want XP computers to compete against Vista computers in the marketplace, because they know Vista will lose.
By: ubuntucat on June 4, 2008
at 5:50 pm
Sure they don’t want XP and Vista fighting each other.
As you say, XP would most likely win!
But I’m convinced that they a preparing an assault on Linux (primarily Ubuntu).
Last time Mark didn’t surrender !
With millions of little Linux based Internet PC’s spreading, Microsoft fears, that people might write of Windows on their other pc’s, once they’ve had “The Ubuntu Xperience” (or any other Linux).
Every pc with Linux on it, is presenting a threat to the Microsoft worldwide domination.
Competition between XP and Vista was supposed to end soon, but Microsoft changed attitude, regarding the termination of XP, only because of the huge amount of small Linux pc’s being sold.
What happened, as a surprise to Microsoft, with the ULMPC’s, was an eye-opener to Microsoft.
And Microsoft always fight’s on more than one front, so the XP initiative will not stand alone.
By: BlogPingo on June 4, 2008
at 6:15 pm
Just want to point out some factual errors.
The three most successful UMPCs at the moment are the Cloudbook, the EeePC and the HP 2133. All of them run Linux. To say that Microsoft have displaced Linux on these PCs is plain wrong. Microsoft have managed to convince vendors to offer MS operating systems on their UMPCs but not at the cost of Linux.
HP, for example, offer SUSE Linux on their 2133 at £300 and Vista Business at £350. So the price advantage is still with Linux distros.
Also, you mentioned that RedHat capitulated with MS. Again wrong. It was Novell who signed a licence agreement for SUSE. RedHat told MS where to go.
By: Mark Roberts-Barter on August 9, 2008
at 6:19 pm
Oh, and in case it is not obvious from my previous post:
HP are shipping Vista not XP with their UMPC. Don’t know where you get your industry news from.
By: Mark Roberts-Barter on August 9, 2008
at 6:25 pm
Well I’m sorry I got RedHat mixed up with Novell.
If you wanna know a little about the Novell agreement with Microsoft:
http://www.novell.com/news/press/novell_outlines_details_of_agreement_with_microsoft
By: BlogPingo on August 10, 2008
at 10:03 am
HP is properly the only one with Vista…
And that was not so, at the time of posting !!!
And it’s only for the Top-model !
That shipping with Vista is beginning, only shows that I’m right!
Microsoft works on pushing Linux out !
The mentioned UMPC ship with Linux, yes… But there is also an option for XP !
they only have the XP’s, because “It’s what people want !”.
(Cloudbook ??? Is it sold anywhere else than in UK???)
And the shops (The Mart – ones, where most people buy their computer stuff…
Meaning, that it’s the only thing that the Mart-people knows about…
The prizing advantage is on the Linux side. But thats unfortunately not enough !
If prizing was a matter, Windows wouldn’t be around !
You also get a hardware advantage with Linux, but the XP versions are still being sold. And increasingly so…
I don’t see any signs, that Linux is gaining on MS, but I do see MS muscle their way in to the UMPC market.
I don’t think that you’r comment really connects with what I wrote in my post.
I’m stating, not that Windows have replaced Linux on UMPC’s, but that there is a real danger, that it will happen.
As long as Windows get’s shipped default with almost every “normal” pc, there is no way to stop the technology and innovation – killing MS dominans.
And because Windows is default on people’s primary pc, they want it on the UMPC also.
A worldwide ban of preinstalled OS’s is the only way ahead !
By: blogpingo on August 10, 2008
at 10:23 am
Where did ANYWHERE indicate that Red Hat signed ANYTHING with Microsoft? They, to the best of my knowledge, have signed no agreement, etc. indicating that the patent crap MS keeps spouting off on is at all VALID. Xandros has signed one of those silly deals. Novell has. That’s pretty much it.
By: Frank Earl on November 8, 2008
at 8:14 pm