Posted 07/02/2009 at 09:19:02am

There should have been a security category as well. Windows obligates you to a fairly high level of defensive computing. There are plenty of free applications to do the job but it adds a fair bit of overhead  when you're comparing speed and performance.

 It's in this area I feel that a non-standard OS picks up some points.  And it's one of the main reasons I removed XP from my Acer and went with Ubuntu.

 Also, I'm not a fan of the Netbook remix interface. The OS tweaks are useful, but the interface isn't.

 Ubuntu isn't all glory. There are problems with recogntion and hotswapping of SD cards and some minor video problems.  Windows device drivers are more robust and battery efficient. 

 So there are some important features in the various OSes that were ignored. 

Posted 04/08/2009 at 09:09:54am

On the issue of strong vs b it's about structure/function vs look. Ideally, you want your text to have structural tagging/markup and the CSS handles the look and layout based on the tagging. So B just makes it bold. Using strong your CSS sheet can change how it looks in simple ways throughout the document. So you can change your layout and look for a whole site just by editing the strong definition your CSS.

<p>Similarly, you can have your CSS sheet apply layout to different bits of text drawn from a database for a dynamic page but will look cohesive as the CSS interprets the structure of the different bits of text by applying consistent layout based on the tagging. Or the samebits of text can be loaded by a different request and a different CSS applied for still another look and feel. It gives your content portability and reuse

Posted 04/05/2009 at 05:50:36pm

Tom-Tom in retaliation had also sued MS over some patents MS was misusing. In this settlement, MS is also conceding to TomTom's claims. It's far from one-sided.

Posted 04/05/2009 at 03:21:10pm

It offers no credibility in their claims on the linux kernel. A settlement doesn't set a precedent. It merely shows it was more economic to pay a settlement fee than continue the battle. We don't know how low the fee may have been either. It could just as easily mean Microsoft was scared of exposing a shaky claim in court and that settlement lets them continue spreading FUD.

Posted 02/08/2009 at 04:22:49pm

There are fora devoted to each of the netbook brands that have sub sections on linux and its various flavors being used on that netbook. Some specialty flavors of linux are in open source development for specific brands such as kuki (pronounced cookie--hey it's a foreign team in Montenegro), a flavor of ubuntu for the Acer Aspire. Those boards are your boot camp and answer many of the questions and issues you would face with linux.

 To me, linux seems a natural for the netbook. Efficient OS for low horsepower systems, inexpensive to keep costs down and very secure. The security means less overhead needed for all the bloatware to combat the malware that Windows faces. And for the malware that will affect linux, there are compact simple solutions. Adblock plus and NoScript for Firefox make surfing clean and quite safe for smart surfing.

It's the perfect convergence of low cost and good productivity.  Good too for portable media entertaining.

 From what I've read, the weak point of linux on netbooks is power management isn't as good. That's a problem, but it's quickly improving with incremental solutions coming out all the time. 

Posted 01/23/2009 at 09:19:30pm

Netbooks are a good idea but I'm waiting for the next revision.   Some more horses under the hood, improved graphics, more ports and this seems to be the ideal form factor for the Tablet idea to finally go somewhere.  And why do so many neglect n class WAN. A couple more engineering and production cycles and the netbook will be ready to really rock.

Posted 11/25/2008 at 03:22:09pm

The industry is not just those making money from a particular business model. The hobbyist-ware and freebies ARE part of the industry. If one particuarl business model is hurt by free or open software, that doesn't mean the industry as a whole is hurt. The view of the article is too constrained on a limited part of the industry.

Posted 11/03/2008 at 06:43:51pm

I see etailers following along. The large hard plastic pack was partially about shoplifting control where etailers shouldn't have the same problem. Brick and mortar will still need the protection this packaging offers.

Posted 07/04/2008 at 01:32:47pm

Benson would have to be Apollo for that episode of Startrek where Apollo holds the Enterprise with the big disembodied hand. And if you have an Apollo, well you just gotta have a Starbuck (reed)

Posted 03/28/2008 at 01:39:29pm

Wouldn't that much RAM on a video card would devour the system ram leaving too little to play most games? Assuming a 32 bit OS. Seems self defeating in the market at this time.