Robin Harris wrote a good blog today at zdnet.com, noting that Microsoft announced “Extended Availability of Windows XP Home for ULCPCs”. Vista is turning out to be a bit of a calamity for Microsoft.
Robin puts it perfectly:
Microsoft’s Vista is a slow-motion disaster. Bloated and inflexible, expensive and late, Vista is a continuing drag on Microsoft’s business flexibility.
Microsoft’s monopoly seems to have created attitudes not only about the software and distribution methods, but about cost as well. As Robin notes, hardware prices are far below what they were 25-30 years ago, but Microsoft’s OEM pricing ($50) won’t work on an inexpensive machine. PCs like the Eee are $400 or less, with display and a 4GB flash drive. $200 machines are coming. You may not use them, I may not, but for schools, 3rd world countries, they will sell like crazy. Does it make sense to sell the OS for $50 on a $200 machine? I don’t think so.
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