Netbook on Windows or Linux

The market for netbooks, or mini-notebook, flourishing, according to a new report from the analysis company ABI Research. The company's forecasts suggest that it will be sold nearly 35 million such machines worldwide this year. This is consistent with its predictions in February.

What, however, is more surprisingly, the share of computers shipped with a Linux-based operating system. Microsoft has several times referred to a survey done by analysis company NPD earlier this year, where it is claimed that 96 percent of all netbooks come with Windows. It is nevertheless important to show that NPDs investigation concerns the U.S. market in February this year. There are many indications now that the global picture is quite different.

The report from ABI Research is not freely available, but to Computerworld.com says the author of the report, Jeff Orr, that 32 percent of all netbooks come with Linux, while 68 percent comes with Windows.

That means it will have sold all 11 million Linux-based netbooks this year.

Part of the reason for the conflicting reports may be that a lot of sales of mini laptops (netbook) now happening in other areas. According to Orr on the largest share sale now in Asia and the Pacific region, which also includes Japan, Australia and New Zealand. For many of these customers make up the mini-laptop the only computer they have, while this type of computers generally acts like a number-to-machine for customers in North America and Europe.

- While U.S. customers sometimes seem to have a hate-love relationship with Windows, they have non-US customers less experience with Windows and therefore less confidence, "said Orr.

He also believes that Linux will come to pass Windows on this type of machines by 2013. This is because more and more PC suppliers are considering using ARM-based processors in such machines, rather than Intel's Atom processors. Desktop versions of Windows does not support the ARM architecture, but so does Linux.

Microsoft still has the ability to offer netbook manufacturers the opportunity to license Windows Embedded CE or Windows Mobile, both of which support ARM. The question is whether these stands as a better alternative than Linux. In addition, questions Google in the background with Android and its upcoming Chrome OS.

Computerworld.com writing, however, that Microsoft said in a statement still claim that "93 percent of the world's small notebook running Windows today."

It is currently unclear to what extent the release of Windows 7 will affect the operating system option on the mini laptop. In an article in EE Times, says a representative for the Lenovo that the company has halted sales of Linux-based netbooks due to weak sales. The lack of support for Apple's iTunes must have been a major problem for customers.

Lenovo will focus on Windows 7 on netbooks come, but will also consider the Chrome OS.