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The year of Linux on the desktop was 2007. That's when netbooks first showed up, and manufacturers put them out with Linux on because an XP license cost so much
by davidgerard 10y ago
The year of Linux on the desktop was 2007. That's when netbooks first showed up, and manufacturers put them out with Linux on because an XP license cost so much relative to the cost of the gadget. This was the first time MS had to treat Linux as an actual direct competitor.
- scholia 10y agoTrue. And Microsoft responded with a ULCPC (Ultra Low Cost PC) version of XP that cost them $11-$16 or so -- which they could easily get back by installing crapware. This left Linux with no cost advantage on parts, or a negative cost advantage, if you added more crapware. The much higher costs of shipping Linux then killed off the Linux netbooks. The higher costs included extra testing and parts qualification, extra shipping and advertising costs, and, in particular, massively increased support costs. (One Linux user support call wiped out the profit margin on multiple sales.)