In Australia, XP Cheaper Than Linux On Eee 900

KrispyDollars writes "It sounds crazy to say this, but the XP-based version of the Eee PC 900 (the new version with the 8.9" screen) will actually be considerably cheaper than the Linux-based version. At the official launch today, the company told journalists that 'Microsoft has been a longstanding supporter of Asus' to explain the price discrepancy. And — get this — only the XP-based machine will be sold at mass-market retailers, while the Linux-based model will be consigned to computer stores."

Shameless plug for a local by a local

If you live in the East of Melbourne (Australia not Florida), I highly recommend Bitronics. [bitronics.com.au]

I've bought all my stuff from them for well over a decade. They opened a shop when I lived in Bayswater, had doom parties, piles of second hand stuff, kept the local teenagers busy, ect. They become pretty big now and lost a bit of that garage feel but they are still light years ahead of ASUS. I've lived by the beach now for ~3yrs but still browse online and pick it up from the warehouse. Not even sure the same guys own it but they will sell you a naked PC, pre-configured, built to order, pre-installed distro, distro on disc, windows, whaterver your poision,,,err...passion.

I've had problems but I've had them fixed without fuss.

Disclaimer: I've been a proffesional developer for ~20yrs. The only relationship I have with bitronics is as a customer, caveate emptor, shop around, and all that.

As an early adopter of the Eee PC

(the 701 model, to be clear), I have this to say to Asus: I understand what is your level of commitment to Xandros Linux on your computers, so I hope you will be happy of losing one of your customers. And perhaps some 10-20% of other potential customers, too.

The Eee PC was my first step out of the MS upgrade treadmill nightmare, and you want to pull me right back? Sorry, no can do.

Re:As an early adopter of the Eee PC

Oh come on.

"Commitment" to Linux? Are you serious?

ASUS are a for-profit corporation. They're going to do whatever it takes to sell the most computers at the greatest profit. In the case of the Eee, they found that they could sell a computer without windows as long as it was extremely inexpensive.

If Microsoft offers an incentive to bundle Windows with their entry-level laptop, Asus are going to take it, as it adds value to their product. They'd be stupid not to.

Note here that you can still very easily install linux on the Windows machine, and that the Linux model is only $50AUD extra, and includes 8gb extra flash storage (which is probably easily worth the $50 extra to most customers).

It's because ...

... ASUS had to pay SCO the $699 licensing fee, you cock-smoking tea-baggers.

Could this actually be good for linux?

One of the most common reasons cited for not adopting Linux, is that people perceive things that don't cost anything as being worthless...

In this case, the Linux option is more expensive, and demonstrably superior (larger storage, boots quicker, comes with a much wider selection of applications). How many people will consider the extra $50 worth it for a significantly better package?

Also perhaps people might like to buy the cheaper windows version, and then "pirate" linux to get some of the additional features only usually available on the more expensive model?

Linux always cheaper than Windows

When I buy a new system without Windows and install Linux on it, it's cheaper in the long run even if it costs more up front.

I don't have to waste time scanning for malware constantly or defragging my linux box, so I save time.
I don't have to buy additional commercial software and pay for license keys or trust closed binary warezed alternatives.

In the long run, no matter how much you pay in the store, Linux saves you money and time.

And I don't support a convicted monopoly who has a history of criminal activities across the globe.

asus moves toward obscurity

At $600, this is not really such a good laptop. I know it's been mentioned before, but they just lost the impulse buyer. Now it's just another laptop, and really not a very good one. I'd say ok, at $400, but at $600 they have priced themselves out of the game.

Find the holes!!!

Suggested procedure: 1- Buy XP version. 2- Reformat and install Linux. 3- Ask M$ for refund for the unused SO. Q: Which one is cheaper now?

Re:12 GB HDD Vs 20 GB HDD

It's kind of fun in a way. There will be two models: The cheap model for windows users, and the luxury model for linux users :-)

Re:12 GB HDD Vs 20 GB HDD

It's just like Linksys have done with its WRT54G series...

If you want to buy a cheapo WRT54Gv5 version of the wireless router, you get it packed with VxWorks, some kind of crappy and proprietary OS installed in DLink routers. If you want to have a stable and reliable router, you go with the WRT54GL (L for Linux), which is the "deluxe" Linux version.

Re:12 GB HDD Vs 20 GB HDD

I sincerely wouldn't call VxWorks crappy... for instance, it's the only OS to have left the earth, which is something. For one who have worked with VxWorks, I can only say that it is so modular and low-level that the end result is as crappy as you want it to be, but not as VxWorks have made you crap it. You have to admit that Linksys crapped the Linux base version (without hacking) too ;)

Re:12 GB HDD Vs 20 GB HDD

it's the only OS to have left the earth,

Wrong, you fail it



Linux Out of the Real World
July 1st, 1997 by Sebastian Kuzminsky in

        * Industry News

Debian Linux has taken flight aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.

It does show the cost of Windows.

Perhaps, without Microsoft interference, Asus would have a $400 12 GB model and a $500 20 GB model. That would more closely match the US prices and falling hardware prices.

Re:12 GB HDD Vs 20 GB HDD

So the Linux version has 8 GByte of flash disk more and costs $50 more? Even with today's hardware prices, the Linux version seems like the better deal to me.

If only the XP version is available at "mass-market retailers", that is a bit suspicious but understandable. Users with little experience may be better off if a salesperson explains the difference to them. Competent salespersons tend to be rare at supermarkets.

Overall, I don't see much evidence of shady deals here.

Re:12 GB HDD Vs 20 GB HDD

Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head. Asus is protecting themselves by only giving the XP version at superstores. Otherwise, they'd have a bunch of confused users wondering why they can't run iTunes on their new computer.

Re:12 GB HDD Vs 20 GB HDD

Please, don't be one of those guys who preach about open source in a RMS religious zealot style to end users who just want their goddamn iPod to work on their home machine

There are 3 ways to make things "Just Work":

1.(The Apple way) Be able to control everything, from the metal to the display. If you can make everything the way you want it to be, you can make things work by design.

2. (The Microsoft way) Be able to contol everyone, from the hardware manufacturers to the software developers. If you can make everybody make things the way you want them to be, you can make things work by fiat.

3. (The F/OSS way) Be able to know everything, from the hardware registers to the software code. If you know everything about the components you use, you can make things work by hacking.

The reason RMS is so adamant about making things free is because we, as end users, have no other way to make them work for us.

Re:12 GB HDD Vs 20 GB HDD

> I've suspected for quite sometime that Microsoft basically gives away XP & MS Works with Dell computers ... Microsoft doesn't "give." Here's what they did prior to their conviction as a monopolist (from the United States vs Microsoft findings of facts):

Page 29:

One of the ways Microsoft combats piracy is by advising OEMs that they will be charged a higher price for Windows unless they drastically limit the number of PCs that they sell without an operating system pre-installed.

Page 33:

An aspect of Microsoft's pricing behavior that, while not tending to prove monopoly power, is consistent with it is the fact that the firm charges different OEMs different prices for Windows, depending on the degree to which the individual OEMs comply with Microsoft's wishes. Among the five largest OEMs, Gateway and IBM, which in various ways have resisted Microsoft's efforts to enlist them in its efforts to preserve the applications barrier to entry, pay higher prices than Compaq, Dell, and Hewlett-Packard, which have pursued less contentious relationships with Microsoft.

Page 34:

For example, Microsoft attaches to a Windows license conditions that restrict the ability of OEMs to promote software that Microsoft believes could weaken the applications barrier to entry. ... In addition, Microsoft charges a lower price to OEMs who agree to ship all but a minute fraction of their machines with an operating system preinstalled.

I don't know how much has changed since their conviction, but I would assume that, even if they aren't allowed to do exactly that anymore, they've just found workarounds to achieve the same results (as evidenced here).

Of cousrse they're subsidizing

These PCs have nowhere near the power of a full fledged desktop. The EEE scares MS because it showed that Linux could be user friendly, secure, and cheap- at regular OEM prices, a $400 laptop wouldn't be profitable with an $100+ OEM license for Windows and a $30+ license for works.

To keep people using XP, MS is probably giving away (or close to it) the licenses to ASUS. Combined with the fact that the Xandros is a commercial distro that Asus needs to provide updates for and the additional 8GB of space in the Linux version, it's not terribly suprising.

I'm typing this post on an EEE 4G now, and I'm really pleased with the built in Xandros. Lightweight, Word/Excel/PowerPoint compatible, not prone to viruses. If I was in the market for a new EEE for the price difference and the ability to dual boot with no additional cost I'd probably buy the Windows version and put Ubuntu on it. I have a few Windows specific apps still...

Re:Of cousrse they're subsidizing

And my "s" key just broke (hyper sensitive) on my EEE, which is why cousrse is a word. What an excellent testimonial for the product. ;)

Re:How?

It wouldn't be surprising. I worked for Fujitsu Siemens for a while and they got paid by Microsoft to put the "Fujitsu Siemens recommends Windows XP Pro". Depending on where they put it varied the amount of money they got, so they slowly moved it from "high up the page" to "in the header".

It wouldn't surprise me if there was a similar offer here, plus another offer for selling only the Windows Eees in "select retailers".

Re:How?

And thus your purchase will raise the number of "customers who preferred the professional quality of Windows(TM)".

To me, the whole point of the eee is that it finally lets linux and windows have an unbiased competition with the market for judge: people won't just keep windows because it's preinstalled ( except of course taking linux still means "switching" to something less familliar).

If I was australian and wanted to buy one, I'd throw in the extra cash to show that linux users exist as a demographic.

Re:Forget the cost of production

This is very true, but...

It's all about public perception. The Linux machine can't run Windows apps (at least I don't think WINE's included, and WINE's never a good answer to that problem anyway.) Therefore, it's worse in many people's eyes.

So, now, the Linux machine is more expensive, and perceived to be worse.

This is not good if you want Linux to succeed in the marketplace.

A herring incarnadine...

If Linux is better than MS window then surely you won't mind paying more to get it?

Red herring. This isn't about us, it's about Microsoft buying market share.

Re:Awesome! That means a less-expensive Linux mode

A 160GB flash drive is NOT $50.

Re:Linux

IMHO, the biggest reason is to give a clear message that you don't want Windows. People are scrapping their default Windows installs for Linux all the time, but this won't change the huge market share of Windows, which in turn affects hardware and software makers.