The week in your words: Microsoft seige, Linux fightback and ants

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Posted on 16 May 2008 at 16:59

In a week that saw Microsoft lay siege to low-cost laptops, Linux launch the fight back and ants eat Houston, we take a look back to see what our readers have made of it all.

Microsoft to slash price of XP for low-cost laptops

This week saw Microsoft declare war on the low-cost laptop market with the sort of all-out assault which would have sent Ghengis Kahn scurrying back to his ger, feigning back problems and complaining of a headache.

It began with Microsoft hacking chunks off the price of XP on cheap laptops, and ended among the rain, mud and carnage of OLPC field, where finally, inevitably, the XO laptop bowed its proud head and accepted dominion under Windows.

"It's clearly an attempt to kill off the OLPC project, and any other project using Linux as the operating system," reports UN envoy SwissMac. "The problem is that direct comparisons of the Linux and Windows machines clearly show Linux boxes are superior, easier to use, with better use of resources and more programs available to do more useful things with."

Richard Neil could also be heard muttering darkly: "I think it is a mistake for Microsoft in the longer run. The operating system it's putting on will be hobbled and slow and it's an operating system it's determined to otherwise kill off. The arguments by 'customers' about the value of an MS OS on the machine is close to nonsense."

At least milliganp found a bright spot in the carnage: "It's very cheap and probably competitive with the cost to a low-end PC maker of having to provide Linux support. It's also nice to see that Microsoft thinks XP has a future!"

Asus deploys Linux on motherboards

However, no sooner had Microsoft cracked open the jubbly and made eyes at the waitress than Linux launched a devastating counter attack, infiltrating every one of Asus' motherboards with the open-source Splashtop operating system. It was swift and bloody revenge, and widely applauded by our (nowhere near) impartial observers.

"This really could do Linux the favour and [give it the] all important boost it needs right now," says resident strategist nicomo. "Microsoft must be 'quite' irritated, if not annoyed and this could explain why it has recently announced cut price licences for XP for low end or budget laptops. Go Linux."

And here comes greemble with a bag of salt and an eye for a gaping wound: "OK, Bill - let's see you get Windows XP small enough to compete with this."

"Welcome to the launch of Windows 8 Retro for Quick Booting, code name MSDOS 10," concludes jamesyld.

Houston, we've got a problem: PC-eating ants

And on to a battle of an entirely different sort. It appears ants have declared war on Houston, beginning with its electrics - which they're chomping through with the same enthusiasm a panda brings to extinction.

The news had our forum members digging out their long-neglected copies of The Penguin Book of First Insects for ant-related facts. Take this gem from nvj1662: