Canonical: Linux isn't dead on netbooks

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 9 Apr 2009 at 17:50

Ubuntu distributor Canonical has attacked Microsoft's claims that Windows is now the dominant force on netbooks as "absolute nonsense".

Microsoft claimed victory in the netbook market earlier this week, reporting that 96% of netbooks sold in the US now come with Windows.

The software giant also claimed return rates of Linux netbooks were four times higher than Windows, citing Canonical itself as a source.

Speaking exclusively to PC Pro this afternoon, Canonical's head of platform marketing Gerry Carr has rubbished Microsoft's claims.

"There's no evidence that we or anyone can point to of higher return rates on Linux versus XP," he said. "There is some evidence of poorly engineered products where there was little thought given to the operating system put on there... of higher return rates in some circumstances."

"We certainly refute the implication there's an industry-wide problem of high Linux return rates."

Carr also dismissed Microsoft's claims of sales dominance, pointing out that the 96% figure related only to US retail stores. "At bricks and mortar retail, Microsoft has got a very strong stranglehold on the distribution of machines into that market. Online is a different story," he claimed. "Dell has said 30% of its machines are shipping with Ubuntu."

Retailer ignorance

Carr claims that retailers rarely offer consumers the choice of Linux machines. And even when they do, poorly trained staff would advise customers to stick with what they know - Windows.

"It's obviously a problem. In retail and mainstream computing it's new. We get asked by Toshiba and HP about how we're going to solve that. There is a collective will to resolve it, we're not there yet. We're producing materials, we'll try and turn people around."

"Conversely, if you get that guy in a store who is in fact a geek, this is manna from heaven. There are quite a few in those organisations, and it can work in your favour."

Ulterior motive

Carr argues that Microsoft's impromptu attack on Linux is motivated by the forthcoming launch of Windows 7.

"It really is the case that Microsoft wants to clear the ground for Windows 7, it wants to be able to charge its usual premium for licences, and it's pretty difficult for Microsoft to do that with Ubuntu in the market," he said.

"We really are at the beginning of this. Any notion that it's over, any notion that Windows has won, or any notion that the game has been fought and now it's going to be businesses as usual is absolute nonsense."

"What people really need is competition and innovation, and they need a choice of operating systems to get that. I think it's going to be a very healthy battle."

Ubuntu's Netbook Remix - a version of the OS dedicated to the low-powered laptops - will be available for download from 23 April.