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So, there’s this “netbook” craze that’s been picking up steam for the past two years or so.  Initially, the only offerings ran Linux, as it required less powerful hardware and cost the OEM absolutely nothing.  It didn’t take long for more powerful hardware to start creeping in to these little machines, and Microsoft responded by selling Windows XP to the OEMs for $15 a license (cost to me and you: roughly $40 – more than reasonable, in my opinion).  With their foot securely within the door of the netbook sector, you’d think they’d be content to leave it at that and “compete” honestly, right?  Guess again!

As people began to desire larger screens and faster HDD access times, the old 800 pound gorilla decided to throw its weight around by establishing guidelines for the maximum netbook specifications that will be allowed to include Windows (Engadget).  Did you click that link?  Did you notice that multiple-core chips are forbidden?  Did you notice how you can (for now, at least) get Windows XP Home on a netbook with a 12 inch screen?  Did you also notice that you can only get Windows 7 Starter/Home Basic on a netbook with a screen no larger than 10.2 inches?  See, if you want to purchase a netbook that they deem to be powerful enough, they will insist that you also pay for a more powerful (and more expensive) version of Windows 7.

Sadly, that’s still not enough for Microsoft.  They’ve gone one further step to insist that netbooks must not feature hybrid storage (bit-tech.net).  They announce this little gem, of course, after the fact that MSI released just such a netbook (Engadget).  “What are the benefits of this hybrid storage,” you ask?  Why, improved performance and battery life!  Here’s a quick recap of what happened…

1. Microsoft releases their “Netbooks with Windows” (or whatever they call it) guidelines
2. MSI and many other OEMs said “OK”
3. MSI releases the U115 with hybrid storage
4. Microsoft says “Um, that’s not cool.  Guidelines updated.  Get those things off of store shelves by the end of June.”
5. Retailers begin pulling MSI U115’s

We the people are losers here, because we now have fewer choices to consider when purchasing a netbook.  Microsoft is a loser here, because they’ve gotten their own product (Windows XP Home) pulled from store shelves prior to the release of Windows 7.  Real smart, guys.  MSI is the biggest loser here, though, because they’ve now got to do something with all of these netbooks and Windows XP Home licenses.  Nobody wins here.

We CAN win though, if we wait around until September/October for the smartbooks.  Why they keep coming up with these new terms, I’ll never know.  Someone’s marketing department needs to be smacked into submission.  What’s a smartbook, you ask?  It’s a laptop that runs on ARM processors and makes use of Google’s Andoid OS or some Linux distribution (I understand that Ubuntu, Ubuntu Netbook Remix and Xandros are popular among OEMs).  At the recent Computex show in Taipei, NVIDIA unveiled several such laptops that will retail from $150 to $200 and are capable of playing 1080p HD content through HDMI-out for 10 consecutive hours on a single battery charge.  Good luck doing that for more than three hours with any Intel-based laptop!

MSI should definately get into talks with NVIDIA about reselling this platform, just to stick it to Microsoft.  Consumers and OEMs alike have to send the message to Microsoft, loud and clear: “We’re through with your shit, and we’re going to move on to better, more affordable things.”  The only catch is that you’ve got to say goodbye to X86 and Windows (don’t hold your breath on MS porting Windows to ARM anytime soon).  I can do that just fine, and you can too.

UPDATE – Not too long after I posted this, I noticed NetbookClub posting a link (via twitter) to The Next Web’s “Microsoft is Hell-Bent on Killing the Netbook.” Check it out for another insightful take on Microsoft’s anti-competitive shenanigans.