One of the more surreal moments at this week's Computex show in Taipei must have been a chat during which Microsoft's OEM boss laid down the law. Steve Guggenheimer, a friend of long standing, told the crowd that netbooks don’t really exist.
If anybody can pull this off, he's the guy. A much-traveled and well-liked Microsoft exec, Guggs now has the job of protecting Microsoft's longest-lived cash cow, the revenue it gets from selling operating systems to hardware vendors for delivery with new PCs.
Microsoft has been toying with how to charge for Windows 7 on netbooks in a way that protects the Golden Goose (Windows hardware sales) without killing the newest brood of Goslings (netbooks).
As much as Microsoft wants more netbook revenue--as close to "real notebook" OS prices as it can get--it can't risk putting too much of a crimp in netbook sales by raising the reported $15-a-machine it gets for Windows XP.
Increase the price for Windows netbooks very much and Microsoft potentially gives an unintended push to non-Windows netbooks, meaning Android more than Linux.
What's a Microsoft lifer supposed to do? Give a speech! And as for its content, there are two ways things can go:
If Microsoft Wants to Rename Netbooks, How About Something Bingy? - Business Center - PC World
Good old Microsoft. That's right, netbooks no longer exist; it's official.
~Lordbob