Asus expects Windows Eee PC to outsell Linux counterpart 6 to 4
By Donald Melanson 
posted Mar 13th 2008 2:29PM
posted Mar 13th 2008 2:29PM
Asus has never been one to shy away from making from making bold predications about it's fast-selling Eee PC, and it's now come out with yet another feat of prognostication, saying that it expects it's forthcoming Windows-based Eee PC to outsell its Linux-based counterpart by a ratio of 6 to 4. As PC World points out, that's despite the fact that the Windows version will cost nearly twice as much as the cheapest Linux-based Eee PC. Asus chairman Jonney Shih seems undaunted by that fact, however, and assures us that "a lot of people have been waiting for the Windows version."
Why not say 3 to 2 instead of 6 to 4? Just saying guys. : )
my thoughts exactly as I read that title.
Haha I think those were everyones thoughts right when they saw that.
Maybe they're taking a cue from widescreen monitors. 16:10?
Or it's a marketing thing, where people evidently love everything in tens: 8 out of 10 dentists recommend blahblahblah...
Yup. Count me in on this one. Ouch.
@Seoultrain
16:9 widescreen
I was coming to say the same thing... outselling 36 to 24!
Since they've already disregarded the least common denominator why not go for gold and just say "6000000 to 4000000"
I'm perfectly fine with 1.5:1, actually i'm thinking 0.75:0.5 is even better. Maybe a fractional ratio of 3/4:1/2 ...
(You get the idea)
@Tom: 16:10.
thanks, andrew.
widescreen monitors are 16:10
widescreen TVs are 16:9
don't ask me why.
I actually prefer 9,000:6,000...
Not to mention the wrong "its".
Perhaps they wanted to say that they are going to sell 1.5 times more XP versions than the Linux version???
What's even better is that the article linked says that this 6:4 ratio could mean they would sell 3 million Windows machines to 2 million Linux machines. There's a 3 and a 2 in the predicted numbers, but they find a way to get a 6 and a 4 out of them. Amazing.
640:480
: P
6 to 4 sounds bigger and more impressive I suppose.
As for why 16:10 - It is closed to the golden ration than 16:9.
I think the Chinese in Taiwan typically say % in increments of 10. This is typified if you ever go to a store and see how they show their discounts on a store sign
moniters are 16:10 to allow for a toolbar or controls on the bottom.
moniters are 16:10 to allow for a toolbar or controls on the bottom.
Maybe 3 to 2 was busy.
But seriously guys, Lay off Engadget. It could be that they were quoting the press release or whoever made that comment.
1.5 to 1 even :p
2sin(⅓π)²:-e^(iπ)
Hah, that was my first thought too.
Abuzar,
I was only being rediculous like everyone else, (if you could read you'd probably have noticed that as well). Sure I took it futher than some others but do you have to be such a tightass, i'm sure that your inner-ubergeek just can't stand it that your calculator can't compute a fractional ratio.
Quit being a tightass and have a little fun.
;)
25?
Or 6 to 4?
Chicago or EWF fan, I guess.
6^1024892 to 4^29587
wouldn't a ratio of 6 to 4 be... 3:2?
yeah sometimes math slips even the best blogs - but i think 6:4 sounds more impressive than 3:2
- http://www.stompergames.com
can you not just buy a linux version and throw XP on it?
Legally?
How can it be illegal to replace Linux with XP? I mean as long as you OWN a legal copy of XP at least.
That's just it. How many people THINK they legally own their copy? If it came with your computer (OEM), you don't OWN anything except the hardware and transferring the license to a new PC is illegal. If it actually bought a retail version, you can install it as long as you don't have it installed on another PC. (Though, I know absolutely zero people that actually bought a retail copy.) Just saying.
My XP says at install 'copyright 2001-2005' and it's 2008, so it musta expired :)
Plus MS claims vista is the real thing so surely they don't care anymore about XP?
I was in Tokyo a week ago. All they sold were EeePC's with XP installed. The Linux versions where nowhere to be found. They were 50000\, about 315 euro or $497. Damn that dollar is low these days.
And while we're on the subject. You technically don't OWN any copy of Windows. If you did, you'd be able to do with it whatever you wanted (Decompile, copy, share, etc.) You are simply paying for the ability to use it on Microsoft's terms:
OEM terms = one computer only, the one it came with. (This is why many new PCs have their license numbers glued to the side as well as not having a CD hard copy.)
Retail terms = one computer at a time.
Most people bashing Vista seem to be into buying retail seeing as they quote $400 for Ultimate.
Andir 3.0. There is nothing 'illegal' about transferring an OEM copy of Windows from machine to another. All you have done is breach the licensing agreement. This would be a civil matter and not a criminal matter, and therefore it isn't illegal.
As for the EULA, it isn't worth the paper its printed on. I couldn't honestly see a judge getting too upset about you being in breach of the EULA if you removed the OS from the original machine as well, could you?
"Can you not just buy a linux version and throw XP on it?"
Yes, and many have. Legal versions at that.
The eeePC is simply a subnotebook and, like any computer with the right specs, can accommodate another OS with the correct drivers.
As many have discovered - and not just XP on the eee, either.
@ Wwhat
copyright 2001-2005 is when they applied for copyright on the code that makes up windows. That copyright is valid for 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever is shorter.
whahahah they can't simplify whahah but they can make good computers I loooove my eee pc
I'll wait until they predict it outselling 12 to 8, then it will really be good...
I think it will outsell closer to 102 to 68
Maybe they're only going to sell 10 total?
I just installed OS X on mine...
how's that working for you? details?
can you do that?
OSx86 project I guess.
I thought the point of having EeePC's was to have a low priced, ultraportable !?!
f this thing costs twice as much wouldn't it be simpler to buy one of Acer's (or HP's) laptops?
It doesn't cost twice as much, the article is misleading. They're assuming that XP will only come on the high end model with a 9" screen and 12gb SSD which costs $600. The lowest end model comes with Linux, a 7" screen and a 2gb SSD and costs $300. That's where they're getting their misleading 2:1 price figure. More likely the XP version will only cost about $50 more than a similarly configured Linux eee PC.
For an extra $50 a lot of people will choose the XP machine simply because of the support, familiarity, and larger amount of compatible software.
I love the engadget readers. I come here to point out that it should be 3 to 2, only to find that everyone else is posting the same thing :-)
You know guys, its pretty annoying reading a post, thinking of a comment and then seeing that pretty much everyone else has beaten me to it. Damn you all! I wanted to seem like the funny one
It's OK, you have the wit, you just need to get some speed practice with a few FIRST!!!!!! posts. It's what everyone does.
Their ability to simplify fractions expected to be 10/15ths of 2007 value.
This is why i have may xp keys! Just need to find them all.
Sorry many*
I just hope Asus remembers what made the Eee PC so successful in the first place. Low price being the main factor here.
Well yeah but now the EEE has its own momentum apart from that and people don't know any more why they want it so much, plus it's true that it's nice and compact and reliably old-fashioned without being 'dated'.
I want OS X Leopard on my new EEE PC
http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2007/11/12654/
Until Apple loosens their grip on OS X, or you find a healthy torrent, don't hold your breath.
No one's really looking forward to the Windows version unless the cost of Windows on it will be significantly cheaper than buying Windows elsewhere. Anyone who wants to put XP on their Eee has the knowledge to do it themselves so I'm guessing the Windows version will have a very limited portion of the sales.
Whooh! Thank heavens that you're here to completely contradict the words of the company itself. What do THEY know?
Go to eeeuser.com where most of the Eee community discusses things. There's a poll running on what OS people are using, and XP is roughly 30% last time I checked. The whole point behind the Eee is that it's cheap - Windows really hurts that cheap-ness when it's 1/3 the price of the whole computer. Most people just use the Eee for basic browsing and text editing, which the included Xandros (or any Linux) handles just fine. The people installing Windows are those who want to mess around with games or need specific application, which is not what the target audience of the Eee needs.
The "all-knowing" company is releasing a windows version largely to make Microsoft happy (they are supposedly working on a low-cost version of Windows just for machines like these), and for the few people that want a copy of XP preinstalled. However, they are limiting it to the 8GB model for now, which is one of the lower models of the new generation, showing that they aren't expecting to sell most of their machines with Windows.
Or......
What about the thousands of users who aren't logging into eeeuser. Yes the community is huge and the wealth of information to be found there is impressive but to be frank its full of us geeks who care about their gadgets and want to improve them in some way or another.
The average user will never know the site exists. the average user is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE YOU. it's not aimed at us!. its aimed at the not exactly computer litterates of the world. remember they sold them in TOYS_R_US.
Would you ever buy yourself a new computer from toysRus---- NO.
With preinstalled windows, the average joe blogs will be far happier parting with their cash as when they see linux they have no idea and instead of investigating they shy away and get the one with windows. this is the way it has allways been and will be for the forseeable.
Remember you are an engadget reader not a 'tard!
Ah! And I thought it was about to outsell 72964444 to 48642962. Silly me.
hehe.. yea... its all about nlite and a custom XP install.. :)
got my Eeee PC 4G w/XP Prof (lited) w/Offce 07 running off my Transcend 16GB Class 6 SDHC.
can watch tv on it via locationfree tv client and my base unit
netflix videos on demand works great too!!
i love my Eee!!!
"i love my eee"
thats starting to sound like a catch phrase. how many times have i heard that now..
It will be selling 1.5 to 1.
A 0.5 installation of Windoze will be one half as fast. In other words it will be "half fast."
(Pronounce "half fast" quickly and you'll get my meaning.)
I couldn't find a release date on this...
WHEN??????
XP on an Eee just seems a bit pointless. Or maybe dumbed down might be a better term. Either way, it just won't seem as neat a gadget any longer.
Screw windows. I'm sticking to Linux, I just want to beat the resolution of the old one and be able to scroll through web pages in comfort.
im still looking for a store that has them in stock so i can play with one before i buy?
It really makes me happy that everyone commented on the lack of using the lowest common denominator
If I had a use for an Ultra-Portable I'd definitely buy one of the new 9" ones without windows. Ubuntu runs great on my NC8230 and I'm sure it'd run great on an EEE especially with that nice 12gb SSD and 2gb of RAM. Who knows, maybe I'll use my "free" guv'ment check in May if they're released by then. Have anything been mentioned about the iMacesque EEE desktop that was mentioned a couple of months ago?
I'll be getting the new 900 with the 8.9 inch screen, 1024*600 resolution and min 8 GB storage, but if I have a choice of Xandros of XP I'll choose Xandros and install XP myself since it'll be cheaper. Only reason I want it is because it's tiny and light. My 17" laptop is about as portable as a grand piano.
Interesting to see them shipping XP Home. Given that XP is only suppose to be available until June I wonder how well they will run with Vista after that.... and what the ratio will be then :-)
2∙sin(⅓∙π)^2:-e^(i∙π)
Considering the Linux version has a larger HDD I would doubt this. Personally I'll be getting one and without the Windows tax thank you very much.
hah don't you mean 3 to .... oh someone already made that joke. Over and over and over. I need to spend more of my time refreshing engadget i guess if i want to make that kind of a homerun zinger.
Well if it's gonna cost twice as much then FXXK it, just to have windows running?
Only consider the windows version if the specs are twice the current EEE other wise its a no go.
Low cost and ultra portability..the Eee's main attraction..else would be looking at Acer's or Macbook..guess many of us share the same sentiments!
If it were a mac it would cost 6 times as much and be 4 times as big. Just like if it has Windows on it Asus will only make $6 for every $4 that MS makes on it.
Looks so much better with the larger screen... Might pick up the cheapest one and install Vista on it.