Asus expects Windows Eee PC to outsell Linux counterpart 6 to 4

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."

[Kamall @ Mar 13th 2008 2:31PM]

Why not say 3 to 2 instead of 6 to 4? Just saying guys. : )

[John @ Mar 13th 2008 2:32PM]

my thoughts exactly as I read that title.

[Curtis the Claw: Brawl Code 1075-0441-3284 @ Mar 13th 2008 2:44PM]

Haha I think those were everyones thoughts right when they saw that.

[Seoultrain @ Mar 13th 2008 2:45PM]

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...

[David Vogt @ Mar 13th 2008 2:52PM]

Yup. Count me in on this one. Ouch.

[tom @ Mar 13th 2008 2:56PM]

@Seoultrain

16:9 widescreen

[brendan @ Mar 13th 2008 2:59PM]

I was coming to say the same thing... outselling 36 to 24!

[Aaron @ Mar 13th 2008 3:03PM]

Since they've already disregarded the least common denominator why not go for gold and just say "6000000 to 4000000"

[Brian @ Mar 13th 2008 3:08PM]

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)

[Andrew @ Mar 13th 2008 3:13PM]

@Tom: 16:10.

[Seoultrain @ Mar 13th 2008 3:27PM]

thanks, andrew.

widescreen monitors are 16:10
widescreen TVs are 16:9

don't ask me why.

[CraigJ @ Mar 13th 2008 3:57PM]

I actually prefer 9,000:6,000...

[Dave Skaggs @ Mar 13th 2008 3:59PM]

Not to mention the wrong "its".

[Mike @ Mar 13th 2008 4:03PM]

Perhaps they wanted to say that they are going to sell 1.5 times more XP versions than the Linux version???

[mac @ Mar 13th 2008 4:03PM]

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.

[Obvious @ Mar 13th 2008 4:33PM]

640:480

: P

[Cal @ Mar 13th 2008 4:39PM]

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.

[Victor @ Mar 13th 2008 5:26PM]

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

[Andrew @ Mar 13th 2008 5:49PM]

moniters are 16:10 to allow for a toolbar or controls on the bottom.

[Andrew @ Mar 13th 2008 5:49PM]

moniters are 16:10 to allow for a toolbar or controls on the bottom.

[Myk @ Mar 13th 2008 5:53PM]

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.

[Evilengineer @ Mar 13th 2008 6:18PM]

1.5 to 1 even :p

[nh @ Mar 13th 2008 7:03PM]

2sin(⅓π)²:-e^(iπ)

[Ryan Pierce @ Mar 13th 2008 7:24PM]

Hah, that was my first thought too.

[Brian @ Mar 14th 2008 1:54AM]

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.

;)

[Avedis @ Mar 14th 2008 2:57AM]

25?

Or 6 to 4?

Chicago or EWF fan, I guess.

[Jonah @ May 7th 2009 3:23AM]

6^1024892 to 4^29587

[matthew @ Mar 13th 2008 2:32PM]

wouldn't a ratio of 6 to 4 be... 3:2?

[StomperGames @ Jul 2nd 2008 2:10PM]

yeah sometimes math slips even the best blogs - but i think 6:4 sounds more impressive than 3:2

- http://www.stompergames.com

[RyanTV @ Mar 13th 2008 2:32PM]

can you not just buy a linux version and throw XP on it?

[Andir3.0 @ Mar 13th 2008 2:44PM]

Legally?

[mike @ Mar 13th 2008 2:55PM]

How can it be illegal to replace Linux with XP? I mean as long as you OWN a legal copy of XP at least.

[Andir3.0 @ Mar 13th 2008 3:08PM]

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.

[Wwhat @ Mar 13th 2008 3:25PM]

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?

[TubeTop100.com @ Mar 13th 2008 3:27PM]

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.

[Andir3.0 @ Mar 13th 2008 3:29PM]

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.

[blarvh @ Mar 13th 2008 5:26PM]

Most people bashing Vista seem to be into buying retail seeing as they quote $400 for Ultimate.

[Wilky @ Mar 13th 2008 5:34PM]

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?

[Baz @ Mar 14th 2008 11:20AM]

"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.

[buzzbean @ Mar 14th 2008 11:03AM]

@ 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.

[Walid Dahdal @ Mar 13th 2008 2:46PM]

whahahah they can't simplify whahah but they can make good computers I loooove my eee pc

[NNTPgrip @ Mar 13th 2008 2:33PM]

I'll wait until they predict it outselling 12 to 8, then it will really be good...

[Tom @ Mar 13th 2008 2:33PM]

I think it will outsell closer to 102 to 68

[farfisa @ Mar 13th 2008 2:35PM]

Maybe they're only going to sell 10 total?

[Isaac @ Mar 13th 2008 2:39PM]

I just installed OS X on mine...

[Seoultrain @ Mar 13th 2008 2:46PM]

how's that working for you? details?

[sean @ Mar 13th 2008 3:18PM]

can you do that?

[John @ Mar 13th 2008 3:38PM]

OSx86 project I guess.

[Flashpoint @ Mar 13th 2008 2:40PM]

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?

[Matt @ Mar 13th 2008 5:55PM]

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.