Aug 20, 2008 12:28 PM | 3 Comments

Windows 7, which will allegedly be more modular than Vista and thus capable of being stripped down to run on lower-spec systems, may represent Microsoft big comeback on low-end systems.

Thanks to Gizmodo, we now have some pretty detailed specifications for the upcoming Dell Inspiron 910, a product that designed to directly compete with the Asus Eee PC.

If the specs are correct, the new Dell looks to be very much a clone of the Eee PC 901 – there’s nothing particularly special about it, but it might end up being very attractive on price (we don’t know how much it’s going to cost yet).

What was interesting to me about the specs, though, was the choice of Dell to go with Ubuntu Linux for the operating system. As with the Eee, buyers will be able to choose between Windows XP and Linux (but not Vista).

Why Linux is the better option
I’d strongly recommend that anybody buying the Dell go with the Linux option – and I have no doubt that the Ubuntu version that ships on the Dell will be as useful as Xandros (the Linux distribution used on the Eee).

Canonical’s Ubuntu, already the Linux version of choice for most desktops, has made great strides in simplifying the interface for smaller devices and less-technical users. In fact, Ars Technica has a nifty review of the Ubuntu Netbook Remix, which was launched a few months ago at Computex, right here.

Microsoft, meanwhile, is having to start the push on Windows 7 probably much earlier than it would have liked. The burgeoning number of mini notebooks like the Inspiron 910 has meant that it has had to extend the shelf life of Windows XP well beyond its initial plans.

These notebooks just don’t have the juice to run Vista, but Microsoft is clearly very worried about people leaving the Windows fold, finding that Linux isn’t that bad after all, and never going back.

We don’t know officially what sweetheart deals Microsoft is offering OEMs to ship with Windows XP as well as Linux on these notebooks, but it has to be pretty cheap to compete with free.

Windows 7, which will allegedly be more modular than Vista and thus capable of being stripped down to run on lower-spec systems, may represent Microsoft big comeback on low-end systems.

Unfortunately, most of what we know about Windows 7 is hearsay and rumour. The Windows 7 entry on Wikipedia has most of the relevant known details, but if you’re interested in what’s happening with Windows 7, you may also want to check out the new Windows 7 blog at Microsoft.

There’s not much there on the new features of Windows 7 right now, but the developers are promising to keep us up-to-date as the operating system is put together.

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kkoo Aug 25, 2008 12:11 PM	How many versions of Windows 7 will there be? I wonder.
tastynoodle Aug 25, 2008 11:07 PM	2 version as i know 32 bits and 64 bits :)
tesseractau Aug 26, 2008 3:14 PM	How hard can modular OSes be? After all, linux has been doing it for years. Now Microsoft HAS to do it because if it continues on its current course, soon its OSes will only be able to run on the highest spec PCs around. Yet many manufacturers are now realising that not everyone needs PCs that have specifications equal to systems that only a few years were considered to be supercomputers - and they will need OSes