Previous reports of Linux imminent death have proven exaggerated. For that matter, the same can be said of Windows. Eventually, I expect, one of these stopped clocks will prove accurate. Here's another. (Also, my first encounter with the term "netbook".) -- WINDOWS 7: THE LINUX KILLER By Preston Gralla / Computerworld / December 22, 2008 http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/12/22/Windows_7_The_Linux_killer_1.html Microsoft is finally taking Linux seriously as a desktop operating system, and it has designed Windows 7 to kill it Excerpts: The threat to Windows comes entirely from "netbooks" -- lightweight, inexpensive laptops that typically use Intel's low-powered Atom processor and don't come with substantial amounts of RAM or powerful graphics processors. They're designed mainly for browsing the Web, handling e-mail, writing memos, and taking care of simple word-processing or spreadsheet chores. Netbooks will account for about a third of all PC growth this year, according to Citigroup. Shipments will rise at an annual average rate of 60 percent to reach 29 million netbooks in 2010, compared with 18 percent growth for standard notebooks.... When Windows 7 ships, expect a massive marketing blitz pushing it on netbooks with special deals, and netbook hardware taking advantage of Windows 7 capabilities, including touch screens. ... Despite Microsoft's killer instincts, I don't think Linux netbook sales will stop dead. There will always be a niche for them. But within a year of the Windows 7 launch, Linux market share will drop. The high point for Linux netbook sales will be from now until the launch of Windows 7. After that will come the inevitable decline.