PC Makers Move Closer to a Post-Windows World

“Today, evidence is mounting that Microsoft’s dominance in
computing isn’t what it used to be. It’s not just the Windows Vista
flop and those damning commercials, either: Apple’s Mac OS is
gradually taking share from Windows; and HP and Dell, the world’s
largest PC makers, are investing in bigger homegrown software teams
to do work they once left to Microsoft. Look at the high-growth
computing markets for smartphones and low-cost mini-laptops, and
the shift is even more striking; the most popular smartphones from
Research in Motion and Apple of course don’t run Windows, and more
than 35% of today’s mini-laptops run a non-Windows operating
system.

“Consider the Linux-based version of the HP Mini 1000. The
product itself is no threat to Windows; HP says it plans to price
it just $20 below the Windows XP version, which isn’t nearly
cheap enough to make it worth giving up compatibility with Windows
programs. But more significant is the signal the product sends —
that HP doesn’t need Microsoft quite so much anymore.”

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