"The netbook phenomenon is interesting: The tiny portable
computers, with screens as small as 8 inches, run either a low-cost
version of Microsoft's Windows XP operating system (lower in
licensing price than any of the Windows Vista configurations) or
some flavor of the open-source Linux operating system, which is
either free or much, much cheaper than even Windows XP. Either way,
a lower-cost or no-cost operating system on a netbook siphons money
from Microsoft's revenue stream.
"Other consequences flow from that. If you have a tiny portable
with, say, limited RAM and a smallish hard disc drive of 120
gigabytes or so, you're not as likely to fill it up with some of
the "bloatware" typically found on notebook and desktop PCs, some
of which may bear the Microsoft name."
