"Several lightweight Linux OSes exist already. One is Fluxbuntu,
which features just a Web browser, media player, and word processor
and runs efficiently even on older PCs. Another is Google's
Android, a smart-phone OS that has already been ported to some
netbooks.
"The difference with Moblin is that it taps into the Atom
processor used in many netbooks. It provides support for chip
features including Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 (for smoother video
playback), multithreading (for more-efficient programming), and
power-management features.
"In April, Intel handed over Moblin to the Linux Foundation, a
careful move designed to boost the operating system's potential
without souring Intel's relationship with Microsoft."
