According to Retrovo, a major online shopping site, there are many Netbook users who are less than enamoured by Microsoft’s latest operating system.

The problem lies in the fact that Windows 7 starter edition was never meant to be a saviour for the Netbook anyway, not if Microsoft and others have their way.

Retrovo’s blog post entitled “is Microsoft trying to kill the netbook market” says it all. Retrovo analysed responses from over 1000 users and the overwhelming response is crystal clear.

More than half the users in the survey, sixty one percent in total, were unaware of the fact that they had limitations with Windows 7 starter edition that they didn’t have with Windows XP.

This figure is somewhat surprising actually as Microsoft hasn’t tried to keep that fact hidden; indeed they have openly said that Windows 7 starter edition won’t be able to do everything.

The problem seems to lie in the fact that most of the new netbooks on sale are running with the starter edition and upgrading to the more sophisticated Windows 7 Home Premium version is going to cost somewhere in the region of $80, something than many are not happy to pay.

“I think most users will feel angry with having to pay the $80 for an upgrade to get those features,” said Andrew Eisner, a director with Retrovo.

Eisner also reckons that the whole affair could cause more bad feeling towards Microsoft. One thing that Microsoft may not have anticipated if their intention was to kill off Netbooks was the possibility that their actions might turn users towards Linux, a free open sourced operating system.

Latest reports are predicting that Linux Netbooks could grab over 30 percent of the share of netbook sales in this year alone and that isn’t good news for Microsoft.

So far Microsoft haven’t commented on Retrovo’s study directly but have referred to a statement they put out nine months ago in February.

“Small notebook PCs can run any version of Windows 7. For OEMs that build lower-cost small notebook PCs, Windows 7 Starter will now be available in developed markets,” said Microsoft according to a report in PC world.

“For the most enhanced, full-functioning Windows experience on small notebook PCs, however, consumers will want to go with Windows 7 Home Premium, which lets you get the most out of your digital media and easily connect with other PCs.”

So what do you think? Is Microsoft effectively trying to crush the Netbook and if they are, will the Netbook fight back through Linux?

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Filed under: Windows 7

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