Windows 7 on a netbook via a USB thumb drive
Netbooks are becoming an important part of the PC sector. These small, slimmed down machines meant mainly for surfing the Web are increasing in popularity by a huge amount. Which means they’re very important to the success of Windows 7, and Microsoft knows it.
Windows Vista isn’t built for use on a netbook. The soon to be superseded OS will work on many Netbooks, it just won’t exactly be a comfortable experience. But Windows 7 is different, and has been designed with this section of the market firmly in mind.
It’s not hard to see why. Microsoft puts a large amount of blame on the failure of Vista to set the world alight on the explosion in netbook sales since the operating system was released. I think the technical term is “bad timing”.
Microsoft is therefore keen to make Windows 7 the number one OS for netbook owners. Microsoft doesn’t actually refer to these machines as netbooks, instead labeling them as “small notebooks” or “ultra-low-cost PCs (ULPCs)”. It’s also very fussy over the specs a computer should have to be regarded as a netbook.
In an effort to increase the number of netbooks on which Windows 7 can be installed, CNET is reporting that Microsoft is considering offering its brand new OS on a USB thumb drive. Until now, Windows has only ever been released on CD, DVD, or via download. But with most netbooks not coming equipped with optical drives, and downloads being both slow and laborious, another option may be necessary.
There are other options for owners of netbooks looking to upgrade their machines to Windows 7. Obtaining the OS via an external hard drive or Best Buy’s Geek Squad are just two alternatives. But selling a USB flash drive with the Windows 7 ISO on it could prove to be an ingenious and popular solution to the problem.
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June 28th, 2009
Windows on USB drive? Wow! Who would have thought it?…Microsoft is SO innovative!
Truth is, Linux has been ahead of the game yet again. Ubuntu was available on USB drive stick for awhile already. Compiz fusion was available before Vista’s “Aero”. And Linux will be the first OS to offer USB 3.0.