Current mood:

chipper

The real value of an operating system
Microsoft seems to have been putting pressure on Asus to favour Windows XP over Linux with moves to promote Windows XP among manufacturers of ultra low-cost PCs. These cost effective ULPCs, often come with Linux pre-installed. In some emerging markets like China and India it seems that Windows XP Home is being priced as low as USD 26 for this hardware

This did beg the question ... what is it really worth? When I mentioned this in passing to a commerce teacher, I should have anticipated the obvious reply "It is worth whatever consumers are prepared to pay." Does this mean the value of Windows XP is falling or had it been artificially inflated?

For many years, competition in the desktop computer operating system space was practically non-existent, with one platform from a single supplier commanding most of the market. Australian consumers lost out with this softare monopoly.

With Linux Desktop nipping at the heels of all the players, everybody is going to be a winner .. even those who use Windows XP. :-)