Why I like netbooks

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 by Dave Winer.

John Markoff quotes Steve Jobs. "We don't know how to build a sub-$500 computer that is not a piece of junk." 

As with all Jobsisms, it's beautifully elegant, true -- and misleading. You have to read it very carefully. 

He isn't saying no one knows how to build one, just that "we" don't know how to. Fine. And the last part is almost Republican it's so clever and nasty. He's not actually slamming Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer and MSI, but if you don't read it carefully you might think he's saying they're pieces of junk. I think he's been studying Sean Hannity.  

Now here's what Dave Winer, Mac user, says: They are not pieces of junk. Quite the opposite, they are elegant Mac-like products, and you can be absolutely sure behind the scenes Steve is throwing tantrums at his engineers day and night extolling their virtues and telling them to hurry up cause their lunch is being eaten. This is the same guy who said people don't want video on their iPods until he had an iPod with video. 

Jobs then said that the iPhone could be seen as Apple's netbook. Hmmm. Maybe Jobs doesn't understand what's so appealing about netbooks. I suppose it's possible. 

Look, iPhones are not and never will be netbooks. Just like writing for the NYT is not and never will be blogging (Markoff once said the NYT was his blog).  

iPhones are too locked to be netbooks.  

OK, I suppose it's time to say what a netbook is... 

1. Small size.  

2. Low price.  

3. Battery life of 4+ hours. Battery can be replaced by user. Atom processor seems to be a requirement, those that aren't Atom aren't selling (and are apparently being discontinued). 

4. Rugged.  

5. Built-in wifi, 3 USB ports, SD card reader. It seems it must have 802.11n to be taken seriously. 

6. Runs my software.  

7. Runs any software I want (no platform vendor to decide what's appropriate).  

8. Competition (users have choice and can switch vendors at any time). 

As a Mac user I would very much like to see a Mac netbook. Yes, I know if I'm willing to hack, I can get Mac OS to run on one, but I have a hard enough time keeping supported hardware working.  

On the other hand, Windows XP/Home is not so bad as long as it doesn't get infected with malware. So far I'm happy. 

What I am using (the most frequent question potential netbook owners ask): Asus Eee PC 901, purchased in July for $600, now sells for $440. I took it with me to the DNC and it was the only computer i used. Now when I travel, I leave the MacBook Pro at home. Too heavy, too much computer to carry. 

I've suggested elsewhere that it might be time to have a Netbook conference. I'd be happy to participate as a host, organizer, or speaker. There's an active community of bloggers following netbooks, and it's a happy cooperative place. It feels like the early days of the Apple II or IBM PC.  

If Jobs is missing the excitement that would be a shame because it would be nice to have an Apple netbook, and no the iPhone is not a netbook. Not even close.