Windows 7 wasn’t Meant to Revolutionize Netbooks

Jason | Nov 13, 2009 | Comments

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Does Windows 7 work on netbooks, yes. Will Windows 7 help netbook sales, it already has. Was Windows 7 created to revolutionize netbooks, not so much.

I don’t own a netbook, nor do I plan on purchasing one, ever. If I buy a computer, I want it to be able to do more than surf the internet and handle a few tasks, that’s what smartphones are for. Why would I want a $300 paper-weight that can browse the web? So, I don’t understand it when I read articles about netbook users being upset over missing features in their starter edition of Windows 7, nor am I losing sleep because some reports are saying that Windows XP runs better than Windows 7 on netbooks. I believe that holding netbooks to an unreachable standard is just a way for some outlets to negatively spin Windows 7’s success.

Windows 7 was never meant to revolutionize the netbook industry, it was meant to be the successor to Windows Vista. It was meant to

Courtesy of Microsoft Social Forum

Courtesy of Microsoft Social Forum

usher in a computer age that would see touch capabilities take off. It’s not an upgrade or service pack to Vista and it is not the successor to XP. This is a new operating system for newer, more advanced hardware. Sure, Windows 7 does run well on older computers and outdated hardware, but if you want “the Windows 7 experience”, then you need to have the computer and hardware to run it, and netbooks are, for the most part, not going to give you that experience.

Windows 7 Starter was meant to be the version of Windows 7 that netbook users could embrace, but it was never intended to be a complete package, because most netbooks aren’t equipped with the hardware to run the full feature set. It is my opinion that Microsoft simply indulged in the netbook craze because they saw a growing market and didn’t want to relinquish that share to Linux or Mac OS X. It makes perfect sense for Microsoft to create a product for the netbook. Why would they ship a full-featured OS with a low-priced computer lacking the hardware to support its features. This is what netbook users need to realize before they purchase a Windows 7 Starter netbook and I believe that most do.

I guess I’m just one of those who doesn’t get the netbook craze. To me, it’s barely a computer and cell phones have just as much capability as most netbooks and they can make calls. Either way, whether you’re into the netbook thing or not, Windows 7 is perfectly capable for the job and looks pretty good doing it. Windows 7 is not going to change the face of netbooks, because it wasn’t meant to do so, it’s just going to do what XP did and provide a means to surf the internet and be productive on-the-go.  This is what a netbook is and hopefully the negative netbook media attention doesn’t ruin Windows 7’s good name.

Update: As user John noted in the comments section below, this topic of netbooks has stirred quite a hornets nest. Let me be clear for those who think I am bashing netbooks, I am not. If a netbook is your thing, I am excited for you, but it’s not my preference. We can all argue it until we are blue in the face (which is not my point by the way), but we all know that Windows 7 was meant to be run on modern hardware and if your netbook has modern hardware, then great, but the idea of netbooks since their inception in 2007 was a smaller notebook optimized for low weight and low cost, typically equipped with cheaper hardware. Not exactly what Microsoft had in mind when they created Windows 7 (which is my point).

Bottom line – We don’t live in a “one size fits all” world of computing. Everybody has different needs, so go out and get yourself a netbook if it will do what you need it to do. Me, I’m gonna stick with a notebook…call me crazy.

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About the Author: Jason Lefevers currently works doing website support for insurance companies and spends free time building and troubleshooting computers for both friends and family. He has a degree in History and Poly Sci and experience in programming and computer hardware.

  • kane
    what exactly do you think netbook hardware is missing which prevents enabling windows 7's full feature set? i have been running windows 7 pro for almost 3 months on a netbook now. it's one of the first msi winds (i think it's about 1 year old, maybe older) and everything is working fine. windows aero runs smoothly, surfing and working in office is comfortable and fast. sure, i haven't tried something like photoshop, but i don't need a netbook for that. so it's perfect to work with when i'm not at home or in the office (and do not want to carry more than 1 kg ;)

    i have the (very subjective) feeling, that windows 7 is running faster (and more smoothly) on my netbook than windows xp did. so i think the only reason for a strip-down version of windows 7 for netbooks are revenue-issues. forcing users to upgrade from a handicapped version brings microsoft more money than selling OEMs
  • Jason
    Here are my words, "...netbooks are, for the most part, not going to give you that experience...because most netbooks aren’t equipped with the hardware to run the full feature set."

    I never said that all netbooks could not run all of Win7's features, simply that most are not made too or they wouldn't be netbooks, they'd be notebooks. I am very happy that you have a netbook that can.
  • Essentia
    No, that is not true.
    Netbooks can handle all features of Windows easily and without fail.
    They work for most things, except for games and processor-intensive stuff (this should be obvious).

    I think you are downplaying netbooks because you do not understand them. If you do not own a netbook, then you certainly cannot claim that Win7 was not meant to revolutionize them.
    Windows 7 WAS designed with netbooks in mind, mind you!
  • Since you don't own a netbook, it's understandable that you don't really get them. But as someone who reviews and owns a netbook and uses one every day, I can tell you that it does more than a smartphone, has many valuable uses, and that battery life is important. It's also important to be able to use my netbook the way I use any other computer with the possible exception of high CPU-straining tasks. Sure, I can surf the web on my phone, but it's an inferior experience. I can do actual work, including editing documents, images, and more on a netbook, and have no compromises. It always amazes me when people who don't even use netbooks seem so sure of how well or poorly they work.
  • Jason
    While it is true that I do not own a netbook, that certainly does not mean that I have never or do not currently use one from time to time. I'm not bashing netbooks, they have their place among fans. Just not my preference.
  • I just think it's rather unfortunate to have it called "Starter Edition". It makes one feel as though they are getting an inferior version, which I suppose is true. Another thing to consider is that it probably won't be long before the Atom processor is replaced with something better and more powerful for netbooks, so installing Win7 Home will be more tempting. Having said that, there are netbooks out there now running the full versions of Win7 without any issues. Perhaps they should have called it "Netbook Version" instead of "Starter".

    I am in the market for a netbook, but I'm not really sure which one to get. I'd like 2 GB RAM for sure. I believe most models let one upgrade? Can anyone recommend a site dedicated to netbooks that might help me make a more informed purchase?
  • RWC
    I can recommend the Asus Eee netbook. I bought a 1000HE and my wife liked it so much I gave it to her and bought me a 1000HA. Both are upgraded to 2 GIG very easily for $25 or so. Both of these netbooks are always included in the top 10 lists. We mostly surf the net, but I do use Open Office frequently for spread sheets and documents, as well as Adobe. Make sure you get the version with the long battery life! You won't regret getting a netbook.
  • Paul
    It's simple. Netbooks are the fastest growing market in PCs, MS needs to be successful there, and other OS options exist. Ergo, MS needs to satisfy the needs better. And limiting the starter edition so profoundly is proving unpopular. This is primarily about licensing and revenue, not technology.
  • Essentia
    The Starter Edition is not a Netbook Edition. It is nothing more than a low-cost version of Windows meant for netbooks to keep down the price.
    It is not a slimmed down version of Windows that runs BETTER on netbooks. Total nonsense. Any versions runs just as fine. It is simply a stripped-down version so they can force (or so they hope) OEMs to use a higher-priced version of Windows (this is also the reason for the specs limit, which is really nasty too).
  • chieftain20
    Man, all this talk about netbooks and stuff makes me want to get one and see how it performs. I just don't have the money right now to do so. After a visit to the auto shop costing me $350, I could have had one instead.
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