Redmond (WA) – In a promotional interview, pitched on Microsoft’s press website, an executive promises that Windows 7 will run on netbooks. While this may not exactly be news, it shows that the company is trying to correct a problem of Windows Vista, an OS rarely seen on netbooks these days. And while we have seen Windows 7 running on netbooks already, questions remained about whether the final OS footprint will be small enough to push Linux out of the netbook market.
 

Netbooks were clearly a trend Microsoft missed completely. When Intel announced its Atom processor in April of last year, we were told that the platform would promote Ubuntu and Asianux Linux distributions. Windows Vista was completely left out of the picture, and for good reason. There was one very pricey version of the Atom processor with Silverthorne core that was promised to run Windows Vista, however, but we have yet to see a single netbook that is actually offered with this processor. As we know today, system builders solved this dilemma by pulling Windows XP out of the drawer. We have repeatedly heard that Intel was working with Microsoft to fix the Vista-on-netbooks problem.

A first indication that Windows 7 would go after netbooks - which is critical for Microsoft given the rapidly increasing shipment volume of netbooks - was seen at CES 2009 when Microsoft demonstrated Windows 7 Ultimate on a new Asus Eee PC. In an interview published on Microsoft’s website yesterday, the company followed up: Brad Brooks, corporate vice president for Windows Consumer Product Marketing, stated that "Microsoft is offering a clear path for Windows 7 across the board, so as we demonstrated at PDC, WinHEC and CES, Windows 7 provides a great user experience on small-notebook PCs."

According to Brooks, Windows 7 is "on track to have a smaller OS footprint; an improved user interface that should allow for faster boot-up and shut-down times; improved power management for enhanced battery life; enhanced media capabilities; and increased reliability, stability and security."

However, there seem to be some questions which make it unclear whether every netbook will be able to run every version of Windows 7. The company now says that "low-cost small notebook PCs" will run Windows 7 Starter and "the most enhanced, full-functioning Windows experience on small notebook PCs" will be provided by Windows 7 Home Premium. The company did not say whether that scenario is due to the higher price of Windows 7 Home Premium or more the equally possible extended hardware requirements.

What we know today is that Microsoft recommends at least 1 GB of main memory to run Windows 7, which exceeds the memory typically installed in entry-level netbooks (512 MB) or just matches the 1 GB memory that comes with mainstream netbooks. We will have to wait for the final Windows 7 release to see whether Microsoft can deliver on its promise and whether the new operating system can replace Windows XP (and Linux) in netbooks.