We all know that Windows 7 would be (finally) spell the death of the venerable Windows XP. You see, XP had a pretty good run, but I think it’s time to finally let it rest. Windows 7 is the future, baby!

But this is weird: if they want to phase out Windows XP so badly, why are we seeing Windows 7 Starter Edition prices go higher than XP? It doesn’t make sense at all.

Microsoft still hasn’t officially announced exactly how much it will charge for Windows 7 Starter Edition, and the price could be variable since it will be sold in large volumes to PC makers. Consumers won’t be able to walk into a store and pick up a copy. But Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer did suggest recently that the pricing scheme will go something like this: Windows XP, Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home, and then Windows 7 Professional.

Via Liliputing

Comcast recently announced that they might consider bandwidth metering. One of the reasons being cited for this move is to solve network congestion it has been suffering, which is being blamed on torrent users, video downloaders and file sharers. As a company, I understand that they would see this as an easy solution to their problem. But as a user I am incensed.

Internet availability has transcended initial impressions for it as a fad or an optional service. I think it has now entered the level of a utility. Every home should have a stable internet connection for a variety of reasons that are just too many to mention here. Metering bandwidth defeats the very intrinsic nature of the internet as an always on connection that allows you to access information and whatever else the internet offers whenever you need it and at whatever amounts of data you download. Comcast should realize that the concept of bandwidth metering is something that users loathe. AOL has done it before. Compuserve has, too. And the consensus has been unanimous—bandwidth metering sucks.

I’m sure that Comcast can find other more creative ways of solving whatever problems they have without limiting the amount of data their subscribers get from the internet. If they don’t reconsider this option, they are in for a world of pain as internet users are a very vocal bunch.

I don’t know how you guys will take this recent news from Microsoft.

In a recent seminar on corporate philantrophy, Bill Gates said that the new version of Windows could be released anytime within the “next year or so”. This statement seems to back up the new corporate strategy of releasing far more regular updates of its dominant operating system. This means that we can expect the next OS upgrade to Vista to come to market far earlier than what was previously thought.

The new strategy seems to be to release a new Windows version within 3 years of the last version. What Gates said, therefore, actually fits into the development cycle that Microsoft has identified. Of course, this could just mean test versions coming out and not the final release product yet. Nevertheless, this development cycle leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. The cost of software upgrades is just too steep and now, the expectation is that every four to five years you have to upgrade again? It would have been a good thing if consumers can decide for themselves when to upgrade but with Microsoft’s policy of stopping support for older OS and bundling important features exclusively to the new OS (like Vista and DirectX 10), we are being forced to upgrade at gunpoint.

This is just unacceptable.

I’ve been on the hunt the past few weeks. I’ve been obsessively calling all of the computer stores in my area (and even beyond), trying to track down one unit of the ASUS EEE. I don’t even care if I get the 4gb or 8gb Surf version, I just want my laptop fix and I want it now!

Actually, I really need an ultraportable this week. I’m going out of town for a trip and I really need to bring a spare laptop with me to continue working while I’m away. Unfortunately, every single unit of the EEE has been snapped up faster than the stores can replenish their stocks. I am actually quite surprised by the massive popularity of ASUS’ new money making gadget. I know that the EEE has respectable specs at price point that is insanely cheap but I’ve always thought that it will still remain a niche product because it is too small and it has a Linux OS out of the box. The fact that it’s selling like hotcakes could mean that ultraportables have really established itself as a legitimately viable sector and that this is the magic price point for electronic gadgets — most especially for laptops that have been traditionally seen as very expensive.

Hopefully, I get my EEE this week…

Have Laptop Will Travel will not be complete without the occasional dig at the RIAA and what the morons in the organization are doing to stop “piracy”.

Take for example, this statement from Jennifer Pariser, chief of litigation for Sony BMG, which was uttered during the trial of Jammie Thomas, a woman from Minnesota who was ordered to pay $220,000.00 by the court for sharing 24 songs online. Pariser testified that: “When an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song.” He added that when one makes that copy, it’s “a nice way of saying ’steals just one copy.’”

Pariser just said that even if you own a CD, copying it to your hard drive for your own personal listening purposes constitutes to stealing. Isn’t that just stupid? I’ve heard the RIAA has already modified their statements regarding this topic but nevertheless, that earlier statement just shows how blinded the RIAA can get just to protect their interests. They don’t even care if they alienate legitimate CD buyers.

I wish 2008 will bring the geriatric geezers at the RIAA to their senses.