InfoWorld reports today that Windows XP will double the price of the Asus EEE PC. While it’s true that PCs with Linux installed in lieu of a Microsoft Windows operating system are less expensive, the XP license effectively doubles the lowest end model. OEM licenses of Windows are typically less than what a consumer would pay off the retail shelf. Best Buy currently offers a full version of XP Home for $199, so Asus should certainly be paying less than that; this is a real shame.InfoWorld goes on to say that in mature markets, the high end EEE PC will cost $1,000 while that same laptop in emerging markets will cost $500. Surely, that’s not because the XP license is costing Asus $500, is it? If it is: I will personally buy an EEE PC and donate it to an underprivileged child.This does raise an interesting business question, however. We’re starting to see some very low cost computing devices. When you can get the basic hardware on a retail store shelf and offer it for a few hundred dollars, should the OS effectively double the price?
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