Editing Netbook (section)

===Windows===

[[Microsoft]] announced on April 8, 2008, that, despite the impending end of retail availability for the operating system that June, it would continue to license low-cost copies of [[Windows XP]] Home Edition to OEMs through October 2010 (one year after the release of [[Windows 7]]) for what it defined as "ultra low-cost personal computers"—a definition carrying restrictions on screen size and processing power.<ref>{{cite news|title=Microsoft to keep Windows XP alive—but only for Eee PCs and wannabes|work=[[Computerworld]]|publisher=IDG|url=http://www.computerworld.com/article/2536465/microsoft-windows/microsoft-to-keep-windows-xp-alive----but-only-for-eee-pcs-and-wannabes.html|access-date=April 8, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,144135-page,1/article.html | title=Microsoft Extends XP Through 2010 for Ultra-Low-Cost Laptops | publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] | work=[[PC World]] | access-date=April 4, 2008 | archive-date=April 6, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406043229/http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,144135-page,1/article.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> The move served primarily to counter the use of low-cost Linux distributions on netbooks and create a new market segment for Windows devices, whilst ensuring that the devices did not cannibalize the sales of higher-end PCs running [[Windows Vista]].<ref name="itw-limitcapabilities">{{cite web|title=Microsoft to limit capabilities of cheap laptops|url=http://www.itworld.com/article/2786595/hardware/microsoft-to-limit-capabilities-of-cheap-laptops.html|website=ITWorld|date=May 11, 2008|publisher=IDG|access-date=December 15, 2014}}</ref> In 2009, over 90% (96% claimed by Microsoft as of February 2009) of netbooks in the United States were estimated to ship with Windows XP.<ref name="pcw-linux">{{cite news |last=Gralla |first=Preston |title=Think Linux Rules on Netbooks? Think Again |work=[[PC World]] |date=March 3, 2009 |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/160567/think_linux_rules_on_netbooks_think_again.html |access-date=January 5, 2011 |archive-date=March 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305075848/http://www.pcworld.com/article/160567/think_linux_rules_on_netbooks_think_again.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McDougall |first=Paul |title=Microsoft: 96% Of Netbooks Run Windows |work=[[InformationWeek]] |date=April 6, 2009 |url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/operatingsystems/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216402927 |access-date=January 5, 2011 |archive-date=September 13, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090913024854/http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/operatingsystems/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216402927 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

For [[Windows 7]], Microsoft introduced a new stripped-down edition intended for netbooks known as "Starter", exclusively for OEMs. In comparison to Home Premium, Starter has reduced multimedia functionality, does not allow users to change their desktop wallpaper or theme, disables the "[[Aero Glass]]" theme, and does not have support for multiple monitors.<ref name="ExtremeTechWindows7Editions">{{cite news |url=http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2340431,00.asp |title=All Windows 7 Versions—What You Need to Know |newspaper=ExtremeTech |date=February 5, 2009 |access-date=August 2, 2010 |last1=Hachman |first1=Mark |archive-date=February 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218221046/http://www.extremetech.com/computing/82542-all-windows-7-versionswhat-you-need-to-know |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="PCWorld">{{cite web |title=Windows 7: Which Edition is Right For You? |website=[[PC World]]|date=February 3, 2009 |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/533295/microsoft_announces_si.html |access-date=February 5, 2009}}</ref>

For [[Windows 8]], in a ploy to counter [[ChromeOS]]-based netbooks and low-end [[Android (operating system)|Android]] tablets, Microsoft began to offer no-cost Windows licenses to OEMs for devices with screens smaller than 9 inches in size. Additionally, Microsoft began to offer low-cost licenses for a variant of the operating system set up to use Microsoft's [[Bing (search engine)|Bing]] [[search engine]] by default.<ref name="Ars-2014-12-06" /><ref name="verge-free9inch">{{cite web|title=Microsoft making Windows free on devices with screens under 9 inches|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/4/2/5574146/microsoft-making-windows-free-on-devices-with-screens-under-nine/in/5338899|work=The Verge|date=April 2, 2014|access-date=April 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name="verge-lowercost">{{cite web|title=Microsoft combats Chromebooks by cutting Windows licensing fees by 70 percent|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/21/5435152/windows-8-1-license-fees-cut-by-70-percent-rumor|work=The Verge|date=February 21, 2014|access-date=February 23, 2014}}</ref><ref name="ms-windows8withbing">{{cite web|title=Helping our hardware partners build lower cost Windows devices|url=http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/windowsexperience/archive/2014/05/23/helping-our-hardware-partners-build-lower-cost-windows-devices.aspx|work=Windows Experience Blog|publisher=Microsoft Corporation|access-date=May 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140523225224/http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/windowsexperience/archive/2014/05/23/helping-our-hardware-partners-build-lower-cost-windows-devices.aspx|archive-date=May 23, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Windows CE]] has also been used in netbooks, due to its reduced feature set.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS6976598029.html|title=Windows CE takes on Linux in low-end netbooks|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105093109/http://www.windowsfordevices.com/c/a/News/Windows-CE-takes-on-Linux-in-lowend-netbooks/|work=Windows for Devices|archive-date=January 5, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>