Tech-savvy consumers appreciate the importance of having several options when it comes to netbooks. For the uninitiated, notebook netbook occupy the profitable market segment full of laptops and smart phones.

Market trends indicate that the market for netbook computers continue to grow exponentially in coming years. To take advantage of this forecast, manufacturers are churning out models that are aimed at different demographics. Form factor and are usually the deciding factor in buying a netbook, however, there are some factors that must be considered, one of which is the operating system (OS). While Microsoft has a stranglehold on the operating system market (through XP and Vista) Linux is steadily gaining ground.

There have always been lively debate on the Linux netbook vs. netbook XP, but there is no clear winner, because there are different criteria for determining the level of benefits, some of which are subjective in nature. Perhaps the best way to address this issue without getting the ire of Windows XP or Linux fanboys is to highlight the best features of each operating system and the indication of deficiencies. In this way, the consumer has to decide which operating system would be better for specific functions.

Right off the bat, the Linux is the operating system of choice because it is apparently available to users free. This is the primary reason for which is a popular choice among people who are clamoring for an alternative to Windows XP. Linux is free, because it is based on an open source code that allows users to customize the interface of the system. This allows a continuous improvement of the code so that the version of the operating system that reaches the user satisfies specific user requirements. Since it is free, this reduces the prices of the mini laptop models that are not bundled with Windows. The downside is that there are some software and devices that do not work with Linux. This is a small problem that some users are willing to overlook.

Windows XP, on the other hand, is a system that allows little customization. However, this is offset by the nature of intuitive interface design and user-friendly. In addition, Microsoft has released several versions of Windows over the years, which made people accustomed to the interface and controls. Many users, in turn, mainly due to familiarity and that is why XP Netbook XP is much more popular Linux netbooks.