Microsoft is finally putting Windows on a diet. After Windows Vista proved too bloated for low-end PCs and netbooks (sub-notebooks), the Windows 7 public beta appears slimmer and optimized for lower-end hardware. Clearly, Microsoft hopes to fend off competition from Ubuntu and other Linux distributions optimized for Netbooks.

Admittedly, The VAR Guy soured on Microsoft during the Windows Vista debacle.  Our resident blogger lives on Mac OS X and Ubuntu. Back in March 2007, The VAR Guy described 10 ways Microsoft could fix Vista. Alas, Vista’s problems never did get fixed.

But The VAR Guy is willing to keep an open mind with Windows 7. Already, Gizmodo reports that Windows 7 “runs so much better than Windows Vista on a Netbook.” And OSNews offers this first look at Windows 7 on a Netbook.

How the Netbook War Started

Throughout 2008, there were multiple reports that Linux-based netbooks pressured Microsoft’s market share and profitability. Clearly, Microsoft is not ready to cede the Netbook market to Linux, nor is the software giant proud to offer Windows XP as a stop-gap Netbook solution until Windows 7 ships.

Looking ahead The VAR Guy might wind up eating some crow. In late 2008 he predicted that Microsoft would not have Windows 7 ready in time for Christmas 2009. But the early buzz around the Windows 7 public beta seems generally favorable.

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