I remember when the public library was about disceminating information so the end user could make a decision. Even when we launched our online presence (yes, I worked at this particular library through both of its initial iterations on the web), what we aimed to do was provide tools to people. The idea of articles came up, but more as a means of condenscing information (About.com was popular back then for this very reason). So it was with some chagrign that I read through Netbooks for N00bs on LibraryPoint.org. (thanks @crrlnews on twitter for pointing this article out).
True, there are some valid points in this article, but the overall tone was highly negative of the entire netbook enterprise. It seemed like the author missed the first point of a netbook – it isn’t a notebook, or a laptop, or a PC. Its a netbook. The meme is that it is supposed to provide a small, portable computing device for email, web surfing (and all that that entails these days) – if you can get more out of it than that (like, say, writing the first 50K of your dream novel like I have on my commute), all the better, but it isn’t supposed to be a replacement for having a full fledged desktop/laptop.
There also seems to be a bit of a scare tactic involved in this article, aiming right at the reader’s wallet. Completely ignoring the tradeoffs between solid state and hard disk (speed versus space), there is an assertion that if you need the space, be ready to pay. Yet a quick browse through our friend NewEgg.com shows that solid state and hard drive systems fall in the same price brackets. If money really is an object in this, then yes, your choices are limited – but where in life is that not the case?
And then there’s the touting of Vista repeatedly, and the derision of using something as alien as linux. OK, I’ve seen the linux that ships on netbooks – getting to a terminal takes effort. The paired down distro that is shipped on these things is intended for the average user, and it shows – simple icons, decently comprehensive choice of applications, and an aim towards compatibility with the user’s expectations.
Which takes me back to my original point – when did public libraries start directing readers and providing bias worded articles instead of just laying out the facts?