Poll results: Which Linux distro is best for netbooks

I probably should have seen this one coming. Last week I asked which Linux distribution was best suited for netbooks, and the overwhelming majority of people voted for Ubuntu. This Linux distro has only really been around for a few years, but already it’s become one of the most popular flavors of Linux. For many people, Ubuntu and Linux are synonymous. The fact that Ubuntu makers Canonical are planning a custom interface to make Ubuntu a bit more friendly for users of small-screen devices like the Eee PC makes it an even more attractive choice.

But the first two Linux-based netbooks to really hit the market in the past few years have run other operating systems. The OLPC XO Laptop runs a custom version of Linux with the unique Sugar OS user interface. And the Asus Eee PC runs a custom version of Xandros Linux. The HP Mini-Note users SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, and the upcoming Acer Aspire One will run Linpus Linux Lite. So there’s no real consensus on the best operating system. At least not among computer makers.

In fact, the only low-cost ultraportable I’m aware of that is designed to ship with Ubuntu right now is E-Lead’s Noahpad. The Everex Cloudbook does use gOS, which is based on Ubuntu.

This week I’ve decided to run a more topical poll: Do you think the MSI Wind will actually be available on July 7th? MSI first announced that the Wind notebook would ship on June 16th. That date has already been pushed back twice due to the global battery shortage. What are the odds it’ll be pushed back yet again?

More importantly, have the delays shaken your faith in the company? If you were planning to buy one already, have the delays and MSI’s announcement that the Wind will ship with a 3 cell battery instead of a 6 cell one made you change your mind? Or does the fact that the Wind still costs $200 less than an Eee PC 1000H make it an attractive alternative, whenever it hits the streets?