One thing to note about the Dell instant on feature is that it actually runs on a different chip, an ARM processor. This is part of the reason for using Linux (less resource hungry).

A key idea with the ARM processor is extended battery life. So you get instant on and longer battery life.

Personally, I’m not so excited about instant on, so long as I have a machine that suspend/resume works on. However, longer battery life would be welcome.

One concern I’d have for linux with these machines is that users may well not be aware that the linux is running on a much weaker processor, so it might get a reputation for being slow.

Note also, that the pitch for netbooks is that Linux is ok as a beginner OS, but if you want a real computer you should go with XP. Ironic, given that not too long ago linux was too complicated for all but the most bearded nerds.

It would be good to see all this play out on a level playing field, but the increasing scarcity of netbooks with linux on suggests to me there are some significant battles going on behind the scenes.

One interesting outcome from this may be the change in attitude toward Linux, once people start to use it in heir instant on environment.
Another will be the innovation this type of machine will open up. I read that it will be possible to start in “instant on” mode while the secondary Windows OS is booting in the background.
I realise the instant on env uses a different CPU arch, but think of the experience that could be created if the instant-on environment and secondary Linux OS were aligned. Think instant-on which shares user accounts, some settings, user profiles (bookmarks email docs) with the secondary system.
Your instant on environment might then be able to look very similar to your main desktop environment, and share a lot of application settings, by selectively using apps in both the ARM and Intel environments that can share settings on the same disk. The computing experience would be almost seamless, with the user selecting between the equivalent of “low gear” or “high gear” to borrow an overused analogy with the car world.

I see a whole raft of potential innovation around this type of setup. Instant-on could offer a reduced desktop for one pre-selected user from the main Linux install. Laptop owner would be able to change it from “Brad” to “Ange”. Or offer a normal login via instant-on, then offer transition to main desktop once you’re logged in (firefox save session functionality would allow the main session to open up with the same set of tabs you were runnig in the instant-on session). Thunderbird or similar can share mail folders etc, so the switch from instant-on (low gear) to main desktop (high gear) could be almost bumpless.

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