After eight years of George W. Bush, intelligent people have generally given up on a second American Revolution. Americans have simply evolved into sheep.

But the United States doesn't have a monopoly on revolution. The so-called Bolivarian Revolution sweeping Latin America is exhilarating in its ambitions and energy. Similarly, several nations have challenged the supremacy of the U.S. dollar in the global economy.

In the meantime, the IT industry is no longer owned by Bill Gates and his criminal empire, headed by Microsoft. Innovative competitors like Apple and Google have risen up to challenge Microshaft.

The Browser War

While Apple’s market share had mushroomed to nearly 10% in the U.S. by 2009, the fiercest war was perhaps the Browser War. Microsoft quickly went to sleep after its browser, Internet Explorer (IE), triumphed over Netscape in the first round, leaving the doors wide open for competitors. Today, Apple’s Safari browser and Google’s Chrome browser are even more popular than that techies’ favorite, Opera. But the second most popular browser after the monopolistic IE is an open source power house, Firefox, whose fans have run a famously spirited - and anti-Microsoft - campaign.

As Firefox’s market share approaches 50%, many people are wondering why the open source community has failed so miserably at challenging Microsoft in the operating system (OS) arena. In fact, Bill Gates’ flagship product, Windows, has never been under greater threat.

A Netbook War?

The embattled global economy hasn’t been kind to Microsoft or Apple. Yet as PC sales falter, a new champion has entered the ring - the lowly netbook. Netbooks can be generally described as small, inexpensive laptops with lesser features. They’ve become insanely popular in a very short time.

While the One Laptop Per Child project popularized the idea of super cheap computers, Asus took the ball and made a big commercial splash. Asus is now marketing a second or third generation of netbooks as more PC makers embrace netbooks. Dell has even challenged Apple’s MacBook Air (billed as the world’s thinnest notebook) with the elegant Adamo. (Its biggest flaw is its operating system - Windows.)

While Linux was originally envisioned as the default netbook OS, Microsoft was quick to tackle its nimbler competition, even if it meant selling Windows dirt cheap. But Linux still boasts roughly 10% market share in the netbook arena, which may be about to explode. (It’s also worth noting that many people purchase netbooks with Windows to get a bigger hard drive, then install Linux or even Apple’s Mac OS X as their default OS.)

As I write this, it is widely believed that Apple will release a netbook some time in 2009. Observers are bracing for another sensation in the tradition of the iPhone. A smaller startup, Always Innovating, may beat Apple with its own touch-screen netbook, the Touch Book, the first netbook with a detachable keyboard. The Touch Book ships with Touch Book OS, one of many Linux variants that have been developed for netbooks.

Yet Apple and Always Innovating may in turn be eclipsed by Android, an operating system developed by Google. Could it become the standard netbook OS?

Hopes and Predictions

The global economic crisis many have labeled the Second Great Depression could hasten the demise of the train wreck Microsoft. We may even be witnessing the end of the traditional PC.

Netbooks are widely associated with cloud computing, which can be loosely described as using software programs and applications that are based on the Internet, rather than installed on one’s computer. Cloud computing is a major threat to Microsoft. It also makes it easier to downsize laptops into mini-laptops, or netbooks.

But advancing technology will make netbooks more powerful. My MacBook Pro laptop has already replaced my aging Dell PC as my primary computer. Imagine a netbook with the power of the MacBook Pro, the definitive laptop.

Critics who scoff that users would be limited by the tiny monitor aren’t thinking clearly. Imagine having a ten-inch, two pound netbook that you can easily slip into your daypack or briefcase and carry to work or a client’s home. Imagine coming home and attaching your netbook to your 21" external monitor. Do you begin to appreciate the versatility of the tiny netbook?

I both hope and predict that, by the end of next year (2010), at least 25% of netbooks sold will feature Apple (Mac OS X), Android or Linux operating systems. I also predict that Internet Explorer will be even less popular on netbooks than it is on “mainstream” PC's, replaced by Firefox’s mobile cousin, Fennec, and other cooler browsers.

I also predict that netbooks will eventually become as politicized as Firefox. In fact, it’s possible that one or more nations will adopt the lowly netbook and help promote it as an antidote to free market capitalism. You might call it blowback.

In summary, Microsoft will not rule the New World Order, making it easier to fight Bill Gates’ other mega-corporation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Stay tuned for more netbook news, views and resources...