Obviously, the Eee PC has been a huge success for Asus, as well as for Linux, but until now it has not been clear if Linux is really a part of Asus’s long term plan. It seems quite likely that Asus intends to use the Eee PC as a way of becoming a better known computer company. (If you ask a random person what Dell or HP does, they will know. If you ask them the same question about Asus, chances are they will not.) What has not been clear, however, is if Linux was just a temporary plan for the Eee or if it is a long term plan for Asus. With the recent announcements, it has become clear that Linux really is part of Asus’s long term plan.

Now that Asus has released three new Linux products, some of which (mostly the E-TV) are clearly designed to start a whole new class of product, they have shown a commitment to Linux. If their plan was to do the Eee with Linux and than start offering Windows, they would have done it by now. There have already been some calls for Windows on the Eee (which Asus plans to answer, by the way), so it would be a perfect time. Instead, Asus announced three new Linux products.

I would even go so far to say that if Asus keeps up its support of Linux, it may be the company that is credited with bringing Linux on the desktop to the masses.