Basically the reason no one wanted to keep a Linux netbook is because the support friends and relatives all drank the Microsoft kool-aid and can't fix the netbook when it stops working or make their favorite website work again. It isn't that the Linux required more hands on, it's that the grandson, neice, or geeky neighbor had never seen Linux or knew how to make it work, so the existing support network for most cheapskates wasn't compatible.

I think that in the absence of real market competitors that the people deserve fair competition, and if they need to petition their government to provide it, then so be it. Also, last time I had to ship a package I had several choices and all but one was private, and in general all provided an excellent value to the entire market. So I think that private companies can compete with government if they are willing to provide a product that the market wants at a price consumers are willing to pay.