Microsoft should be smiling at the news that Red Hat will NOT release a consumer version of its planned Red Hat Global Desktop (RHGD) operating system. Instead it looks like Red Hat will focus on Microsoft's desktop weak spot -- super low priced PCs sold in emerging markets like Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

Red Hat said it will also sell its upcoming desktop OS through a number of Intel channel partners, according to a blog post by a Red Hat marketing executive. It can be assumed by "Intel channel partners" that Red Hat is aiming for Intel's Classmate computer. Of course, earlier in the month, Microsoft said that it will continue to sell a version of XP aimed at the emerging country and very-low-cost computer market, too. This is a smart move on Red Hat's part. Why duke it out with Microsoft and Windows for the enterprise market when millions upon millions of potential new computer users await their first affordable PC?

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