Beerman Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Dell doesn't want to go to the cost and hassle of supporting multiple Linux distros. The alternative is simple - make Windows optional extra on all your PCs. Full Article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gi7omy Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Problem is Paul that if they do go ahead and make it an option a couple of things are going to happen 1: You will get the choice of Novell/Suse or Windows 2: You will be charged extra for the installation of Linux (they'll claim it takes longer to setup and they will actually need trained techs to do it) 3: Support - actually could work out cheaper (Linux is quite popular in India due to its lower costs) but Dell no doubt will put it out that they have to retrain their staff (well - maybe they should train them to speak English too) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdanteek Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 "Well, the truth is that the price of the PC is subsidized by third-party software vendors who want you to have the opportunity to use and then buy their wares. Get rid of the craplets and you'll see the price of the PC go up. Fact. This is why you don't see useful open source apps shipped with PCs, they's no money in it. And that's the bottom line." Seems someone missed the point......... cd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gi7omy Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Oh same with most things - you get what the makers decide to give you - look at your typical magazine/newspaper that seems to contain as much advertising as news/articles. They make more money running ads than printing news (and do you think for one minute they're going to upset a very large advertising account by saying something nasty about the firm or advising readers not to buy their product?) Thought for the day: instead of 'Where do you want to go today?' what about 'Where are we going to drag you whether you want to go or not?' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraithtdk Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Meh., I could see it happen with corporate machines, but for the typical machine geared for the home user, it would be a disaster. Anyone who thinks that making windows optional is a good idea does not fully understand the depths of technoilliteracy that exists out there. The problem is that a surprisingly high percentage of people don't want to have to go over system options and manually select the components. They're afraid they'll choose the wrong thing. They want to just buy a package deal. They want the machine pre-configured, pre-priced, and ready to go out of the box. I know, it sounds horrible to the computer litterate, but you'd be surprised how many people are willing to pay my hourly rates just to have me help them choose which machine to buy. Now, offering the option to select Linux instead of Windows might work, but chances are they'd still get swamped with people calling tech support and asking where there email is, why their software isn't working anymore, etc., because they accidently chose Linux (because it's cheaper, and some guy at work who knows a lot about computers says it was better). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gi7omy Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Actually, I earn quite a nice amount by doing exactly that for WINDOWS users (where's my e-mail, what's this thing doing on my computer) The OS isn't the problem - it's letting people loose on a computer who don't even know the difference between an app and a bap. Irrespective of whether it's Windows 95 or Kubuntu Linux, you will STILL get people messing the thing up (and I keep earning money) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ml Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Now you two are not being fair to the 'average' user out there. Many of the problems you describe are NOT caused by the user, but by automatic updates by Microsoft and other computer programs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gi7omy Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 True ml - but I'm just back from degunging an OS where the user accepted just about every file sent by 'friends' and wound up riddled with Trojans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdanteek Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 It's only their money, not your arms and legs! If they need their money they will get Buck-weiser....... cd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 It's only their money, not your arms and legs! If they need their money they will get Buck-weiser....... cd Redwagon actually drinks something similar to that. (He calls it beer, but we all know that's really only a euphemism for something much worse) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDWAGON Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Hey Brendon, I'll have to look and see if I can buy some of the "Buck-weiser". Maybe it is better beer than that other brand I drink . NAW---not a chance I'll stick with my good old watered down BUDWEISER And Daithi will just keep bringing in all that money for all those users that can't fix their own computer. Frank... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraithtdk Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Actually, I earn quite a nice amount by doing exactly that for WINDOWS users (where's my e-mail, what's this thing doing on my computer) I know, me too. But imagine all those people who are used to, in their words "clicking on the internet and then clicking on my mail" were suddenly presented with no start menue, no familiar "e" icon, etc. They've been using Windows for YEARS and are still confused about certain basic functions, and now they're going to be faced with an entirely new interface? Disasterous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gi7omy Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Simple - you set up desktop icons clearly marked 'Internet', 'E-mail' and tell them 'click on that' Dead easy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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