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Re: Let's go shopping.

  • Subject: Re: Let's go shopping.
  • From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2006 03:50:41 +0100
  • Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy
  • Organization: schestowitz.com / MCC / Manchester University
  • References: <3392756hhgjfdu.22244@rooftop.invalid> <pan.2006.04.22.01.42.16.291326@blankapapero.info>
  • Reply-to: newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • User-agent: KNode/0.7.2
__/ [ La Fantoma Skribulo ] on Saturday 22 April 2006 02:37 \__

> Sur Sat, 22 Apr 2006 00:10:02 +0000, owl skribis:
> 
>> Had a laptop die on me a few weeks back.  Went shopping for a new one.
>> What a bore.  What a depressingly unexciting thing to do nowadays.  All of
>> them have these crappy looking "widescreen" monitors that actually appear
>> to have *less* desktop space.  They also all are running XPee.  Wow.
>> Now that's exciting.  What a great way to differentiate your product
>> from your competitors' products.
>> 
>> I mean, here I was.  Money in hand.  Ready to slap it down on the table.
>> But there was nothing I saw that I wanted to buy.  Sadly, even if they
>> had been *free*, I don't think I could have gotten worked up.
>> 
>> Now what would be *fun* is if every model had its own custom X desktop
>> and shitloads of free software already installed and ready to go.
>> 
>> Who the hell wants to run doze?!  Who would buy such a crippled computer?
>> No wonder sales are so flat.  Don't these fools get it?
>> 
>> Damn it, Jim, the world needs unix workstations, not crappy XPee
>> gamerlamer toy boxes.
> 
> I know what you mean.  There's nothing exciting about going out to shop
> for a new computer anymore because it's such a bland monoculture.
> 
> The CompUSA type stores of the world need to read your email and try to
> spice up their stores a little with some machines that people can try out
> that have Debian, Gentoo, Mandriva, Slackware, or Linspire, etc.
> 
> Sadly, even the mom and pop computer shops are missing out.  When I lived
> in Milwaukee there was a shop that sold machines with and without
> operating systems.  I tried to convence the owner to install some sort of
> Linux on the empty machines ... but I don't believe he ever did.

There are many shops that sell Linux. You shouldn't be going into high street
stores which you know exclusively stock Windows XP machines. Much like your
ability to escape advertisement or select a film, you are able to position
yourself in the right store. That given, there is a very wide choice, both
hardware-wise and software(distribution)-wise.

As for education through demonstration, there needn't necessarily be Linux
machines in high street stores. Many people nowadays use Linux. When I was
at a airport a couple of days ago, the guy who sat next to me had a Ubuntu
laptop. It was distinct enough to get the attention of everyone around.
Seeing it in use is a form of endorsement, which breaks the shell in this
chicken-and-egg situation.

Best wishes,

Roy

-- 
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