On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 17:36:57 +0100, Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> __/ [ Rick ] on Friday 21 July 2006 17:29 \__
>
>> On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 15:48:46 +0100, Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>>
>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>> | The computer maker silenced skeptics with an avalanche of notebook
>>> | sales. iPod sales held steady--and brought PC users into Mac stores
>>> |
>>> | [...]
>>> |
>>> | Another interesting figure to come out of the conference call was
>>> | that 50% of customers polled at Apple's retail stores described
>>> | themselves as "new to the Mac," indicating a surge in interest from
>>> | people more accustomed to using computers running Microsoft's Windows
>>> | operating system.
>>> `----
>>>
>>>
> http://yahoo.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2006/tc20060719_557792.htm
>>>
>>> I wonder how many of these former Windows users (will) wind up with the
>>> Linux kernel, rather than BSD/Darwin.
>>
>> Probably very few.
>
>
> Perhaps. But there is a small wave of users who escape the closed-source
> kernel, proprietary formats, DRM, prebundling and high cost. This
> included two key people recently. I am aware that you are using a Mac
> yourself, so...
actually, the only Mac I now have is a Powerbook 5300, which doesn't get
much use. I have used Macs fairly extensively, including OS X. I have used
various linux based distros as my main desktop and laptop OS for many
years.
>
> Imagine to yourself the cost of buying a Mac cluster for your
> classroom. Even if you opt for Open Source software, the cost can be be
> twice as high as a Linux equivalent (or the cluster just half the size).
> And the skills students are taught are also bound to a commercial vendor,
> which is bad.
Your scenario has nothing to do with your above question, and my answer,
which is still very few.
The cost of the OSS that runs on a Mac is the same as that which runs on
Linux based machines. The machines may cost more, but the software would
cost the same. And your example is still very few numbers compared to the
number of users.
--
Rick
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