__/ [ 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...
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.
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