In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Roy Schestowitz
<newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote
on Thu, 19 Jul 2007 10:29:17 +0100
<1233283.InoX8NxPCb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
> ____/ Mark Kent on Thursday 19 July 2007 09:38 : \____
>
>> Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
>>> Wal-Mart to sell $300 PC with OpenOffice
>>>
>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>| Dell followed a similar strategy on July 10 when it withheld bloatware from
>>>| its new Vostro line of PCs for small business users after a long campaign
>>>| by bloggers and Dell customers against common practice by PC vendors of
>>>| loading unrequested software onto new computers. Software companies fund
>>>| the effort as a way to find new users.
>>> `----
>>>
>>> http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20070718/tc_infoworld/90292
>>
>> See this bit:
>>
>> "It's not surprising that Wal-Mart, of all retailers, will sell the $298
>> Everex desktop; it's a good marriage with their biggest audience --
>> budget buyers," said Toni DuBoise, a senior analyst with Current
>> Analysis West.
>> "But it has a couple of problems; one is that it uses a Via processor,
>> which is almost unknown to U.S. consumers. And it runs at just 1.5 GHz,
>> so it's unknown how it will handle Microsoft Vista," she said. "And
>> running OpenOffice is kind of a unique tactic. It's anti-Microsoft as
>> Microsoft obviously owns the market for productivity software. So users
>> may have some concerns about compatibility."
>>
>> Talk about spin - offering OpenOffice is "anti-Microsoft" - wow, daring
>> to compete with Microsoft? No way - you're not allowed!
>
> Wal-Mart and Microsoft are close (executives have links).
> If you search BoycottNovell you'll get the ugly picture,
> so this is pleasantly surprising.
>
> Criminals think alike. Wal-Mart and Microsoft share a shady past.
>
If they're so buddy-buddy-chummy-chummy, why is Microsoft allowing
Walmart to offer a low-priced Linux-based machine? (Again?)
boycottnovell.com was not all that enlightening, unfortunately;
it only coughed up
http://boycottnovell.com/2007/01/23/walmart-accepts-microsofts-stay-out-of-court-free-coupons/
which points to
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-23-2007/0004510709&EDATE=
which indicates apparently that Microsoft will deliver
SuSE(r) Linux Enterprise Server subscription certificates
to Wal-Mart for use in Wal-Mart's IT infrastructure (which,
as the article explains, is primarily Windows-based).
Interesting, to be sure. Wonder why they felt the need?
A quick persual on Walmart's site coughed up
a fair number of desktops. Their cheapest one:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5673669
is a $348 Via-based system (the spec is a little confused
on the clock issue -- my guess is they meant 400 FSB, 1.5
GHz main processor clock), 512MB RAM, 80 GB drive @ 7200
RPM) running Vista Home Basic. It comes with 17" monitor
(which for some reason Walmart doesn't sell separately;
a 19" monitor is offered as an option for $154.88 [for
a different desktop] so presumably one could buy the
computer *without* monitor for about $159.99-$179.99 or so,
if Walmart cared to bundle it that way).
As usual, caveat emptor.
--
#191, ewill3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Windows Vista. Because it's time to refresh your hardware. Trust us.
--
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