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the strange alternate anti-matter universe of Jack S ..

In article <1438943.OuUBjsZ5Wg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx says...

> I guess Jack Schofield had written this before he heard the latest.
> H-P and Dell are battling (PR-wise) and consider preinstalling GNU/Linux.
> H-P has just arrived at the station, out of nowhere, with words like
> "cricial mass", which will give Microsoft a real headache.

"He tried the idea around the turn of the century, when Linux hype was at its highest, and Dell still sells Linux on corporate servers and high-end workstations. But there are huge problems in offering Linux on mass-market PCs", JS

'The question remains, why devote 150 staff to a business unit, spend
millions investing in start-ups, only to can the exercise a few weeks
later?'

'Lewis Mettler sums up the story from trial documents'

'Microsoft held a series of meetings with Dell in regard to Linux'

'Dell in June of 2001 informs Microsoft that Dell has canceled their
Linux business unit' 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/01/22/dude_your_cryptic_hand_gestures/

"It costs Dell a small fortune to offer an operating system (it involves thousands of driver compatibility, peripheral testing, certification, staff training, administration, advertising and support issues) so the lack of a standard is a real killer", JS

I plugged the Knoppix CD into this computer and it picked up all the hardware, no problem. The install from the SuSE DVD also worked flawlessly. I fail to understand how it requires an army of staff, certs etc. to do the same.

'The less obvious problem is the very high cost of Linux support, especially when selling cheap PCs to naïve users who don't RTFM (read the friendly manual)', JS

This is straight out of the FUD manual. Linux requires less support then its Windows equivalent as it don't break as often. As for domestic support, what's better about phoning someone in MS India to be told to reinstall from the recovery disk. With Linux, you pay roughly UK£50 up-front for a support subscription and get access to the online upgrades.

Lets talk about what is laughing called customer support. Have you ever tried to get usefull information out of telephone customer support. I setup a Dell laptop/BT broadband for someone. First the talking CD didn't configure the PC for the supplied wireless router, it had to be done manually.

The call center in India informed me it was a faulty NIC. Secondly, encryption could not be enabled as the firewall was on, thirdly the spam trap made email download take ages, fourthly audio in Yahoo Messenger will only work when logged in as admin. finally TalkTalk has stopped working. I know hen I phone the call center I will be told to reinstall, reinstall, reinstall.

'most people think they should be able to buy a Dell PC running Linux for less than the cost of a Dell PC running Windows. In fact, they usually cost more. This is partly because Linux has high overheads on minuscule sales', JS

You're talking technological nonsense. Running a production line of Desktops through a Linux image server takes exactly the same amount of work as a Windows image.

'and partly because of the fees that PC sellers collect for bundling ISP connections, free antivirus and multimedia software, browser toolbars and so on', JS

What fees .. what bundling .. what antivirus ? Out of the box, you get an Internet ready Desktop with browsers and multimedia software and it don't come with antivirus as you don't need it. Enable the online upgrade service and it automatically keeps itself up-to-date. Have you ever use a current Linux Desktop?

'Cost savings also come directly from Microsoft and Intel in the form of discounts and cooperative advertising support for the use of logos, and so on', JS

What magical thinking is involved here where the PC sells for less and both Microsoft and Intel actually make money. Enlighten us here.

'will the tens of thousands of Linux supporters "Digging" the idea on IdeaStorm ever turn into paying customers? I can't speak for Dell on this, but I suspect very few will. Worse, those few are mostly the sort of buyer no-one really wants', JS

With your magical sorting hat on, please tell what's different about a Linux supporters money.

Linux is way ready for the average user. Fully usable multimedia Desktop that anyone can use and they won't know that it isn't Windows. Tell us why the average user wouldn't want the following.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuVfjRSxitk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD6BiKnLzck&NR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYsxaMyFV2Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpybBKdcUQw

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/insideit/story/0,,2028451,00.html

-- 

ps: You forgot to say zealot, Jack :)
-- 
X-iowa: court documents in the case of Comes v. Microsoft.

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