On Jul 19, 9:44 am, Roy Schestowitz <newsgro...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
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> ____/ Rex Ballard on Saturday 19 July 2008 05:30 : \____
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> > Microsoft has continued repeatedly to conspire with the OEMs to keep
> > competitors out of the market, and has done so successfully.
>
> It continues to do so.
>
> ASUS Eee PC 1000
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | Although there are two flavours with slightly different specifications — a
> | Windows XP model for AU$699 and a Xandros Linux model — only the Windows XP
> | model is currently available in Australia.
> `----
In March 2008, ASUS expected Windows XP to be the hot seller by 6 to 4
http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/13/asus-expects-windows-eee-pc-to-outsell-linux-counterpart-6-to-4/
But you recently posted a Link showing that in early July, ASUS had
found that it was Linux outselling Windows 60% to 40%. (Alas, I was
unable to relocate that link - has Microsoft "rewritten history"
again?).
> http://www.zdnet.com.au/reviews/hardware/laptops/soa/ASUS-Eee-PC-1000...
>
> Also see the remarks from Acer's management a months ago. They confess that
> Microsoft is pressuring OEMs.
What makes Acer different is that they are willing to go public with
this information, and be publicly upset about it. Dell has just been
openly defiant, telling Dell customers that if they want Windows XP,
Dell will provide it (for an extra $25).
HP has been more like a pack of dogs going after a grizzly bear. They
put out machine after machine, announce that it's available with
Linux, then when Microsoft tries to slap them down, they get out of
range by offering only the Windows version on their web site.
Microsoft has 4 very upset OEMs who are been watching Apple's OS/X
powered Macs go from number 9 OEM to number 3 in less than a year. HP
and Dell don't have to use too much imagination to see that Apple just
has to ramp up production a bit more to become #1. That would make
investors very unhappy.
Remember, HP and Dell have higher volumes, but they are making hair-
thin margins, and on some models, they are even losing money. If it
weren't for Warranties and Replacement plans, there wouldn't be any
profit at all. The irony is that Microsoft was pushing them to void
the warranty if the end-user installed Linux on the machine, which
would have meant a loss on every PC.
Retailers really take the bath. They pay for the computers and when
they sit unsold on the shelves (because customers are ordering via the
Web), the inventory get so stale that they eventually have to deep-
discount it as much as 50% just to get the stuff off the shelf.
CompUSA closed it's stores. Best Buy has just stopped ordering new
inventory, and Staples just orders a "display unit".
> Roy S. Schestowitz | "I feed my 3 penguins with electricity and love"
http://Schestowitz.com | Open Prospects | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
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