Yes, MS will contribute "Marketing Funds" back to you when you complete certain requirements, like offering machines only with options for Windows. The bigger you are, the more you get, so you can't really blame the Dells of the world for passing them up. In the end, it ends up costing the end user more to get options without Windows... And at some point you have to ask yourself if it's worth paying more to NOT get the license, even if you don't plan on using it. I think for most people, even the ones that plan to put a Linux boot CD in the first time they turn the thing on, it's just something to accept and move on.
If it's any consolation, MS doesn't really make money on desktop operating systems sales anymore anyway. The real money is in application suites and services. The desktop OS is just their means of locking the users in - but if you don't run it, and you don't buy the apps from them, then they don't really benefit. Sure, they can count you as one of their "installed" users but that's just giving them more bad data, which in the long run hurts them too... ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karthik Poobal" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 2:57:16 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central Subject: Re: [brlug-general] ms to remove IE, or will add other browsers? I think the subsidies that Tim talks about is if the manufacturer offers only windows. I think the cost of windows goes up if they offer OSS options. The last time I bought a windows XP system builder's version it cost around $100 bucks. That to me is an anticompetitive practice. -- Karthik Poobalasubramanian Louisiana Board of Regents [email protected] [email protected] 225-910-6126 skype: poobal On Feb 25, 2009, at 2:02 PM, Brad Bendily wrote: > I'm wondering though, at least for Dell, I assume they have an image > and the hard drives get imaged way before the assembly line. So, to > have > an option at the assembly line that says, select drive 1 for Windows > or > drive 2 for OSS... wouldn't be too much to add. I dunno, i have no > idea > how it actually works at dell, but it might not be too hard to add. > bb > > On Wed, 25 Feb 2009, Tim Fournet wrote: > >> The cost for an OEM copy of windows, after all the subsidies is >> something like $35. If you take into account the costs to build a >> process to order machines without an OS for the small number of >> people who would even request that sort of thing, you can see why >> the big box manufacturers don't want to deal with it. A local >> computer shop will do it because it's not like they have to >> interrupt an assembly line to one-off an image >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Mark A. Lappin" <[email protected]> >> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> >> Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 11:15:51 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada >> Central >> Subject: Re: [brlug-general] ms to remove IE, or will add other >> browsers? >> >>> Few years ago when I was looking into getting a laptop, I could >>> not get a preloaded linux one >>> from any "major" manufacturer. The situation is a little bit >>> better now. BTW the same issue applies to Apple. >> >> >> >> A few years ago is a whole different story. I don't use linux as >> my primary desktop OS but on the last several systems I've ordered >> OEM, linux has been an option for the pre-installed OS. End-User >> desktop linux has really matured over the last few years, it >> installs easily, supports a lot more hardware without having to get >> into anything to technical which if I were an OEM provider would be >> a critical decision for me on what OS' to make available. Not to >> mention what does the purchasing market want/demand. Many more >> people are non-Windows aware now than they were even 3 years ago >> and that makes a big difference. >> >> Re getting a machine with no pre-installed OS, I've never tried to >> as a home user but have been doing so in my work life since 2001 in >> working for various helpdesks/IT departments with corporate >> purchasing accounts. The few machines I had custom built at local >> computer shops it was never a problem to get without the OS >> (although it really only lowered the cost of the machine by a few >> bucks, I never quite figured out that pricing structure for OEM >> Windows XP). For the Average user I can see not putting a no OS >> option in various web based build your computer interfaces - >> remember the average user just wants to turn their computer on and >> have it work, if a company easily offered to the masses no OS as an >> option with a "subtract $399" option, the average user wanting to >> save $400 would take it, end up calling support, being frustrated >> and then mad that it just didn't work. I am not saying I 100% >> agree with not making it an easy option for the average home user >> but I can see >> why OEM vendors would not want to make it easy to do, more work and >> thus more money they may potentially have to spend meaning their >> margin on that machine just went down. I doubt it would be easy to >> do even with a phone call unless they got a really good phone rep >> (unlikely) or called the business orders division where its more >> common. >> >> I think in today's world and as non-Microsoft OS' start to take >> more of the market share, there will be more variety in whats >> available from big name computer vendors, I think it is a slow road >> but there is progress being made. Once Google releases their OS I >> think there will be much more of a take off of OEM support for home >> users not running Windows. >> >> >> ML >> >> >> Mark A. Lappin, CCNA, MCSE:Security | Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry >> Director of Information Technology >> 11314 Cloverland Ave | Baton Rouge, LA 70809 >> Ph: 225.291.9094 ext 245 | Fax: 225-291-5778 | Mobile: 225-362-2770 >> www.lmfj.com >> >> >> >> This communication is privileged and confidential. If you are not >> the intended recipient, please notify the sender by reply e-mail >> and destroy all copies of this communication . >> >> _______________________________________________ >> General mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://mail.brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net >> >> _______________________________________________ >> General mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://mail.brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net >> > > _______________________________________________ > General mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net _______________________________________________ General mailing list [email protected] http://mail.brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net _______________________________________________ General mailing list [email protected] http://mail.brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net
