Doug LaRue wrote:
** Reply to message from Andrew Lentvorski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> on Wed, 04 Jun
2008 20:50:47 -0700
I do know of people who have paid $250 multiple times to "fix" a corrupted
Windows system and atleast 3 people who just went out and purchased new
computers because Windows died or the system "became too slow". These
people don't play games except crap like Solitaire and don't do AutoCAD.
Ayup. But that's a *back end* cost rather than a *front end* one. If
you run Linux, there is a *front end* cost that you see immediately.
Why did that website crash (needs Flash version Linux+2)? Why can't I
use that PDF form? Why doesn't this website work (IE optimized)? Why
doesn't *insert industry specific piece of VB crap* work? Why can't I
run my printer?
how is that a "front end" cost? Are you saying they see a Flash issue at the
store?
PDF form issues at the store?
No, but they'll see it within the 30 day return window. And that's more
than sufficient.
How is this and up front cost and these are not
issues when OEMs preload Linux and have Adobe and other licensed products
or drivers installed right out the door
Because they're *NOT* always installed right out the door. The issue is
that on Windows a little "Click here to install" pops up and Does The
Right Thing(tm).
This is, of course, anathema to A) good security practice and B) the
Linux way.
Normally you can go around these, but it takes up front work.
that's backend work just like cleaning virus's off Windows machines.
You fix them when you come across them. But again, are you talking
businesses or consumers? And OEM installed/configured Linux box is
going to have far far less "support" issues compared to a Windows box
if you only consider virus and malware stuff.
First, the distinction between consumer and business is artifical.
There is no difference. A small to medium sized business (<100 people)
is in the same boat as a generic consumer--ie. no IT staff.
Second, you're not listening. It's not about fewer support issues.
It's about the ability to make support Somebody Else's Problem(tm).
Businesses can buy Windows support. Cheap. From anywhere.
The fact that the total amount spent on Windows support is more than
Linux isn't relevant. The fact that Windows support sucks isn't
relevant. The fact is you can't take your computer into Fry's, Circuit
City, Geek Squad, etc. and get Linux help. You can't find a Linux
support person without paying real money or digging around.
You can spit randomly and have a 50-50 chance of hitting someone who
thinks they can fix your Windows PC.
I see, we are back to discussing businesses. We'll see how long they keep
paying for the shutdowns because of Windows virus's and start realizing
that these are not free "back end" expenses.
They don't care. Nobody gets billed because the Windows network went
down. Nobody gets blamed because nobody in management thinks there is
an alternative.
And with budgets getting
cut already because of a slow economy, doing the job and sometimes more
of the job with the same or less cost means more money for other things.
It won't matter. They will regard the Windows licensing as a fixed
expense. Either they are a small business/consumer who has already sunk
the cost and will never upgrade or they are a big business for whom a
Microsoft license is under the heading "part of somebody else's budget".
I'm sick of hearing that "there is no accounting column labeled savings". That
bit only applies in a growing and wealthy economy and growing profits.
Wrong. It's even *worse* in a touchy economy. Risk aversion increases.
More things are likely to go wrong because maintenance money is being
cut and giving someone an extra excuse to hang you out to dry just
doesn't happen.
every business, government, school, etc is getting more money to spend
so while "savings" might not be in the language of the financial department,
doing more with less is in the minds of millions more as high oil prices and
declining dollar value sucks cash out of every aspect of our economy.
You couldn't get Linux into schools which have been perennially
underfunded since forever. Period. It doesn't matter if you could save
them $10,000,000. Nobody is held accountable for that money.
Look. We couldn't get SDCOE to let us buy them a light bulb for the LCD
projector. Someone would have to take responsibility. That simply
won't happen. Responsibility == can be blamed if it fails.
I just think you are not too experienced with some of the deskto distros
and consider who much OEM pre-configuring and pre-installation can
do for ease of use and feature completeness. The fact that the Asus
Eee PC is getting used by newbies and getting good press by Windows
using authors should be an example of how ready Linux is for the
general.... for SOME of the computer users out there.
You keep talking like this is a technical battle. It's not. It's a
*political* battle. And it's the same political battle that Microsoft
has to fight to get everybody to upgrade. And even *Microsoft* can't
win this battle without a massive monetary outlay.
-a
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