Re: [newbie] I'm getting peeved!

[Todd Franklin]

You should look into getting one of those walmart Microtel machines if you want something cheap.  What gets me is that alot of the reviewers bash them because they're slow.  HELLO!?!  Look at the price!  Of course they're not going to have the speed and performance of a 2GHz + computer.  But if you want a plain old workstation for cheap... not to mention a free OS, they can't be beat.
More importantly, Walmart has snubbed their nose at Microsoft.  Why?  Because Walmart is one of the few companies that can't be bought by Microsoft.  First, they don't rely on PC sales to keep them in business.  Second, they are BIGGER than Microsoft.  If Microsoft threatened to pull their licenses because Walmart is selling PC's with alternative or no OS on them, then Walmart can afford to give them the finger.
What I like best about it though, is if Walmart is selling PC's with Linux on them, then you know some slack-jawed yokel in Po-dunk, Arkansas is using Linux right now!  And probably doesn't even know the difference!
That's how the war will be won in the end I think.   ;-)

Todd F.

Todd Slater wrote:

On Tue, Nov 12, 2002 at 12:45:44PM +0000, Anne Wilson wrote:
  

On Tuesday 12 Nov 2002 11:57 am, you wrote:
    

On Tue, 2002-11-12 at 21:45, Anne Wilson wrote:
      

at the predictable response from hardware manufacturers.  I don't usually
snap at people like this, but...

Quote

OK - I'll buy a Hauppage card that does.

Anne
        

Anne, look - for all intents and purposes, you're swimming upstream
here. Manufacturers don't care about US - they care about money. They
care about marketing. 
      

In the end, lost sales do count.  Mine alone will do nothing, but the more 
often we can tell them that we have gone to a competitor who does better and 
the sooner they will take notice.
    

Exactly. I checked out an offer from Gateway for a $399 computer. I went
into a Gateway support chat session and asked if I could get a Gateway
computer without an operating system. The support person said that no,
Gateway can't sell a computer without an OS, they have an agreement with
MS. Thank you very much, I said. 

On exiting the chat, I was prompted to fill out a survey on the
experience. Under additional comments, I asked, "I wonder how many more
computers Gateway could sell if it didn't force customers to pay the
Microsoft tax?"

I'm sure Gateway has a beancounter that has figured out that they will
make more money bending over for MS than they will selling OS-less
systems. But I'm just as sure that as soon as the numbers change, so
will the policy. Or, when the demand for OS-less computers is
sufficient, Gateway will dump its agreement with MS.

It felt good to say it, though :)

Todd

  

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