Re: [newbie] RE: [newbie] Interview: Gaël Duval on finances
On Thursday 03 July 2003 10:59 am, Eric Huff wrote: now if Dell and all the other biggies would sit up and take notice. linux may well make a desktop dent. Part of that would entail getting in good with the hardware manufacturers - that's where Microsoft has made the inroads. It's true that the hardware issu is big. That's what many of the emails on this list refer to. But if HP or Dell, etc, want to install Linux on their desktops, they just have to figure out in the beginning which hardware is compatible, or program the appropriate drivers. And that only has to be done once. Then they can sell that combo. The people getting the computers won't care: it'll be all preinstalled and work. I see what you are saying, though: if those same people want to buy add-ons, they'll have to be careful to get ones that are compatible. Maybe (i'm dreaming here) the big companies would help maintain hardware compatibility lists, and even encourage the hardware companies to support linux. Like i said, it's a dream, but i think it is a possible one... eric Here is a possibility, now that HP has begun to sell computers with ML 9.1 preinstalled and if I understand correctly at a price that is $90 less than their windows counterpart they may start to do some advertising letting people know about this. That would give the average user the advantage of being able to buy a name brand machine for $90 less and may attract a lot of new sales to HP. That could put a dent in the sales of some of the other big name brands. Not a good thing in a allready tight economy. That could force some of the other big brand name computer manufactures into also offering some brand of linux preinstalled. If that was the case HP would probably start to brag that they have the easyest and most user friendly Linux distro on their machines Mandrake 9.1 and that could eventually cause a lot of OEM's to start preinstalling ML 9.1. That could cause a snowball effect and Mandrake could become king of the linux distros or the king of the OS market in a short time say 2 or 3 years. The folks at HP must know a few things about marketing and advertising to have become the industry giants that they are today and in my mind it is a fact that computer users in particular and people in general always seem to want the latest greatest and best. I would suspect that at this point in time HP is just doing a bit of test maketing in offering machines with ML preinstalled but if things go well they may start some aggressive marketing and if that is the case it could cause a snowball effect almost overnight. I did leave a lot of if's, could's, might's and maybe's in the above statement but the possibility is there even if it is only wishfull thinking at this point. If any of this comes to pass we can expect the evil empire to start cranking out FUD at warp speed using more obserd claims than ever before if you can imagine that. Just my $.02 worth Marc KM5KW -- Composed on a 100% Microsoft and Windows free computer with Mandrake Linux 9.1 Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
[newbie] RE: [newbie] RE: [newbie] Interview: Gaël Duval on finances
I think two things need to happen before mandrake will have a chance.. and both have to do with mandrake itself. 1. Mandrake MUST start actively fixing bugs in the current distros rather then just focusing on the next one, and making security fixes for the present ones. 2. Mandrake needs to add something to the internet connection settings that check for updates, or offer to do that... even windows has that now. too many people that run windows don't use windows update and so get infected by every virus/worm etc that comes along.. Mandrake needs to see the light and counter that before they end up in the same place. I also thing it wouldn't hurt to adopt a setting similiar to 2000/XP whereby each submenu in the menu system has only one of each app type showing at a time.. and a thing at the bottom that newbies can click to show the other options. Just to simplify things for the newbs... something that regular users can turn off quickly. That way newbies would see the most popular apps in all categories easily and in a non confusing manner, and when they are ready for more options can try the rest. I think mandrake would be on a winner then.. but they don't listen to the mailing lists so I don't expect them to do any of it.. which is sad.. i personally believe that if mandrake monitored the newbie list and heard what newbies saying (and responding accordingly) they would already be the most popular distro. Nearly every complaint made in testing sites about mandrake 9.1 (and previous versions) was mentioned first on this list.. shame noone in power at mandrake takes advantage of it. rgds Franki -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Marc Oestreicher Sent: Friday, 4 July 2003 11:00 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [newbie] RE: [newbie] Interview: Gaël Duval on finances On Thursday 03 July 2003 10:59 am, Eric Huff wrote: now if Dell and all the other biggies would sit up and take notice. linux may well make a desktop dent. Part of that would entail getting in good with the hardware manufacturers - that's where Microsoft has made the inroads. It's true that the hardware issu is big. That's what many of the emails on this list refer to. But if HP or Dell, etc, want to install Linux on their desktops, they just have to figure out in the beginning which hardware is compatible, or program the appropriate drivers. And that only has to be done once. Then they can sell that combo. The people getting the computers won't care: it'll be all preinstalled and work. I see what you are saying, though: if those same people want to buy add-ons, they'll have to be careful to get ones that are compatible. Maybe (i'm dreaming here) the big companies would help maintain hardware compatibility lists, and even encourage the hardware companies to support linux. Like i said, it's a dream, but i think it is a possible one... eric Here is a possibility, now that HP has begun to sell computers with ML 9.1 preinstalled and if I understand correctly at a price that is $90 less than their windows counterpart they may start to do some advertising letting people know about this. That would give the average user the advantage of being able to buy a name brand machine for $90 less and may attract a lot of new sales to HP. That could put a dent in the sales of some of the other big name brands. Not a good thing in a allready tight economy. That could force some of the other big brand name computer manufactures into also offering some brand of linux preinstalled. If that was the case HP would probably start to brag that they have the easyest and most user friendly Linux distro on their machines Mandrake 9.1 and that could eventually cause a lot of OEM's to start preinstalling ML 9.1. That could cause a snowball effect and Mandrake could become king of the linux distros or the king of the OS market in a short time say 2 or 3 years. The folks at HP must know a few things about marketing and advertising to have become the industry giants that they are today and in my mind it is a fact that computer users in particular and people in general always seem to want the latest greatest and best. I would suspect that at this point in time HP is just doing a bit of test maketing in offering machines with ML preinstalled but if things go well they may start some aggressive marketing and if that is the case it could cause a snowball effect almost overnight. I did leave a lot of if's, could's, might's and maybe's in the above statement but the possibility is there even if it is only wishfull thinking at this point. If any of this comes to pass we can expect the evil empire to start cranking out FUD at warp speed using more obserd claims than ever before if you can imagine that. Just my $.02 worth Marc KM5KW -- Composed on a 100% Microsoft and Windows free computer with Mandrake Linux 9.1 Want to buy your Pack
Re: [newbie] RE: [newbie] Interview: Gaël Duval on finances
On Sat, 05 Jul 2003 02:07, ed tharp wrote: I remember about the time of MDK7.1, that if you called Gateway, gave them the serial number of the unit, and said someone installed linux on this and that automatically ended the warranty. did not matter if it was ten minutes old, or if linux had anything to do with the problem or just how you found the problem, installing linux on a Gateway computer ended the warranty. Yes well... we all know linux is a virus! And the linux virus code obviously damages the hardware ; ) ... pathetic isn't it? Sharrea -- Help Microsoft stamp out piracy - give Linux to a friend today PS. Just in case someone doesn't understand the sarcasm, this is a joke, OK. Linux is NOT a virus - it's the best goddam OS out there! Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
[newbie] RE: [newbie] Interview: Gaël Duval on finances
thats fantastic.. I hope they do alot of business.. And i hope the mandrake machines are much cheaper. now if Dell and all the other biggies would sit up and take notice. linux may well make a desktop dent. rgds Franki -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Carroll Grigsby Sent: Thursday, 3 July 2003 10:57 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [newbie] Interview: Gaël Duval on finances On Wednesday 02 July 2003 01:00 pm, Lyvim Xaphir wrote: Source URL: http://mozillaquest.com/Linux_News03/MandrakeClustering_Story01.html snip --LX LX: When I read the original article, the cynic in me kept whispering in my ear, What do you expect him to say? -- We're in deep do do, and we'll be lucky if we survive until mid-August, or Look, I've got some heavy bread stashed away just over the border in Switzerland, so next week I'm off to Martinique with all those sweet babes. It's every man for himself time, and there's only one lifeboat. Nahhh -- CEO's have to put a positive spin on events -- it's in their job descriptions. Hell, Ken Lay never let on that Enron was in Really Deep Stuff, did he? Of course not. But then tonight I found this very encouraging story today at the Mandrake home page: http://www.mandrakesoft.com/company/press/briefs?n=/mandrakesoft/news/2426 Synopsis: HP will be selling one of their _desktop_ lines with an option of XP Pro, XP Home, or (drum roll, please) MANDRAKE 9.1! We ain't talking servers here, folks, we're talking desktops! And we ain't talking Red Hat, Suse or Lindows, we're talking Mandrake! Wow! HP not only thinks that Mandrake can survive, but that Mandrake is the best solution to putting Linux on desktops. Looks good to me. (There's also a current thread on Slashdot about this. It's the usual /. stuff.) -- cmg (who will be renewing his Club membership) Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
[newbie] Interview: Gaël Duval on finances
Source URL: http://mozillaquest.com/Linux_News03/MandrakeClustering_Story01.html Excerpt: _ Mandrake's Good Financial News After MandrakeSoft filed the equivalent of a U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it set about a restructuring designed to make MandrakeSoft a financially viable operation. We asked Gaël Duval about that in our e-mail discussions about the MandrakeClustering announcement. MozillaQuest Magazine: How are you coming along with finances and the bankruptcy? Gaël Duval: No big news, but we have nearly finished our internal restructuring, with a strong commitment to doing business. Gaël Duval: We should be out of the chapter-11 protection in about 8 months (it takes time!). MozillaQuest Magazine: I think lots of people will be glad to hear that you are coming along with the finances and bankruptcy. Gaël Duval: The situation is really better than before for two reasons: 1) MandrakeSoft reorganization is nearly finished and 2) we have focused much on the business side. MozillaQuest Magazine: This is good to hear also. MozillaQuest Magazine: By the business side, is that the Mandrake Corporate server and now the MandrakeClustering? Gaël Duval: They are part of our plans to extend the business! MozillaQuest Magazine: Is the book (The Definitive Guide to Using Mandrake Linux) part of that too? Gaël Duval: It's part of the current plan as well. The good thing is that at the same time, it answers a strong demand from Mandrake users. MozillaQuest Magazine: Anything else within that which you call the business side? Gaël Duval: Improving the Club, improving MandrakeStore: these things also help us to make more business everyday. --LX __ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Re: [newbie] Interview: Gaël Duval on finances
On Wednesday 02 July 2003 01:00 pm, Lyvim Xaphir wrote: Source URL: http://mozillaquest.com/Linux_News03/MandrakeClustering_Story01.html snip --LX LX: When I read the original article, the cynic in me kept whispering in my ear, What do you expect him to say? -- We're in deep do do, and we'll be lucky if we survive until mid-August, or Look, I've got some heavy bread stashed away just over the border in Switzerland, so next week I'm off to Martinique with all those sweet babes. It's every man for himself time, and there's only one lifeboat. Nahhh -- CEO's have to put a positive spin on events -- it's in their job descriptions. Hell, Ken Lay never let on that Enron was in Really Deep Stuff, did he? Of course not. But then tonight I found this very encouraging story today at the Mandrake home page: http://www.mandrakesoft.com/company/press/briefs?n=/mandrakesoft/news/2426 Synopsis: HP will be selling one of their _desktop_ lines with an option of XP Pro, XP Home, or (drum roll, please) MANDRAKE 9.1! We ain't talking servers here, folks, we're talking desktops! And we ain't talking Red Hat, Suse or Lindows, we're talking Mandrake! Wow! HP not only thinks that Mandrake can survive, but that Mandrake is the best solution to putting Linux on desktops. Looks good to me. (There's also a current thread on Slashdot about this. It's the usual /. stuff.) -- cmg (who will be renewing his Club membership) Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
