On Thu, 2006-02-09 at 23:32 +0100, Toralf Lund wrote: > Temlakos wrote: > > > Mike McCarty wrote: > > > >> taharka wrote: > >> > >>> Feb. 08, 2006 > >>> > >>> As you may know, Google is close to making a deal with Dell in which > >>> the > >>> search giant will get to preinstall its software package on Dell PCs. > >>> What you may not know is that Google may be spending a billion dollars > >>> over three years for the privilege. > >> > >> > >> > >> Why should I care? (This is a serious question, not irony.) > >> > >>> Full story at; http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS2572482759.html > >>> > >> > >> > >> [QUOTE MODE ON] > >> > >> What does that have to do with Linux? Everything. > >> > >> Microsoft may say that what ends up on the desktop is all about > >> having the best products, but that's hooey. I don't say that as a > >> Linux supporter, I say that as someone who knows how the desktop > >> market works. Most users, I'd say 80 percent, stick with what comes > >> on their desktop. Period. > >> > >> I know this. Microsoft knows this. Everyone in the desktop business > >> knows this, even though we may disagree on the exact numbers. > >> > >> So, the real way to win the desktop, as I've long said, is to get > >> Linux on it before a user ever sees it. > >> > >> [QUOTE MODE OFF] > >> > >> > >> Is "winning the desktop" (whatever that may be) a goal? For me? > >> > >> I guess I just don't understand the big picture or sth. This just > >> looks like more "I hate MicroSoft" propaganda than anything worthwhile. > >> > >> Could someone explain why this is important? > >> > >> Mike > > > > > > I'll try to explain. > > > > If we ever expect to quit having our local CIO's roll their eyes at us > > when we say that we want /Linux/ desktops and /Linux/ client machines, > > because we know that Linux will cost the company much less overall > > than buying a bunch of Windows boxes, then we'll need some more > > attractive options than: > > > > 1. Buying a bunch of machines having Windows pre-installed on them. > > > > 2. Nuking the hard drives. > > > > 3. Installing Linux on them. > > > > Either that, or: > > > > 1. Buying a bunch of machines /without/ hard drives. > > > > 2. Buying hard drives /separately/. > > > > 3. Installing the hard drives. > > > > 4. Installing Linux on these systems. > > It's a bit funny that you should imply that these are the only two > options, when the vendor mentioned above is Dell, and Dell are quite > happy to sell you a PC with Linux preinstalled. (Now, I'm not entirely > happy with their Linux *user support*, or lack thereof, but I guess they > don't offer a lot of software support to Windows users, either...) Dell will also sell a PC with FreeDOS installed. It just may cost *more* than one with Windows installed: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/07/dell_linux_tough/ Paul.
