[nzlug] Dell are sooo pwn3d

[Toby Collett]

The only two reasons that I would care about a linux offering from a
manufacturer such as dell are:
1) The *small* discount of not paying for the MS license
2) Hardware support for linux, which in most cases is distribution
independent.

As long as the vendor doesn't go down the strangely packaged binary modules
for obscure kernels road of supporting hardware the it does not matter which
distribution they choose. The important thing is that the vendor either
choose hardware that is already supported by linux or help develop drivers
for the hardware they choose, what distro actually ends up on the box I buy
doesn't worry me at all as its bound to not be the one I use, or at least
not the version or configuration I want. (by the way, I use Xubuntu, and
happen to be typing this on a Dell box)

Toby

On 7/1/07, Simon <corwin at ihug.co.nz> wrote:
>
> On Sun, 2007-07-01 at 20:50 +1200, yuri wrote:
> > On 29/06/07, Denise Bates wrote:
> > > Each to their own. Too much Ubuntu evangelising is a "bad" thing!
> >
> > I didn't start this sub-thread (tangent) to evangelise Ubuntu.
> > Personally I use Gentoo.
> > I mentioned Ubuntu as a good starting point for hardware vendors and
> > ISPs to support because it seems to be the distro that linux newbies
> > currently start out on, and vendors say they don't want to support all
> > the different linux configurations so I say why not pick one of the
> > more common flavours and at least support that.
>
> ISP's need to support users not OS's. They seem to confuse this with OS
> support... mind you: they have ample evidence that users are stupid.
>
> i.e. connection instructions will start by asking if you use pc or mac.
> Under pc, it starts out "open IE" ... but what if I use Opera? There are
> myriad browsers for windows so the ISP has chosen the "popular" one.
> Which choice becomes a reinforcement.
>
> Instead, the instructions could be more generic... consult your browser
> documentation to find... then taps into user resources to make the
> instructions simpler. This approach also requires fewer resoulces and
> less maintenance. Empower the user!
>
> However... many ISP's also sell HW with connections... it would be nice
> if they would choose HW that supports an open standard or is at least
> cross-platform... a general insistence of this would be a real push to
> the HW manufacturers.
>
>
> Vendors are a different kettle of piranhas. In this case, the number of
> OS's available as pre-installed is important and they will, typically,
> have to choose what they install. Hence the choice question.
>
> On the whole, choice is not an issue to the vendor... look at the HW
> choices they already have to make. The bottom line is usually on price,
> with whatever the market is prepared to put up with.
>
> Offering a range of distros, though, is not really harder than the
> current set of windows offerings ... if you count up the possible
> software combinations on a standard offering from DELL (say), you will
> quickly top a dozen. So... why not supply the top 5 from distrowatch?
>
> The bottom line here though is that tho hardware must be compatible.
>
> Consumers... are not really phased by choice. When you want to buy a
> fridge, you get loads of choice. Most a pretty nigh identical too. What
> we are lacking, of course, is a linux equivalent of the whiteware
> salesman... at least with a high profile. This is an *advertising*
> problem... good-old market ignorance.
>
> This (IMO) is the central disappointment with the DELL offer (dragging
> the thread back on topic)... they still dare not annoy MS by actually
> *marketing* their alternate OS in any way. Same with Lenovo and hp.
>
>
> Choice... is a good thing provided users (and the market) are empowered
> to take advantage of it.
>
> (Ducks)
>
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