Redmond bribing ulcp manufacturers NOT to install *nix

hahahaha, £15 for an XP home lisence.... Always knew they wernt really worth paying for :)

On a serious note this is pretty annoying, i liked the look of these laptops with pre installed linux
 
You're being needlessly reactionary. They aren't bribing anyone, they're offering a product at a reduced cost to manufacturers of certain types of devices. Which isn't a bad idea if you want to encourage production of those devices.

If they didn't impose some kind of limitation on the devices it applied too then manufacturers would be buying £15 XP home for all their budget desktops, the line has to be somewhere and where it's drawn is logical (touchscreen is debatable but the touch screen support in vista is what they're trying to sell there)

In the end, there is no disincentive to develop linux machines in that market (linux being free and infinitely more customizable after all)
 
My real annoyance is that it reduces the exposure of linux to the masses, and although I was being somewhat tounge in cheek, using the word bribe, it still smacks of "incentivising" (is that a word even?) at the very least. As for there being no disincentive to develop linux machines, I think the average user will be much happier with a low cost xp based system rather than having to use 'scary' linux (Yes I know it isn't, but that is the perception of it)

I've got no objections to having windows installed on ulcps it just tickles me the way in which microsoft have gone about it. In the end the competition is probably a good thing.
 
I'd say the reason Linux hasn't taken over the noob "I surf the internet" market yet is because many people don't even know there IS a Linux! Some people don't even know what Firefox is!

Me: Internet Explorer isn't very good mate, I use Mozilla Firefox myself
Mate: Really? But it's not an internet explorer do how do you use the internet?
/laughs
 
Monkeynut said:
I'd say the reason Linux hasn't taken over the noob "I surf the internet" market yet is because many people don't even know there IS a Linux! Some people don't even know what Firefox is!

Me: Internet Explorer isn't very good mate, I use Mozilla Firefox myself
Mate: Really? But it's not an internet explorer do how do you use the internet?
/laughs
Click to expand...

I'm not convinced myself, file portability is an issue, familiarity is an issue for users with windows at work etc.

I don't see why it matters hugely, if you want to install linux then you can, driver support is getting pretty good. My own experience has taught me that no one OS offers everything, so use what works best for your needs...
 
Monkeynut said:
I'd say the reason Linux hasn't taken over the noob "I surf the internet" market yet is because many people don't even know there IS a Linux! Some people don't even know what Firefox is!
Click to expand...

And then of course there's the people who think they know what linux is after reading things like this and then scream that they would never ever install THAT....... :p

On a serious note I agree, but I think the only way that linux will make huge headway into the consumer market is through cut down embedded applications (something it's being doing quietly on quite a large scale for years) unfortunately the public, by and large, will still be ignorant of it. :(
 
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