On Sat, Oct 17, 1998 at 09:24:43AM -0400, Eric S. Raymond wrote:
> Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>:
> > > If Linux is to seriously compete with M$ on the desktop, something will
> > > have to be done in order to ease the burden of installation and
> > > configuration for the non-technical user community. No small task. Of
> > > course Linux was no small task either.
> >
> > You keep forgetting - the average user couldnt install windows 95 either,
> > not and then sort out the video cards and other stuff. They solve it by
> > buying preinstalled machines.
> >
Very true. I have to deal with a good lot of win users and there are 2
diferent kinds:
1) the clueless kind. buys a box. if he want's a new video card (example) he
takes it into the shop and haves it installed. This is sometimes called the
Rich kind.
2) the gam3z k1d13z who are always installing the newest hyper cool stuff,
have a somewhat deeper understanding of the bowels of a PeCe but only want
to play.
Type 1 will be clueless. Type 2 won't give a damn :)
> > Nowdays you can do the same for Linux
>
> There are two reasons this is a poor argument:
>
> 1. We shouldn't settle for being as bad as 95. It's beneath us.
>
This is settling for having clueless users not being as bad as win95.
This is what VA is doing (and all major UNIX vendors i know). Sell a
preinstalled box that will hit the power switch running.
Unfortunaly people *want* to stay ignorant and buy a computer just like they
were buying a toaster.
> 2. The "buy a preinstalled machine" advice won't be convincing until
> the big boys (Dell, Gateway, etc) make such an option generally
> available.
Actually lots of small shops here in Portugal are selling preinstalled linux
boxes. Custom built ones or "default" models. This could be a way to go. On
the other hand my reality is somewhat diferent from the UK or US reality
where as i understand it 90% of the boxes are Dell, Gateway etc.
cheers
- --
Carlos Morgado - l39801@alfa.ist.utl.pt - http://alfa.ist.utl.pt/~c39801
PGP Key fingerprint = 43 BF 53 98 EB 32 F5 17 9E EB 77 1F 57 8C C6 83
Win$ is the living proof of Murphy's Law
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