What is Digg?112 Comments
- dukeinlondon, on 10/10/2007, -1/+30There was no demand for mp3 players before Rio started offering them. The demand was all for small, skip free CD and minidisc players.
- jlebrech, on 10/10/2007, -1/+20Bollocks, Why not just have a Compiz enabled Laptop in a shop and you will see the demand. Just like when people are curious about macs get impressed by the looks.
- schestowitz, on 10/10/2007, -7/+25There's clearly some demand, but if not, they should at least give a refund for unwanted products that they shove into the laptops's hard drive.
I've installed Linux, now give me my Windows refund
,----[ Quote ]
| Unfortunately, due to unfair licensing practices, Windows comes
| with most computers that are purchased and most people have to payf
| or Windows whether they like it or not, even if they are looking for
| a naked machine, ie one without an operating system installed. As
| you may well know that finding a naked notebook is difficult and
| can be expensive. Because of this several complaints have been put
| to the European Union asking them to investigate. This has been
| reported in the press (see
| http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/276088_msfteu01.html). This,
| as you may have heard, is referred to as the 'Microsoft Tax'.
`----
http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=139627 - kazamx, on 10/10/2007, -5/+17As much as I would like to see Linux on laptops in the UK, I have a feeling they are right. I love my Ubuntu system, but I am one of the few.
I am sure that there are 'some' people in the UK who would buy one, but I think the market is sadly too small. - UnleashChaos, on 10/10/2007, -4/+15I'm in the UK, and only a few people I know have even heard of Linux... Everyone is OBSESSED with Vista... I know, stange!
- whataboutdave, on 10/10/2007, -1/+12Extensive polling. That, or Stevie Ballmer told them so.
- kazamx, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9I was working it out a few days ago. I don't have the numbers to hand but it was something like this. If I buy a new Macbook Pro and iPod, it would work out cheaper to fly to New York and buy one there. The price difference would pay the flight and one night in a hotel and leave a little spending money.
- arjie, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7I understand you're being sarcastic but you don't really understand the issue here. Dell selling Ubuntu computers would mean that all the components work with Linux. That's important.
- Azimuth1, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8How do they know?
- Krumm, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6It may also be that there are just too many places selling systems with no OS over here.
Pretty much every place where you can buy a system that's not Dell or a big business manufacturer will let you buy just the hardware, and you can do what you like with it.
I'm sure if Linux is going on anything, it's these - if you're smart enough to use Linux, you're smart enough to avoid places like Dell and get an off the shelf system for close to the price to building yourself. - finjetsu, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6i'm in the uk and i want a Linux Laptop >:( this is not good
- mattmcm, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6In my college course last year, only one guy out of around 20 of us used Linux. Six were Mac users, and the rest of us used XP (minus one unfortunate sod who had to use Me).
To his credit though, the Ubuntu guy did try promoting the operating system, and he did pretty well, converting two by the end of the year. I ended up using Ubuntu for two weeks before going back to XP. Linux isn't bad (in fact, it's great), but it's just not my cup of tea. I prefer Windows for some reason.
Long story short, if Linux was advertised more in the UK, you'd get more positive results in Acer's survey. Hardly anyone I speak to have even heard of it. - GMorgan, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5Are you sure. Most people don't know how to use Windows. In fact I'd say that the number of people who could competently handle Windows is less than 10%. They'd be just as confused on Linux.
- IbnDigg, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5I call bollocks on this one. If you tell people that there is a system, on which you can use a word processor, and browse the internet and it will cost you £100 less, trust me there will be interest in any part of the known universe.
- shad0walker, on 10/10/2007, -3/+8I'm sure a company like acer could sell me a Linux laptop from somewhere like say, France (Plucking it out cause its very close and decent population) and i could use the reduced cost (Lack of windows tax) to pay the extra shipping.
- PawFox, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5I can't even afford a laptop at the prices UK has.
- GMorgan, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5No Windows tax as well. Also important.
- kazamx, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5Dell is the best thing to happen to Linux in a long time. Dell have enough power to (over time) get drivers written by some of the firms that won't listen to Linux users.
There seem to be 3 main reasons people don't use linux 1/ Ease of use 2/ Hardware problems 3/ no games.
1/ Every Linux distro is hard at work on this and is getting pretty dam close.
2/ This is where Dell comes in as we can't do this on our own
3/ Once 1 and 2 are done then more people will get linux. If enough people use Linux the games will come. - TheSeeker11, on 10/10/2007, -3/+7The only reason I'd buy a Dell Linux laptop is to save a bit of money; I'd wipe Ubuntu and install my distro of choice (sidux).
- insomniac8400, on 10/10/2007, -4/+8OMG! If only a person could download and install ubuntu for free, then it wouldn't matter if dell offered it or not. I guess we should all pray to god asking him to force dell to sell ubuntu pcs, because there is no other way to get ubuntu.
- CorpT, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Why are you engaging in prearranged combat with your boot?
- ruiacp, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5It dosen't do less than a half the things windoes does.
Less than a half virus.
Less than a half spyware/adware.
Less than a half instability. - ruiacp, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4"I never booted the XP that it came with, I just wiped it and installed Ubuntu."
Good choice, but you paid for windows because the lack of choice. - gordmoo, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5there is no demand for windows laptops either. people just go to pcworld or some such and ask for a laptop, generally they are going to be using it to do emails, web stuff, maybe word processing. they don't care whats doing it as long as it does what they want. the whole situation is presented in a backwards manner. just start selling laptops with linux on them in pc world or whatever with no special fanfare (apart from maybe saying that its cheeper and virus proof) and they will sell just as well as windows laptops
- inactive, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4'Mandriva One' here, that said, I only know two people that use Linux.
- diggsIt, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4You can build a laptop close to the price of buying one? Dell has some nice Ubuntu systems for sale that are configured and ready to go. They don't have an OS tax, DRM, crapware, and are quicker than a comparable Vista system. If you don't want Ubuntu, install and configure whatever you want.
- Ramble, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Me too, Linux adoption here is pretty darn tiny.
Don't know about this obsession with Vista though.. - GMorgan, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4I'm in the UK and few I speak to know of Linux or Vista.
- TheTankengine, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3So you wouldn't even consider the fact that the Dell laptops with Ubuntu preloaded are guaranteed to have all hardware working in Linux (and especially Sidux, being Debian-based)? It seems like that reason would be at LEAST as important as saving $50.
- DaleoftheUK, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3There definitely a demand for a laptop that doesn't come with windows. Alot of people pirate windows, so a system that came with a free OS and then could have illegal windows put onto it would appeal to alot of people in the UK. I'd buy a ubuntu set-up for home family use.
- oobuntu, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Much of these problems are attributable to the government's attitude towards Open Source, and its subsequent ignorance in schools. When schools stop prostituting themselves to Microsoft and outsourcing to MS-only support companies, then we may see the next generation looking at alternatives to buying or stealing MS software to have the same as their school, or what they already know.
- joebaloney, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3You're 1337ness is noted. Now go back to your trenchcoat.
- jeffeb3, on 10/10/2007, -4/+7sounds like someone is trying to kill the electric car again.
- UnleashChaos, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Maybe it's just the people I know, but everyones like "I have this new windows! Must be teh l33t!!"
- apexified, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3For whatever reason people buy these Linux laptops, it's good for the Linux community and eventually even for people who prefer Windows. Competition is almost always a win for consumers.
- championchap, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3The operating system doesn't do less.
Windows and Linux both provide an interface for a user to interact with the hardware.
It's not like games CANT run on Linux, it's that the developers don't make them for linux.
MS Office COULD run on Linux natively if MS just put some development time into recoding it for another OS.
Now quit talking out of you're ass. - inactive, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Let's be clear - Who cares what Acer, Dell, or any one company thinks; it rose despite all of them and it has never been about racing one OS against the other, despite idiotic claims (though healthy OS competitive spirit is a good thing). You either "get" what Linux is and why you need it, and therefore want it, or you don't. And, if so, you already know where to get it, free, unencumbered. Sure, there are some issues as far as proprietary drivers and the like, but the pressure is coming from many sources.
In the past and in the commercial space, a platform would rise or fall based on such tripe; but Linux arose and will continue regardless of popular support, unless the need goes away.
And, you are foolish if you think you can currently, successfully, sell Linux to someone who cannot understand this. - TheSeeker11, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Good point, that would be a major drawing point. I guess what I was saying is that I wouldn't buy the laptop for Ubuntu, more for the money saved.
- vprasad1, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3It's not that there's no demand-- there's demand-- it's that dealing with laptop drivers is a pain in the @$$. I think Sabayon's just about the friendliest distro that runs on laptops out of the box... problem is that they have no issues with using proprietary drivers.
- GMorgan, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Acer have models that work fine with Linux. I use one.
- aldenhg, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3The difference here being that the electric car wasn't made by a worldwide community.
- mossblaser, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Don't forget to add the £120 for office on top of that! (You're damn right by the way - I've been doing that for years - works a charm - there are two things that tempt people into Linux: Low cost and Beryl - its a shame people don't choose it for the real advantages it brings. Its only once they get bored of beryl or forget about the savings do they realize what an improvement it actually is.)
- marx2k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2"I bought an Acer laptop with Linux for a friend." - Some friend YOU are!
"My guess is that they never took Linux seriously..." - They didn't really take hardware seriously either. - DrawingTheSun, on 10/10/2007, -2/+4Hmm, the poster is a Windows fanboy and the three replys above mine are Linux fanboy's.
you sound very immature, the lot of you. - mossblaser, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Well lets look at things logically - To run a spread sheet on either OS (assuming MS office is on windows (vista) and open office is on Linux (eg. ubuntu))
Windows: Click a shiny orb button. Click All Programs. Click Microsoft Office. Click Excel
Ubuntu: Click Applications, Click office, Click Spreadsheet
Now which makes more sense? What non-computer literate person would assume a shiny orb ran programs? Linux is also a lot more consistent - interface design is consistent and simple and clear (or if you like KDE like many, then it is still consistent but there is a lot more of it!). Your MP3 player has a similar layout to your photo application and file browser and web browser etc. On windows you have windows media player with its interface looking different to the OS and with controls everywhere in no particular rule. You have a photo browser with the menu at the bottom and a file browser with no menu. You have a web browser where the menu is upside down and buttons are scattered un-intelligently everywhere. To a complete beginner Linux is much better to use and for non beginners the big things are how their browser, email and office apps work - and OO is almost the same as MSO as far as the basics are concerned and Firefox is available (and widely used) on windows. Besides seriously, how difficult is it to work out that Applications, Places and System replace a shiny orb/start button? - praveenmarkandu, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2i do compsci at nottingham uni. unix is studied as a subject. no one really goes and installs linux on their systems. except me ofcourse, and i didnt take that module.
- iainc, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2This claim is just horse *****. If it wasn't for the fact that most OEMs install Windows by default, things might be a little different. If they installed Linux by default and Microsoft had to tout their offering like other software companies, I doubt that there would be very much demand for Windows.
As for the ease of use argument, I'm getting pretty sick of helping friends and family "fix" their computer because many of them lack even the most basic skills. And these are Windows users. The self-defeating, bone-idle "I don't do computers" crowd are doomed whether they're afflicted with Windows, Linux or OS X.
Maybe it's time that Linux User Groups started evangelising their choice of OS more actively (ie. on the road) if they want to see it succeed more. Shouting from their keyboards won't help. - championchap, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2The UK isn't a country.
England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland. These are countries.
I suggest you visit chavscum sometime, see what 80% of Britain is really like.
See if you still think we are so smart. - Senn, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2It's true that not many people in my area have heard of Linux, and those that have still seem to be stuck to Windows, but almost everyone I've spoken to has nothing good to say about Vista, or simply have no experience with it, and are avoiding it while staying with XP.
Linux definitely needs more exposure here in the UK, but no manufacturer seems willing to do the marketing. It's left to those of us that already run Linux to highlight the benefits to others, and I've found that most people simply don't care, particularly with the whole ideology thing, and stay with Windows regardless. - championchap, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Sarcasm and emotions are not easy to distinguish on the internet.
For example, was I just being sarcastic then?
Good sarcasm is subtle. -
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