"""""He is tampering with store property that is not his to tamper with. The computers belong to the stores, not to him. If he were going into clothing stores and putting all the sweaters from a rack into a huge pile on the floor, there would be no "damage" either, but he'd likewise be tampering with someone else's property."""Bad example. It would take a long time to fix the pile of clothes. It would be like turning one shirt inside out in the store. It takes like 2 minutes to undo what he did. They turn the computers off at the end of the day anyway, they just need to remove the CD first and everything is normal again. Eric Wilson
I used to sell PC's for a living, and personally I don't think I'd mind what this guy did, if that's all he did. My boss might not have been too happy though."Yes... and that's precisely the problem! They demonstrate 'windows', but they don't show the potential computer buyers how vulnerable and unstable it is."Nobody needs to be told how unstable Windows is, take my word for it, everyone knows. PC buyers, despite what everyone here seems to think, aren't all stupid sheep. Many of them know that Windows is unstable, vulnerable to malware of all kinds, blablabla. They also know that they can get the software they need for windows, and they know that their hardware will be supported. You can't guarantee those things with Linux, and you have to factor in the cost to most people of the inevitable learning curve."Like typical, lying salesmen, they hide all the flaws of the product--or in this case, of the bogus OS that comes bundled with the computer."Bite my ass. Salesmen, contrary to your opinion, have to sell what lands in the store, not some wonderful ideal OS that really doesn't exist. I could have sold piles of Apple boxen if I were provided with Apple stock to sell, but that never happened. Frankly, I wouldn't sell Linux to most of the users I spoke to in my retail career, because I wouldn't want to deal with the headaches. "Why doesn't my Wifi card work? How do I play my favourite game on this machine? What do you mean I have to edit a system file, shouldn't the thing just work?" Try selling the wonders of vi to someone who just wants to play Minesweeper."Then it is sold to folks who don't know that they can make their own choice of operating systems."Actually, most folks know that they can't make their own choice of operating systems. Despite what the fanboys think, Linux is not ready for prime time yet, and won't bee until more hardware is supported properly. Deal."That is the precise value of this bit of 'guerilla warfare' against the M$ empire."I'm sure Chairman Bill is quaking in his boots."People go to buy a computer, and they get 'Windows' forced on them, and are not even told about other options to run the same computer."Again, you seem to think people don't know their options. They do. They make a decision. You don't like that decision. Poor you."There have always been laws against illegal trusts, and such coercions in business, and Microsoft has certainly been in trouble for precisely that, several times."No argument there."Putting Linux on computers that are shown for sale...can be an excellent way to supplement the ineffective and too-slow action of the courts-- to try and slow down the illegal and fascistic business practices of Microsoft."Erm, no I don't think so. At best it will give a few people and idea of what Linux looks like. At worst it will send them running for the Windoze hills. Most people don't have the time or the inclination to ascend the Linux learning curve. Deal.
So, my sense of right and wrong doesn't permit me to do the same thing, but I admire his b***s for doing it.If I had ever thought of doing this, I probably would have brought two things: A live CD to show off the system, and a USB-drive containing a text- or PDF-document describing some features of the system, and how to revert this "crazy-looking, foreign malware/Windows-theme" back to its vanilla-Microsoft state costing more and more each time they release an OS that needs tweaking and rebooting and maintenance and more expensive software to run with any meaning. The text- or PDF-file would be named something like: "Confused? Open me!.ext" and placed on the desktop.I might try to convince some of my local computer stores (in one I know the staff pretty well) to take on the task of showing off a few of the features of Ubuntu on a computer.Maybe I'll even persuade them to give out/sell the fancy CDs you can order/buy from ShipIt.A hard and demeaning task, I know. I've been trying for the last two years to convince my friends to change, but they're all like: But I wanna chat, play games, surf the Net, use my iPod, connect my computer to my TV, etc...Worst case of this mindset I encountered when talking to a few Windows-savvy friends. I asked them to look at Ubuntu Linux, and one said: I have tried Linux in high school six years ago, and I had to mount the CD-ROM. No thanks, I'll stick with Windows. Don't want to do that for every CD I wanna play.It may be morally incorrect forcing people to use a GNU/Linux-distro like this guy, but people are taking it WAY too seriously. I mean; legal actions? Lawsuits? Arrests?If you are found out, the worst thing they can do to you is ban you from the store. And when online shopping is so easy, and you already have a computer (kinda figures when you know how to use a GNU/Linux-distro), what would be the real consequence? He hasn't damaged any hardware. He hasn't formatted any harddrives. He hasn't violated any EULA. He hasn't inserted malicious code. He hasn't taken anything (apart from shooting/taking some pictures).What I think is the main reason why people should do this, or if not force people to use it, at least try to convince the staff to make a (number of) GNU/Linux-distro(s) available for testing, is that people need the possibility to see and feel the difference of proprietary software and Free Open-Source Software.People have made several analogies already about what this would be like. From stealing to vandalism to trying out clothes to fiddling with car stereos. In my opinion, what he has done is the equivalent to placing a photo/image of himself in a picture frame at a photostore. Everyone knows how to replace it with their own picture. The same with computers: Everyone knows how to do a reboot (one way or another) of a computer.
"But don't say it's easy for beginners, or that it even approaches the comprehensiveness of Windows."So going to the start menu when you want to quit is comprehensive?
this is an awesome idea! i think he should probably do this with an easier to use distro like ubuntu or linux mint, and definitely one with KDE (its more similar to wondoze). to all of you mad about this, he's doing nothing wrong... it's a peaceful protest. you are extremely ignorant drahknon. you obviuosly have no idea about linux, and are just mad because you are some sort of a window$ fanboy.
drshabazzFeb 20, 2006
who gives a s**t awg this is lame.
tkdwilsonFeb 20, 2006
"""""He is tampering with store property that is not his to tamper with. The computers belong to the stores, not to him. If he were going into clothing stores and putting all the sweaters from a rack into a huge pile on the floor, there would be no "damage" either, but he'd likewise be tampering with someone else's property."""Bad example. It would take a long time to fix the pile of clothes. It would be like turning one shirt inside out in the store. It takes like 2 minutes to undo what he did. They turn the computers off at the end of the day anyway, they just need to remove the CD first and everything is normal again. Eric Wilson
tanglangFeb 24, 2006
Great Idea. I will do that ;)
ag3nt0rang3Apr 24, 2006
I used to sell PC's for a living, and personally I don't think I'd mind what this guy did, if that's all he did. My boss might not have been too happy though."Yes... and that's precisely the problem! They demonstrate 'windows', but they don't show the potential computer buyers how vulnerable and unstable it is."Nobody needs to be told how unstable Windows is, take my word for it, everyone knows. PC buyers, despite what everyone here seems to think, aren't all stupid sheep. Many of them know that Windows is unstable, vulnerable to malware of all kinds, blablabla. They also know that they can get the software they need for windows, and they know that their hardware will be supported. You can't guarantee those things with Linux, and you have to factor in the cost to most people of the inevitable learning curve."Like typical, lying salesmen, they hide all the flaws of the product--or in this case, of the bogus OS that comes bundled with the computer."Bite my ass. Salesmen, contrary to your opinion, have to sell what lands in the store, not some wonderful ideal OS that really doesn't exist. I could have sold piles of Apple boxen if I were provided with Apple stock to sell, but that never happened. Frankly, I wouldn't sell Linux to most of the users I spoke to in my retail career, because I wouldn't want to deal with the headaches. "Why doesn't my Wifi card work? How do I play my favourite game on this machine? What do you mean I have to edit a system file, shouldn't the thing just work?" Try selling the wonders of vi to someone who just wants to play Minesweeper."Then it is sold to folks who don't know that they can make their own choice of operating systems."Actually, most folks know that they can't make their own choice of operating systems. Despite what the fanboys think, Linux is not ready for prime time yet, and won't bee until more hardware is supported properly. Deal."That is the precise value of this bit of 'guerilla warfare' against the M$ empire."I'm sure Chairman Bill is quaking in his boots."People go to buy a computer, and they get 'Windows' forced on them, and are not even told about other options to run the same computer."Again, you seem to think people don't know their options. They do. They make a decision. You don't like that decision. Poor you."There have always been laws against illegal trusts, and such coercions in business, and Microsoft has certainly been in trouble for precisely that, several times."No argument there."Putting Linux on computers that are shown for sale...can be an excellent way to supplement the ineffective and too-slow action of the courts-- to try and slow down the illegal and fascistic business practices of Microsoft."Erm, no I don't think so. At best it will give a few people and idea of what Linux looks like. At worst it will send them running for the Windoze hills. Most people don't have the time or the inclination to ascend the Linux learning curve. Deal.
bicepJul 10, 2008
Someone should do this with the linuX-gamers live DVD:<a class="user" href="http://digg.com/linux_unix/One_live_DVD_one_ton_of_Linux_games">http://digg.com/linux_unix/One_live_DVD_one_ton_of ...</a><a class="user" href="http://live.linux-gamers.net/">http://live.linux-gamers.net/</a>
ottifantsirJul 13, 2008
So, my sense of right and wrong doesn't permit me to do the same thing, but I admire his b***s for doing it.If I had ever thought of doing this, I probably would have brought two things: A live CD to show off the system, and a USB-drive containing a text- or PDF-document describing some features of the system, and how to revert this "crazy-looking, foreign malware/Windows-theme" back to its vanilla-Microsoft state costing more and more each time they release an OS that needs tweaking and rebooting and maintenance and more expensive software to run with any meaning. The text- or PDF-file would be named something like: "Confused? Open me!.ext" and placed on the desktop.I might try to convince some of my local computer stores (in one I know the staff pretty well) to take on the task of showing off a few of the features of Ubuntu on a computer.Maybe I'll even persuade them to give out/sell the fancy CDs you can order/buy from ShipIt.A hard and demeaning task, I know. I've been trying for the last two years to convince my friends to change, but they're all like: But I wanna chat, play games, surf the Net, use my iPod, connect my computer to my TV, etc...Worst case of this mindset I encountered when talking to a few Windows-savvy friends. I asked them to look at Ubuntu Linux, and one said: I have tried Linux in high school six years ago, and I had to mount the CD-ROM. No thanks, I'll stick with Windows. Don't want to do that for every CD I wanna play.It may be morally incorrect forcing people to use a GNU/Linux-distro like this guy, but people are taking it WAY too seriously. I mean; legal actions? Lawsuits? Arrests?If you are found out, the worst thing they can do to you is ban you from the store. And when online shopping is so easy, and you already have a computer (kinda figures when you know how to use a GNU/Linux-distro), what would be the real consequence? He hasn't damaged any hardware. He hasn't formatted any harddrives. He hasn't violated any EULA. He hasn't inserted malicious code. He hasn't taken anything (apart from shooting/taking some pictures).What I think is the main reason why people should do this, or if not force people to use it, at least try to convince the staff to make a (number of) GNU/Linux-distro(s) available for testing, is that people need the possibility to see and feel the difference of proprietary software and Free Open-Source Software.People have made several analogies already about what this would be like. From stealing to vandalism to trying out clothes to fiddling with car stereos. In my opinion, what he has done is the equivalent to placing a photo/image of himself in a picture frame at a photostore. Everyone knows how to replace it with their own picture. The same with computers: Everyone knows how to do a reboot (one way or another) of a computer.
d1337r_Feb 2, 2009
Unless this computers have an Nvidia, not a ATI ;-)
tajvAug 4, 2009
"But don't say it's easy for beginners, or that it even approaches the comprehensiveness of Windows."So going to the start menu when you want to quit is comprehensive?
baffleboyMay 13, 2010
linux handles 3d acceleration better than xp in my experience
baffleboyMay 13, 2010
this is an awesome idea! i think he should probably do this with an easier to use distro like ubuntu or linux mint, and definitely one with KDE (its more similar to wondoze). to all of you mad about this, he's doing nothing wrong... it's a peaceful protest. you are extremely ignorant drahknon. you obviuosly have no idea about linux, and are just mad because you are some sort of a window$ fanboy.
baffleboyMay 13, 2010
they aren't selling windoze just the computer, it's no big deal that one is different. and maybe people will be surpised/happy.