Slightly OT: Must Linux buy its way onto the desktop?

[Paul Howarth]

On Thu, 2006-02-09 at 23:32 +0100, Toralf Lund wrote:
> Temlakos wrote:
> 
> > Mike McCarty wrote:
> >
> >> taharka wrote:
> >>
> >>> Feb. 08, 2006
> >>>
> >>> As you may know, Google is close to making a deal with Dell in which 
> >>> the
> >>> search giant will get to preinstall its software package on Dell PCs.
> >>> What you may not know is that Google may be spending a billion dollars
> >>> over three years for the privilege.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Why should I care? (This is a serious question, not irony.)
> >>
> >>> Full story at; http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS2572482759.html
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >> [QUOTE MODE ON]
> >>
> >> What does that have to do with Linux? Everything.
> >>
> >> Microsoft may say that what ends up on the desktop is all about 
> >> having the best products, but that's hooey. I don't say that as a 
> >> Linux supporter, I say that as someone who knows how the desktop 
> >> market works. Most users, I'd say 80 percent, stick with what comes 
> >> on their desktop. Period.
> >>
> >> I know this. Microsoft knows this. Everyone in the desktop business 
> >> knows this, even though we may disagree on the exact numbers.
> >>
> >> So, the real way to win the desktop, as I've long said, is to get 
> >> Linux on it before a user ever sees it.
> >>
> >> [QUOTE MODE OFF]
> >>
> >>
> >> Is "winning the desktop" (whatever that may be) a goal? For me?
> >>
> >> I guess I just don't understand the big picture or sth. This just
> >> looks like more "I hate MicroSoft" propaganda than anything worthwhile.
> >>
> >> Could someone explain why this is important?
> >>
> >> Mike
> >
> >
> > I'll try to explain.
> >
> > If we ever expect to quit having our local CIO's roll their eyes at us 
> > when we say that we want /Linux/ desktops and /Linux/ client machines, 
> > because we know that Linux will cost the company much less overall 
> > than buying a bunch of Windows boxes, then we'll need some more 
> > attractive options than:
> >
> > 1.    Buying a bunch of machines having Windows pre-installed on them.
> >
> > 2.    Nuking the hard drives.
> >
> > 3.    Installing Linux on them.
> >
> > Either that, or:
> >
> > 1.    Buying a bunch of machines /without/ hard drives.
> >
> > 2.    Buying hard drives /separately/.
> >
> > 3.    Installing the hard drives.
> >
> > 4.    Installing Linux on these systems.
> 
> It's a bit funny that you should imply that these are the only two 
> options, when the vendor mentioned above is Dell, and Dell are quite 
> happy to sell you a PC with Linux preinstalled. (Now, I'm not entirely 
> happy with their Linux *user support*, or lack thereof, but I guess they 
> don't offer a lot of software support to Windows users, either...)

Dell will also sell a PC with FreeDOS installed. It just may cost *more*
than one with Windows installed:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/07/dell_linux_tough/

Paul.