buying a laptop either bare or with Ubuntu

Jerry Feldman gaf at blu.org
Sat Nov 15 12:50:44 EST 2008


While I don't know what the contract terms are, a while back Dell was 
prevented from selling consumer PCs with other than Windows. I also 
believe that applied to Compaq. Before the merger, both Compaq and HP 
had a contract that allowed them to sell business systems with Linux 
because both were big Unix vendors. I do know that Dell was able to get 
around their contract terms by selling business systems with no OS. But, 
considering the scale whether a license issue, or a production issue, it 
is more difficult for them to produce non-windows systems.
An analogy is Burger King and McDonald's. Burger King's system builds a 
basic burger, and then assembles a certain percentage of "standards", 
such as Whopper, Whopper Junior. They are able to quickly assemble 
specials. McDonalds builds all burgers as standards, and it used to be 
difficult for them to build a burger to order.

On 11/15/2008 10:18 AM, H. Kurth Bemis wrote:
> I guess I'll throw my two cents in...
>
> While a non-standard unit (no OS, etc) is out of process, I would
> imagine that Microsoft's OEM licensing Agreement forces the OEM to sell
> a percentage of units with the latest Microsoft bloatware, and I'd
> imagine that percentage or term to be somewhere around 95% or so.
> Whatever market share Microsoft wishes (or thinks) it should
> retain/obtain.
>
> It seems Microsoft's business practices regarding the "privilege" to
> sell Microsoft products are similar to Wal-Mart's.  Bully suppliers to
> play by your rules, or tell them to get off the field.
>
> There's a reason that the industry hasn't moved to OSS, and it's not
> because of any other reason then Microsoft.  If OEM's were a free to
> sell what they want, to who they want, I believe that within a few years
> you would see OSS loaded desktops in the mainstream, right next to
> Microsoft desktops.
>
> Furthermore, I believe that without Microsoft's "market share" (is it
> really market share if it's forced?) they would have to step up and
> produce real, marketable products that were compatible with other OS's
> and packages.  Ditto for security.  Waiting two weeks for patches to
> resolve a 0day exploit?  Fun.
>
> What are they worried about?  Microsoft products are head and shoulders
> above any software written by a bunch of communist-hippie-hobbyists. :]
>
> Maybe I'm way off base here.  It is before noon.
>   


-- 
Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
PGP key id: 537C5846
PGP Key fingerprint: 3D1B 8377 A3C0 A5F2 ECBB  CA3B 4607 4319 537C 5846


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