Re: If you could design a $300 homecomputer today, what would you choose?

[Otter <otter@oz.net>]

David Ogg wrote:

> They chose to buy a PC with Windows on it, they had a choice. If anyone
> here can find me a PC they want, and they don't want Windows on it, I
> guarantee I can find it somewhere else, with the same warranty, support,
> and hardware, at the same price, with another OS on it.

> 
> Do you really think that everyone with windows on their computer was
> forced to use it? I guarantee if you take a poll and ask people buying
> new machines, and ask them what OS they want on their new PC, it will be
> Windows.

I think the biggest reason for this is that most of the people (not the
technogeeks like most of us here in these newsgroups) simply don't know
about the alternatives.  Your average computer user will most likely get
their new overpriced system at one of the big retail chains such as
Circuit City, or Fred Meyer, or whatever.  When they walk into one of
those places and look over the selections, they will see the stats on
the display models, and it will most likely list some form of Windows,
some form of MS-Office, and probably a trial subscription to MSN or
AOHell (in addition to listing the hardware of course).  At those
mass-market chains, you never see systems with stats placards boasting
Linux and Star-Office.  And the sales rep most likely won't even
consider mentioning those as a possibility (if he even knows what Linux
is).

As an example, only about 2 years ago, I was at the Base Exchange at
McChord AFB, and was looking over the different computers in their
electronics department.  I asked the sales rep there if I would be able
to buy one of their systems without any OS installed, since I was
scouting out a system to become a Linux box).  He just flat out
refused.  I don't remember the reason he gave, but if I wanted one of
their computers for my Linux system, I would have to get it with
Windows-98 preinstalled, which I wouldn't have been using anyway, so why
would I want to pay extra for it?), reformat, and then do my Linux
install.

So, to cut this post short, since I nearly lost my train of thought
here...  What good is having choices in operating systems and other
software packages, if the typical consumer doesn't know about those
choices and the folks selling the systems won't volunteer that
information?

-- Otter