why I fear open source can't win the war

[Kush]

Though IBM and others seem to back linux, yet when one goes to buy 
branded laptops, even IBM is selling windows xp preinstalled. Not to 
mention sony, hp, dell etc and the others.

I went with a friend to a computer shop to look at some of the laptops 
and the sales assistants were not ready to uninstall XP from the IBM 
machines and take off its cost from the sales price.

Why are these companies paying only lip service to backing linux and 
what can be done? Is the problem unique to Canada or is it prevalent in 
the US also where I believe there is much more competition and consumer 
choice?

Kush

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