Now THIS is advocacy!

[Tim Writer]

lsorense-1wCw9BSqJbv44Nm34jS7GywD8/FfD2ys at public.gmane.org (Lennart Sorensen) writes:

> On Wed, Feb 21, 2007 at 06:27:40PM -0500, Evan Leibovitch wrote:
> > I think you're missing the point. The likelihood that most folks on this 
> > list don't use Dell is irrelevant.
> 
> I guess I simply don't believe that people who would even consider doing
> anything other than what everybody else does would even consider buying
> a dell (unless company policy dictated to them by someone that ought to
> know better tells them they must buy dell).

I bought a Dell Inspiron notebook a couple of years ago. At the time, it
was a good deal and most of the hardware worked well with Linux. Other
brands either didn't work as well with Linux or were significantly more
expensive.

I wouldn't consider a Dell desktop or server. Having said that, I will say
that at some point most people get tired of hand-picking hardware for
Linux. I know I got tired of it a long time ago. Unfortunately, in my
experience, none of the (big) brand names do a decent job of ensuring their
hardware works well with Linux.

> > The purpose of advocacy is not to make the point to folks who already 
> > get it. If Dell -- either the #1 or #2 PC maker worldwide -- can be 
> > convinced to offer Linux pre-installs as an option to the current 
> > Windows tax, that is a IMO great advance. It helps reach people who 
> > neither know nor care about the innards of their computers. Most people 
> > who care about what go into their PCs are likely already aware of Linux, 
> > even if they don't use it.
> 
> And if they don't know, are they going to order a dell with ubuntu?  If
> they do (possibly by accident because it is now an option and it costs
> less (dell must sell a lot based on costs less given their adds for
> special buys which are the lowest end scrapings they can put together))
> then what is going to happen when they can't install their windows game
> on it or can't install microsoft office that they pirated of their budy?
> 
> I just don't think Dell wants that tech support nightmare.

If they want to sell computers into emerging markets like China, they won't
have a choice.

-- 
tim writer <tim-s/rLXaiAEBtBDgjK7y7TUQ at public.gmane.org>                             starnix care inc.
647.722.5301                                      toronto, ontario, canada
http://www.starnix.com              professional linux services & products
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