No O/S as a right more than ever

[Thomas Milne]

On Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 11:36 PM, I. Khider <contact-uc+NVM1kvX9BDgjK7y7TUQ at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> Greetings fellow Linux enthusiasts,
>
> Notwisthstanding the comments I received on this list, nobody convinced me
> that major manufacturers are right to build computers solely around the
> Windows operating system. The idea of building whole industries around one
> proprietary operating system is absurd. About as absurd as saying that
> monetary parametres are the sole means of defining what is right and wrong.
> Allow me to illustrate a simple case in point, I elected to acquire a
> business class laptop. Most manufacturers have a business class models such
> as HP, Toshiba (the pro and tecra lines) or any other manufacturer. In the
> corporate/institutional/technical world linux/uninx is the standard, not
> Windows. Be it supply chain management, hospitals, infrastructure or
> whathaveyou. To sell laptops based around the Windows operating system in
> this category is counterproductive to the corporate/infrastructural/public
> service world at large. It just makes sense to offer no O/S as an option in
> this area.
>
> The simple issue is manufacturers say you must pay for Windows, whether you
> need it or not, and that is flat out wrong. Companies once had a policy that
> dumping toxic byproducts in the environment was perfectly acceptible
> behaviour until citizens lobbied governments to legislate otherwise.
> Consumer advocacy can be positive and help companies develop positive
> policies--even if comapnies are against what consumers advocate in the short
> term, in the long run they could be doing said companies a favor.
>
> I thought this was the Linux users group! Surely my views are not
> counterintuitive here.

No, I think it's just that you're misunderstanding what people are saying.

I agree with you that the Windows monopoly is absurd. I dare say that
most people on here agree with that. Does that mean that HP should be
legally required to fight the monopoly? I don't know about that.

The thing is, you _do_ have a choice. You may not like the choice you
have, but you do have one. You can very easily find another vendor who
will sell you a laptop without Windows installed. Since HP is
therefore _not_ forcing you to buy their laptop with Windows
installed, there is really no case to be made against them. Is it a
stupid business decision? I don't know, HP seems to be doing alright.
Should you write them a long and detailed letter about why their
decision is wrong? Sure. Why not.

I still don't understand what the big deal is about HP. I can
guarantee you there are other vendors who can supply you with a
superior laptop at a comparable price. Hell, Lennart can probably tell
you off the top of his head where you can buy one right now ;)

B.
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