On Jan 22, 4:26 pm, 7 <website_has_em...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Rex Ballard wrote:
Preliminary comment - I find it amusing that I'm being hit as a
WinDummy - given that the purpose of this posting was to show how
Linux has been able to grow organically even in the face of staunch
opposition from Microsoft, including economic, legal, and political
pressure.
[snip comments about how easy it is to upgrade the entertainment
system in cars, and how upgrading to Linux is even easier]
> > The OEMs know that end-users are doing **something** with Linux,
> > because PCs that don't support Linux don't sell very well at all.
> > They are also getting other indicators, such as customers who don't
> > buy a lot of extra Windows software, customers who don't seem to need
> > much Windows support, and customers who won't purchase warranties that
> > can be voided by removing or replacing Windows.
>
> > At the same time, when the OEMs offer Linux without Windows, or "No
> > OS" options, the sales aren't all that great.
>
> Not true at all!
>
> They are all sold out in hours to days.
>
> http://www.tesco.comhttp://www.ebuyer.com- see if you can get the really low priced
> value Linux PCs. Only the higher end models are remaining.
I do know that Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, and Acer have all publicly
announced the available of PCs with Linux pre-installed - only to
recant or retract the offer - within as little as 48 hours.
Do you have any actual sales figure for Linux and No OS computers? I
know that the so-called "White Box" market - has grown to almost 50%
of the market. Acer used to be a "White Box" maker.
> When companies stop stocking its because of
> dirty tricks illegal practices conjoured up in micoshaft marketing
> that is the direct result.
I've described some of the tactics that I've heard of or read about in
the trade journals over the years. Remember, any retailer who sells
Microsoft powered PCs has to become a Microsoft Authorized Reseller -
to have the right to show the Windows logos and trademarks on the
PCs. Microsoft's contract expressly requires that retailers "protect
the brand" and not "damage the brand" - but doesn't specify acts that
damage the brand. It seems that Microsoft considers any display of
products that shows a PC powered by a 3rd party competitor's product
within close proximity to PCs powered by Microsoft's product to be
"Damage to the Brand". This policy was used to prevent the display of
PCs running OS/2 Warp 4.0 on Retailer shelves - which a young
executive named Sam Palmisano had to report to newly appointed CEO Lou
Gerstner, back in 1995.
> See for example PX09280.pdfhttp://www.iowa.gotthefacts.org
> Micoshaft relied on abusing Linux engineers in Dell by
> persuading Del management to do the deeds and then rely of Dell
> to lie to investors about what they had done
> and about how they ran Del to the ground.
> Should share holders be worried - I should think so!
<Quote from that cite:>
It is not $50 of margin for Dell. It will get passed directly back to
the customer and they are stuck with the same margin they have today.
That is what hppened on the desktop any time we made pricing changes
broadly with OEMs and it is what will happen on the server (it is
already happening on Linux pricing). It is just a fact.
</quote>
In reality, XP desktop prices eroded much more rapidly than expected,
and the margin DID end up ultimately shrinking. Gateway started the
first of several quarters of heavy losses and the PC divisions of
other PC makers were bleeding red ink. SP2 was also problematic, and
both OEMs and customers were considering more aggressive shifts from
Windows to Linux - especially in the server market.
This may have been one of the reasons why Microsoft brokered funding
for the SCO anti-Linux lawsuit about 4 months later.
> Should shareholders in Walmart$ and other companies that
> took the Del step of obeying micoshaft to abuse Linux
> engineers and managers be told what had gone on for so long?
Investors have been looking at this for years. With Gateway, it
became a huge problem, and their stock prices dropped to just over $1
a share, and another quarter of losses would have caused it to be
delisted from NASDAQ. Investors were rescued by a buy-out offer from
Acer which Gateway snapped up immediately.
The Irony is that Acer was a White-box maker for years, and made sure
that every PC they made was "Linux Ready". They purchased licenses
from Microsoft, but weren't as willing to commit to "Windows-Only" or
"Vista Only" business strategies.
IBM was losing so much money on their PC sales that they just sold the
unit to Lenovo. Last year, they sold their remaining interest in
Lenovo. Last year, they even had a pilot project to evaluate Macs for
Field laptops compared to Linux laptops. Both laptops still required
Windows - but virtualized.
IBM purchased Windows licenses for all of their employees that allowed
them to install XP or Windows 2000, and to install it natively or as a
virtual machine. IBM also purchased licenses as well. This ended the
"annuity" licenses that were supposedly "support contracts".
Notice that Apple and IBM both turned in excellent financial results
and Microsoft was really hurting. It looks like Dell and HP might be
hurting pretty bad too.
CompUSA and Circuit City were also driven to the edge of insolvency by
losses in the PC market.
Meanwhile, Target has ASUS EEE PCs with Linux on their retail shelves.
> > The good news, for Microsoft, is that they can keep Windows 7 "lean
> > and simple" and get it out quickly, possibly even in 3-6 months -
> > because they don't need to install Linux-killers. This Windows 7
> > capability, if it is fully backward compatible with Wnidows 2000 and
> > Windows XP - including ALL 3rd party applications, such a system, even
> > running as an "appliance" application under Linux, or even as a WINE
> > library, could easily be worth as much as the current "Native Mode"
> > operating system, and could be MUCH more popular than Vista.
>
> > Who knows, it might even restart the economy.
>
> Not going to happen.
>
> Linux is restarting the economy without micoshaft.
> All the Linux companies are doing well and showing growth.
> All the embedded companies are bringing out ever more diverse
> new products to maket that are even more fantastic than
> just 3 months agon!!!!!!
You might be right. Linux sub-notebooks did very well, while Laptop
and desktop sales of Vista machines was dismal.
> If micoshaft were to keel over and die, it would be even
> better for the economy. At least 5 to 10 million new IT jobs to
> recompile everything and fix everything to run on a better
> freedom based OS.
You're probably right. How many CEOs and CFOs are going to fund
massive upgrads to Vista when they are cutting staff and profits are
sagging into losses.
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