Re: [opensuse] Can you say ripoff - OT

Peter Bradley wrote:
Ysgrifennodd Tony Alfrey:


<snip>
But if the goal is to convert more away from M$, it would help the average user for the end result to be more Mac-like. Hence the possible usefulness of such a compatibility list. I'm not the first to propose ways to make the transition to Linux easier for the masses, I'm just thinking about ways to quantify it.
All that would do would be to make Linux systems as expensive as Apple systems. The two things are in different markets. Making Linux boxes expensive will not increase market penetration. And anyway, who's going to sell these guaranteed-linux-compatible systems? Not PC World, and that's where Joe public goes to get his PC. In case you missed it, Walmart have been trying something like this. I haven't heard them shouting about its success.

Let me see if I can succinctly restate my position:
1. If Macs were cheap, people would use Macs, not PCs (possibly a false premise, otherwise the Mac Mini would be more successful).
2. Linux/SuSE or some other distro has the potential to be like a cheap Mac. It needs
a. the GUI and apps to be ready for prime time, nearly Mac-like. Getting there.
b. the hassle factor to be at the level of that for a Mac. A list of absolutely compatible systems would help *on the hardware side*.

With respect to Wal-Mart, I think their system fails at (2a) above.
With respect to a list of standard systems increasing the cost of a linux box, I don't understand this point. But it is in the interest of the vendors of distros to know which systems *are* absolutely compatible and to publish such a list.


--
Tony Alfrey
tonyalfrey@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
"I'd Rather Be Sailing"
--
To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxx
For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@xxxxxxxxxxxx

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Transforms only work with Enterprise version of Office 2003
    ... If you will note, my post specifies Linux, not FOSS software across the ... and I commend Mac on using it ... As for backwards compatibility, you obviously are only ... If you are one of those geeks, fine, go ahead and compile. ...
    (microsoft.public.office.setup)
  • USB audio mixers
    ... Has anybody connected one of the various domestic audio mixers with USB ... pages mentions some compatibility: ... Mac, Windows, and even Linux operating systems". ...
    (Fedora)
  • Re: do you work on mac or pc?
    ... but kinda leaning towards mac. ... I use Windows, OSX and Linux on a regular basis. ... OSX has much nicer anti-aliasing of screen fonts than Windows. ... but the compatibility starts to break down with complex footnotes, ...
    (misc.writing)
  • A Newbie question on how to distribute application binary on Mac OS X.
    ... I have a probably naive question to ask about Mac. ... Windows, Linux and Mac. ... (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0) ...
    (comp.sys.mac.system)
  • Re: Big Mac Hoax 2: "OS X is Unix"
    ... *certainly* wouldn't consider replacing my Linux box with a Mac. ... Sure, it is different, but there is value in *not* having Foo, FOO, ... Manually editing config files becomes a chore rather than a preferred ...
    (comp.sys.mac.advocacy)