Hardware companies, Microsoft, Competition and Consumer Choice

[Scott Evans]

Hi to all...

One of the biggest things that I feel is that makes Linux an
unattractive alternate, there is too much choice! yes you have main
stream distributions that most tend to stick with, but then you also
have a lot of not so main stream as well. Now, don't get me wrong here,
but the issue is that to the unaware consumer just what is Linux?
"something that a geek uses!" and it is with this, "image" of Linux it
will not be taken on as a majority OS.

I actually appreciate that as an individual you have a choice! :)

Now when I recently purchased 2 Eee PC's (701SD) they came bundled  with
Xandros pre-installed, I gave Xandros a run for about 2 hours then I was
installing Easy Peasy (remix of Ubuntu Intrepid) But what made me go
down this path was that although the Xandros OS was functional, upon the
first update out of the 3 repo's only one was still available (the other
2 returned 404's) so ASUS or Xandros (what ever the arrangement is) has
not maintained the repository server a mere 2 years out from the 701
initial release. For me this was simple replace Xandros with Ubuntu! but
my point being, is that even though Linux made its appearance on the
Netbook scene, its support has not been followed up (no doubt due to
lack of sales) I'm sure to that those with enough knowledge have either
replaced the default Xandros with Windows and save themselves a few
dollars in doing so.

So what is the answer to this? and how can it be changed?

Well in the short term, I don't think there is anything "one" can really
do to make a significant change to the status quo... However, as a
unified "community" I believe we can!

So back to the issue, I'm not a lawyer! but there has to be something
tucked away in the murky depths of consumer law that permits the
consumer to be able to have a "choice" in what they want...

Scott Evans VK7HSE
Phone: +61362291658
Mobile: +61417586157
Skype: vk7hse
scott at vk7hse.hobby-site.org
http://www.vk7hse.hobby-site.org
PGP/GPG Key ID 74639624



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