[ubuntu-uk] Windows Free Laptops

[Paul Sutton]

gav wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 06:51:55AM +0000, Sean Miller wrote:
>   
>> What's the advantage of a laptop without an OS when for about £100
>> less you can go to Tesco and get one WITH an OS of a better
>> specification for about £100 less and just wipe the OS off and install
>> Ubuntu anyway?
>>
>> Don't understand why one would want to pay premium prices just to save
>> having to overwrite.
>>     
>
>
> It's about sending a message to the PC suppliers that we neither want nor
> need Microsoft Windows.
>
> Every PC that is sold with Windows, then has GNU/Linux installed later is,
> as far as the supplier is concerned, a happy Windows customer.
>
> If we want suppliers to know we want Ubuntu ready installed, not Windows,
> then asking for Ubuntu, or OS Free, or at least Windows Free machines is 
> the way to get the message across.
>
>   
No only that isn't it also about hardware support,  many years ago, 
laptops were supplied with built in modems, that only worked with 
windows, or to get them to work properly with Linux required more work,  
so it also sends a message to suppliers that we not only don't want 
windows but we also want hardware that is supported in Linux or similar 
based operating systems.

We have similar issues i guess with propriatory (sorry can't spell it) 
drivers,  again it causes issues,  but that is another discussion i guess. 

Don't forget that When you buy a laptop + windows MS get some of that 
money as a sale of Windows,   so having a laptop minus windows should 
work out cheaper for us.

Paul

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