HELP WINDOWS XP

[Smoot Carl-Mitchell]

A couple of points on the discussion in this thread.

The Ubuntu install process is very good and seems to improve with each
iteration.  In many ways it is easier than installing Windows from
scratch.  Windows has an advantage in the market because most users do
not install the OS - it comes prepackaged from an OEM vendor.  A user
who is intimidated by the installation process should probably buy a
computer from an OEM vendor with GNU/Linux preinstalled.  The Ubuntu
support page also seems to have a list of OEM vendors and support
organizations:

http://webapps.ubuntu.com/marketplace/northernamerica

For Ubuntu and Linux to penetrate the mainstream market, it is important
the support ecosystem be as strong as possible.  We cannot expect all
new users to come to Linux via installing the OS themselves. Windows
would have never achieved its market dominance without its channel
partners and OEM relationships.  Of course once they became the dominant
desktop OS, they illegally leveraged their monopoly to shutout other
vendors offering alternative systems, but that is another story.

-- 
Smoot Carl-Mitchell
System/Network Architect
smoot at tic.com
+1 480 922 7313
cell: +1 602 421 9005