[KLUG Members] RE: Lindows at Walmart

[Adam Williams]

>I am wondering if there wasn't a conpiracy to choose Lindows as the
>linux flavor to use.  It does not have a wide user/developer base like
>the major distros.  And the way Lindows licenses the OS is a black-eye
>to open source.  Did Microsoft have a hand in this?  Whether you like it

Nah,  there is no reason to suspect a conspiracy.  Never attribute to
intelligence what can be attributed to incompetence/ignorance/stupidity
(which explains the bulk of human behaviour)

>or not, these low-end machines with a low-end Linux flavor are
>representing Linux/OpenSource/Windows alternatives.  The typical Walmart
>customer is not very tech savy.  

And how numerous?  I've never met a Walmart computer or someone that
said they purchased a computer a Walmart.  Previous to this
soon-to-be-fiasco they were selling OS-less PCs... is that for the
non-tech savy?  No way,  coming from a guy who has had to install Win32
on bare metal machines.  Welcome to device driver hell.

>"Yup, I had me one of them Line-ux
>boxen.  Piece of junk.  But once I got me Windows computer I was
>'hackin' away."  

Yep.  We agree 100%.  This is a terrible developement.  Now if only we
could get the local Walmarts to hang the KLUG logo and URL next to the
machines we might be able to do something to salvage this.

>The only thing worse would have been to have emachines use only Linux or
>FreeBSD.  

How is that worse than to make promises (like windows, runs windows
packages) that one simply cannot deliver on?

>Then Microsoft could point to all of the customer complaints
>and say "this is what happens when you use Linux".  They will also use
>the same argument when analyzing the botched Lindows license.  Or about

We aren't certain the Lindows license is botched,  we just suspect it
is.

And Lindows has ****ALREADY**** (as in, in the past) been whammed by M$
and managed to turn around and trounced them in court.  At least one
thing we have to give them credit for.  That was a pleasant spectacle.

>how Lindows just tries to sound like windows just like Linux "copied
>Windows features".  Folks, these comments may not be valid, but they are
>being made by the brainwashed/braindead/PC "expurts" (the ones that
>actually interface with consumers like BestBuy salepeople and RentWay).

I'm certain they will.  If Ziff Davis types can find anything damnably
ignorant and stupid to say I'm 104% confident they will do so in spades.

>I don't think Wal*mart is doing a credit to Linux.  Nice attempt, but it
>may backfire.

In general, I don't think Walmart has done a credit for anyone or
anything except the wallets of a very few white guys.