Re: barriers to adopting Linux by newbies

["Bryan J. Smith" <b.j.smith@ieee.org>]

On Tue, 2004-03-09 at 16:07, mike808@users.sourceforge.net wrote:
> Sold out indeed. MS touts BestBuy as a "case study" in reducing back-end office
> software costs when BB outsourced their entire store systems to Microsoft (which
> promptly subsidized the shortfall and overruns from other areas in order to
> clinch the "case study" that choosing MS works and saves money).

Yep, that's because Microsoft subsidizes all the downtime, support
costs, etc...  Their sales staff are _great_ people to talk to -- assume
they have not been "programmed."

> MS also touts OfficeDepot as a "case study" in how choosing to sell *only*
> Microsoft XP certified-with-logo *software and hardware* results in fewer
> returns and customer complaints. So, since April of 2002, there are no software
> or computer hardware products on any OD shelves that do not have the "Certified
> for Windows XP" logo on them.

Yep.  I think I don't have to tell anyone that there is a "circular
reference" going on here.  "Hey, people only sell what we say they can,
based on what we like to work with our products, and they have reduced
returns.  Wow!"  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out.

> So much for consumer choice. Except for my choice to never send a nickel to
> either company. They simply don't even get considered -- EVER, by me, for
> *anything*.

Agreed.

It's CompUSA, Staples and OfficeMax for me, in that order of preference.


-- 
Bryan J. Smith, E.I. -- Engineer, Technologist, School Teacher
b.j.smith@ieee.org



-
To unsubscribe, send email to majordomo@silug.org with
"unsubscribe silug-discuss" in the body.