Gartner Says Linux PCs Just Used To Pirate Windows

LostCluster writes "CNET is reporting results from a Gartner Group report that claims 40% of desktop machines sold with Linux on them are being used to run pirate copies of Windows! The report goes on to say that this stat reaches as high in 80% in 'emerging markets', the same places that the stripped down lite version of Windows is being aimed at. Gartner's making a bold prediction that the number of machines sold as Linux desktops may eclipse the number of machines actually running Linux."

Comments

Meow

[SYFer]

Would you like a CueCat to go with your Linux box, sir?

Re:wow!

[Saint Stephen]

I was pleasantly surprised when I just bought a Compaq Presario laptop: I shopped for three chareristics: 512MB ram, XPPro, and cheap (I bought the R3275US @ $1500).

The XPPro PID is printed on a sticker on the bottom of the device, and the XPSP1a CD not only is a "regular honest to god install CD," it is already branded with the PID and is pre-activated! Way to go HP!

Of course I immediately repartitioned it and made 8GB XP OS Part, 6GB Debian OS Part, and 3 20GB data parts, and use partimage to backup/restore the XP Part. But one still needs XPPro in today's world and I wanted to buy a *legal* copy (even though I used to work at Microsoft and still have a "activation-bypassed-install-as-much-as-you-want" copy from Microsoft.

It'll be interesting to see if I still need longhorn in 2008.

Re:Bollocks

[william_w_bush]

10 out of 10 terrorists agree - anybody but Bush in 2004 wow, now democratic voters can join the pro-choice and young marijuana smokers as supporting terrorism!