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HP to Install Netscape on all new PCs
TJ Parisi writes "News.com is reporting that HP / Compaq will begin to install all PCs sold in the US and Canada with Netscape. Users will be prompted with the option to set either Netscape or IE as the default browser." From the article: "The agreement, which the companies are set to announce Monday, is the first browser distribution deal with a major PC maker since the end of the browser wars in the 1990s, according to Netscape, a division of Time Warner's America Online subsidiary."
Linux is *not* user friendly, and until it is linux will stay with >1% marketshare.
Take installation. Linux zealots are now saying "oh installing is so easy, just do apt-get install package or emerge package": Yes, because typing in "apt-get" or "emerge" makes so much more sense to new users than double-clicking an icon that says "setup".
Linux zealots are far too forgiving when judging the difficultly of Linux configuration issues and far too harsh when judging the difficulty of Windows configuration issues. Example comments:
User: "How do I get Quake 3 to run in Linux?"
Zealot: "Oh that's easy! If you have Redhat, you have to download quake_3_rh_8_i686_010203_glibc.bin, then do chmod +x on the file. Then you have to su to root, make sure you type export LD_ASSUME_KERNEL=2.2.5 but ONLY if you have that latest libc6 installed. If you don't, don't set that environment variable or the installer will dump core. Before you run the installer, make sure you have the GL drivers for X installed. Get them at [some obscure web address], chmod +x the binary, then run it, but make sure you have at least 10MB free in
User: "How do I get Quake 3 to run in Windows?"
Zealot: "Oh God, I had to install Quake 3 in Windoze for some lamer friend of mine! God, what a fucking mess! I put in the CD and it took about 3 minutes to copy everything, and then I had to reboot the fucking computer! Jesus Christ! What a retarded operating system!"
So, I guess the point I'm trying to make is that what seems easy and natural to Linux geeks is definitely not what regular people consider easy and natural. Hence, the preference towards Windows.
And choice is good, yes?
Yeah, there'll probably be homepage jostling and ad revenue involved, but at least new users will be informed right up front that IE isn't their ONLY choice.
~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
Maybe HP got sick of all the support issues with people "accidentally" downloading spyware and viruses?
Who knows?
The classic douche bag vs turd sandwich dilemma... when will it end?
Favorite quote: "
The purpose of my site is not to genuflect to a bunch of geeks I didn't elect to set a 'standard'. It is to convey information. So if I forget a tag or two, and one browser still is able to share my information while the other is not because some pencil neck says it isn't perfect, the problem isn't with the browser, it's with your need to control everything and jealousy that someone who is not a technical perfectionist stole your exclusive right to use technology.
I'm not sure I want to take advice on user interfaces from someone whose blog has black text against a dark blue background. Oh wait, it doesn't matter if I want to take such advice because I can't read it in the first place!
Besides, if you think that looks bad, you should have seen version 6. Actually, netscape was never pretty, but it used to at least work better than the primary alternative.
Mathematics is made of 50 percent formulas, 50 percent proofs, and 50 percent imagination.
So instead of excrement you propose a choice between 2 sugar coated pieces of excrement.
No, see, IE DOES understand me. You need to remove the iron rod from your spincter - then you might understand, too!