It works and Win2k and on has *NEVER* crashed for me.
Guess you only recently got a computer - W2K used to crash on a regular basis on all sorts of hardware. I was able to crash fresh installs by right-clicking on Windows Explorer as the first action after a reboot. Also, it hated certain combinations of motherboards and powr supplies. Had to physically unplug them from the wass for a few minutes, then plug them back in, to install that particular patch - power cycling from the front panel wasn't enough.
Now, back on topic...the target market for these people isn't media machines - they don't have the $$$ for a big-screen tv. This is just another way to make money on the sub-prime finance market, where profit margins are greater.
The subscription model requires them to also pay for a net connection - it has to connect to a server to validate their subscription from time to time. The white box doesn't need a net connection to authorize you to print up your resumé so you can find a better job.
Bzzt! You obviously didn't RTFA... the whole "What about m games/apps from windows" argument doean't apply - this is targetted at people who never had a PC because they don't have the $$$ - so they don't HAVE any pre-existing games/programs/data.
As I pointed out many times, these people aren't going to be buying all sorts of fancy stuff - they're just in the market for a basic box. They can't afford $500 for a bare-bones PC, they're certainly not going to be spending $$$ on games.
As for getting the Linux DVD, if you had followed the links, you'd have known that in the areas where they test-marketed this, you can get a linux install disk for $2 from a ton of local vendors, and that if you buy a bare-bones system from them, they'll happily install linux.
For the "set all apps to auto-update" - under SuSE, the update monitor will always provide you the option to auto-update - you don't have to go looking for it - its there from the first time it runs automatically.
This whole "rent-to-own-a-pc" is for people looking to buy a PC on the cheap; they aren't going to be shopping for the latest and greatest hardware, and they're not going to be running so-called "cutting edge" stuff, so its not an issue. Linux installs fine on plain vanilla systems.
Yeah, but the last time I did this list, they were all over me about how "you don't have to reboot that often anymore". Like rebooting after an update is normal.
Heck, you don't even have to do a real reboot with linux any more to upgrade the kernel. Just kexec into the new kernel http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/librar y/l-kexec.html. No cold boot. Not even a warm boot. No POST, no hardware re-initialization.
Most people outside the geek world still don't know about linux. They just know that they use whatever came with their computer. But, more and more, they're falling into the "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me" camp. They're looking at Macs or linux.
People are finally getting the idea of "good enough" computing. Most people aren't gamers, they just want to use a computer for email, surfing, writing, and spreadsheets. For games, they can buy a console with the money they save by not paying the "Windows tax".
People looking to replace their computer nowadays are more likely to listen when you suggest that they just throw in a second hard drive, and go dual-boot. For half the price of a new machine, they can upgrade their ram, throw in a second video card and monitor, a humongous hard disk, and a copy of the distro-of-the-month. Not only do they end up with more storage than they could get by going the new route, but the idea of dual monitors starts getting attractive once they see a dual-montor setup.
For people who are thinking of replacing their box because its just too full of malware, it costs them nothing to give linux a try as a second, safer os to go online with.
The reason everyone I know uses firefox is because I stick it onto every computer I sit down to... then I show them how Ctl+T gives them a new tab, and how they can bookmark all their open tabs and re-open them all at once, and they're sold. And yes, I made another convert yesterday.
Firefox and OpenOffice are the wedges I use to get people to consider dual-booting. When I tell them they can have a terabyte of storage and dual monitors for less than the cost of a new computer, they're interested...
In case you haven't noticed, its now a LOT easier and quicker to install linux on a box than Windows, so Joe Sixpack is more likely to have success with his email, word processor, browser, etc. with a bare box if he tries to install linux instead of windows.
Steps to install OS and a ton of apps under linux:
boot off install dvd
answer a few questions
when dvd tray opens, remove dvd and reboot
set all apps and os to auto-update
Steps to install OS and a ton of apps under windows:
run install cd
answer a few questions
when cd tray opens, remove cd and reboot
for driver_cd in driver_cds: cross fingers; GOTO 1
... some time later...
insert app cd
answer a few questions
for app_cd in app_cds: GOTO 6
update antivirus
set OS to auto-update
set antivirus to auto-update
every once in a while: pay to update apps
once a year: reformat to get rid of spyware/malware/trojans/etc; GOTO 1
... or maybe it's just inertia... or that people just don't know.
... but once people know, their attitude changes. Look at how many people are using Firefox, and how Microsoft had to revive Explorer after killing it off ("There will be no Internet Explorer 7"), and how they had to add tabbed browsing ("People don't want tabbed browsing").
I only know one person whose default browser is still IE.
I see from all the -1 Flamebait mods that Team99 is out in force this morning...
The simple fact of the matter is that this whole plan shouldn't be called "Pay as you go" but "Pain as you go."
Its targeted to people who can't afford it and would be better off using a free OS on hardware they can buy outright for the 1/3 down that this thing goes for... or they can buy a used box if the really really really want Windows.
t would be cheaper to take that 1/3 and buy a lower-spec white box and throw linux or bsd on it
Easy for us, tough for Joe Six-pack, who just wants to read his email.
Why would it be hard for "Joe Sixpack who just wants to read his mail"? If that's all he wants to do, he can buy a used laptop for $50. Add in a new battery ($50) and a wifi card ($50) and he can read his email pretty much anywhere.
esides, where do you read the software maintenance time (updates etc) is included in the calculation? Is "Installing", "Updating",... equal to "Using" the software?
I didn't just read the article - I followed the links as to how it works. As long as the machine is on, you're running the meter, even if all you're doing is running a screensaver.
Its funny you shuld say that, because last night I spent an hour playing around with the old Thinkpad 380D (150 mhz Pentium, 32 meg ram, 2 gig hd) that I had picked up for $50 because I needed something that would run dbase5 for a bit; I threw some old games on it, and CorelOffice 9, and it works fine...
I wonder if I can swap out the old hd for a new 80 gig...
Actually, if you follow the links in the article to read how it works, its obvious that booting from a linux DVD bypasses their time subscription/metering servers and all the software components they had to ad to Windows to lock out the user.
Actualy, booting from one of the hacked bootable Windows DVDs (yes, its possible to run Windows from a DVD - you can make your own bootable one by going here:http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/) also bypasses their time metering system.
So you're going to have to pay for the time you use to download and install all those patches, updating antiviruses, as well as the time your box is being p0wned and sending out spam, etc.
Of course, if you can't afford to own your box, you can't afford a fast connection, so you're going to spend more overall just maintaining your box.
For the 1/3 they want up front, buy a plain beige box outright and run a free os. After all, its not like these people are going to be able to afford to blow big bux on games or other software that runs only on windows.
They can't do that now, how do you expect them to do that in the future?
Besides, if you look at how it works, you'll see that it really is the shits... you get a 12-character code every time you want to "add minutes." How much you want to bet there'll be a keygen and spoofed add-time servers if this catches on?
... and the big hack - boot from a linux DVD and bypass it all.
Considering that they want 1/3 up front, and that the software is now the greatest part of the expense of owning a box, it would be cheaper to take that 1/3 and buy a lower-spec white box and throw linux or bsd on it, and pocket the difference.
After all, if they can't afford the box, they won't be able to afford the games and shite that require Windows either...
With the mney they save, they can buy a Wii for their gaming fix.
It's the same tactic used to lease-to-own cars to people who can't really afford them
FTFA:
An individual purchases a PC by making an initial payment equivalent to one-third of the total cost. A third party financial institution pays the retailer the remaining cost of the PC on the buyer's behalf.
The buyer agrees to purchase 800 hours of time on their PC at a low hourly rate - they can add time as frequently or as infrequently as they choose and take as long as they need to purchase the hours. The cost of the 800 hours covers the re-payment to the financial institution (including interest).
Hours of PC usage can be conveniently purchased over time through a variety of distribution channels, including convenience stores (scratch cards), ATMs, Point of Sale networks and the internet.
Once 800 hours of usage time is purchased, no additional payments are required to use the PC.
In other words, if you don't qualify for the loan as per item 1, you don't get to "long-ter lease" the box. So why not just borrow it outright and not be stuck paying per hour? Or take that 1/3 cash down and buy a used PC.
So what the US government has just inadertently admitted is that they no longer have the ability to take a piece of hardware and take it apart to make sure it works as advertised, with no "extra features"...
Other "firsts" that no longer are available in the USA, but you can buy real cheap from China:
When a 500 GB hard drive costs $75, can be thrown across the room and have a chance of working, weighs the same as a tape and can be easily inserted/removed in bulk with software management and barcode readers to keep track of it all for you.
As far as the price is concerned, you're probably looking at a couple of years from now (and this tape isan't available now, either).
Games are different from movies - if you like the game, you're going to want to play it for more than one evening. At $20 a copy, you're not going to bother renting - you'll hear its something you might be interested, and take a chance on it - and if you don't like it, you'll pass it along or trade it with a friend. At $60 a copy, you'll rent it first... just in case... and those rentals increase your incremental cost to buy the game - because now the cost to buy the game is rental+cost, not just cost.
f I buy 1 game at 50 dollars, I wouldn't necessarily buy 5 games at 10 dollars apiece because I simply don't have the time to play 5 games.
... but by the same token, you could afford to take a chance on all 5 at $10 a piece, and if you didn't like one or two of them, just pass them along to someone who does like them, instead of returning them because "they're teh suXor!"
With time in shorter supply, people don't want games that take forever master. They want something they can pop in the box, play for a half-hour, then get on with their life.
Slashdot Mirror
Guess you only recently got a computer - W2K used to crash on a regular basis on all sorts of hardware. I was able to crash fresh installs by right-clicking on Windows Explorer as the first action after a reboot. Also, it hated certain combinations of motherboards and powr supplies. Had to physically unplug them from the wass for a few minutes, then plug them back in, to install that particular patch - power cycling from the front panel wasn't enough.
Now, back on topic ...the target market for these people isn't media machines - they don't have the $$$ for a big-screen tv. This is just another way to make money on the sub-prime finance market, where profit margins are greater.
The subscription model requires them to also pay for a net connection - it has to connect to a server to validate their subscription from time to time. The white box doesn't need a net connection to authorize you to print up your resumé so you can find a better job.
As I pointed out many times, these people aren't going to be buying all sorts of fancy stuff - they're just in the market for a basic box. They can't afford $500 for a bare-bones PC, they're certainly not going to be spending $$$ on games.
As for getting the Linux DVD, if you had followed the links, you'd have known that in the areas where they test-marketed this, you can get a linux install disk for $2 from a ton of local vendors, and that if you buy a bare-bones system from them, they'll happily install linux.
For the "set all apps to auto-update" - under SuSE, the update monitor will always provide you the option to auto-update - you don't have to go looking for it - its there from the first time it runs automatically.
This whole "rent-to-own-a-pc" is for people looking to buy a PC on the cheap; they aren't going to be shopping for the latest and greatest hardware, and they're not going to be running so-called "cutting edge" stuff, so its not an issue. Linux installs fine on plain vanilla systems.
Heck, you don't even have to do a real reboot with linux any more to upgrade the kernel. Just kexec into the new kernel http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/librar y/l-kexec.html. No cold boot. Not even a warm boot. No POST, no hardware re-initialization.
Firefox and OpenOffice are the wedges I use to get people to consider dual-booting. When I tell them they can have a terabyte of storage and dual monitors for less than the cost of a new computer, they're interested ...
In case you haven't noticed, its now a LOT easier and quicker to install linux on a box than Windows, so Joe Sixpack is more likely to have success with his email, word processor, browser, etc. with a bare box if he tries to install linux instead of windows.
Steps to install OS and a ton of apps under linux:
Steps to install OS and a ton of apps under windows:
I only know one person whose default browser is still IE.
I see from all the -1 Flamebait mods that Team99 is out in force this morning ...
The simple fact of the matter is that this whole plan shouldn't be called "Pay as you go" but "Pain as you go."
Its targeted to people who can't afford it and would be better off using a free OS on hardware they can buy outright for the 1/3 down that this thing goes for ... or they can buy a used box if the really really really want Windows.
Why would it be hard for "Joe Sixpack who just wants to read his mail"? If that's all he wants to do, he can buy a used laptop for $50. Add in a new battery ($50) and a wifi card ($50) and he can read his email pretty much anywhere.
I didn't just read the article - I followed the links as to how it works. As long as the machine is on, you're running the meter, even if all you're doing is running a screensaver.
Takes "bit rot" to a whole new dimension.
I wonder if I can swap out the old hd for a new 80 gig ...
Actually, if you follow the links in the article to read how it works, its obvious that booting from a linux DVD bypasses their time subscription/metering servers and all the software components they had to ad to Windows to lock out the user.
Actualy, booting from one of the hacked bootable Windows DVDs (yes, its possible to run Windows from a DVD - you can make your own bootable one by going here :http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/) also bypasses their time metering system.
Under the old mainframe concept, YOUR meter isn't ticking if they're updating their machine.
FTFA: "Genuine Microsoft"
So you're going to have to pay for the time you use to download and install all those patches, updating antiviruses, as well as the time your box is being p0wned and sending out spam, etc.
Of course, if you can't afford to own your box, you can't afford a fast connection, so you're going to spend more overall just maintaining your box.
For the 1/3 they want up front, buy a plain beige box outright and run a free os. After all, its not like these people are going to be able to afford to blow big bux on games or other software that runs only on windows.
They can't do that now, how do you expect them to do that in the future?
Besides, if you look at how it works, you'll see that it really is the shits ... you get a 12-character code every time you want to "add minutes." How much you want to bet there'll be a keygen and spoofed add-time servers if this catches on?
Considering that they want 1/3 up front, and that the software is now the greatest part of the expense of owning a box, it would be cheaper to take that 1/3 and buy a lower-spec white box and throw linux or bsd on it, and pocket the difference.
After all, if they can't afford the box, they won't be able to afford the games and shite that require Windows either ...
With the mney they save, they can buy a Wii for their gaming fix.
It's the same tactic used to lease-to-own cars to people who can't really afford them
FTFA:
In other words, if you don't qualify for the loan as per item 1, you don't get to "long-ter lease" the box. So why not just borrow it outright and not be stuck paying per hour? Or take that 1/3 cash down and buy a used PC.
So what the US government has just inadertently admitted is that they no longer have the ability to take a piece of hardware and take it apart to make sure it works as advertised, with no "extra features" ...
Other "firsts" that no longer are available in the USA, but you can buy real cheap from China:
s/doctor/computer consultant/ig;
Well, now that they've sequenced the Genome, can sequencing the KeDE be far behind?
Better yet, replace 'nanoparticles' with 'bullets' and watch the NRA go ape-shit.
When a 500 GB hard drive costs $75, can be thrown across the room and have a chance of working, weighs the same as a tape and can be easily inserted/removed in bulk with software management and barcode readers to keep track of it all for you. As far as the price is concerned, you're probably looking at a couple of years from now (and this tape isan't available now, either).
Games are different from movies - if you like the game, you're going to want to play it for more than one evening. At $20 a copy, you're not going to bother renting - you'll hear its something you might be interested, and take a chance on it - and if you don't like it, you'll pass it along or trade it with a friend. At $60 a copy, you'll rent it first ... just in case ... and those rentals increase your incremental cost to buy the game - because now the cost to buy the game is rental+cost, not just cost.
With time in shorter supply, people don't want games that take forever master. They want something they can pop in the box, play for a half-hour, then get on with their life.