You may refuse to give them your data, but if I had the ability, Apache would refuse to give you my data until you eased off on the attitude. Brilliant! He pokes you with a thumbtack and you retaliate by shooting yourself in the foot!
I'll bite...
We're very clear that drivers and software that work on Windows Vista are going to work really well on Windows 7; in fact, they'll work the same. Aren't these two statements contradictory?
Just to clarify my original point: I didn't intend to point (or even imply) to a specific model, maker, or combination thereof that sells Windows for cheaper. I was merely saying that, if it happened, it makes economic sense to get the Windows-based one if every dollar counts.
Of course, there is also the issue that only specific Dell models come with Ubuntu, but that's a different matter altogether.
I'm a die-hard Linux geek as well, and all for preloaded Linux (especially if it solves driver issues!), but if a computer is cheaper with Windows, why not buy the cheaper computer and get a refund for not accepting the EULA? You then save money on both fronts, and get your Linux computer.
At the end of the day, I always decide that the hassle isn't worth it and that I'd also rather send the message to the company that there is a market for selling computers preloaded with Linux.
Now if Wikipedia could organize themselves in a manner that allowed you to download the updates since your last update, you'd have a win-win on both sides. What, like `wget -m`?
I didn't know it off the top of my head. As a matter of fact,/she/ did the Googling and found the option, but didn't know where to put it.
When you pop in the CD under Windows, there are a few options. The first installs it as a Windows app (virtualized, I assume) using Wubi. The second does the partitioning and such for you (but under Windows). You then reboot and the Windows bootloader (not grub) now has the additional Ubuntu entry. It's pretty slick.
She did the latter.
(Sorry, I'm not sure what technology the second option uses or what it's called.)
I know this is just anecdotal evidence, but my girlfriend recently got a M1530 from Dell, which came preinstalled with Vista. She decided she didn't like Vista and wanted to try Ubuntu (since she sees me using it and was curious). She downloaded the ISO, grabbed one of my blank CDs, burned it, put it in the drive, installed it through their Windows-based setup (not wubi), and was set.
The only involvement that I had in this (indeed, this was also the first time I knew she was going to try Ubuntu) was when she IMed me while I was at work and asked why the mouse on her laptop didn't work on Ubuntu. When I got home, I was expecting a botched install that was going to be hell to repair, but it turns out that it was 100% perfect and simply didn't work due to a faulty BIOS. I added the necessary boot argument (i8042.nomux=1) and it's worked perfectly ever since.
Speaking as someone who regularly hangs out in IRC and helps people with Linux problems, I admit to giving command-line answers for one simple reason:
It's easy.
Which is easier to get right: a) Paste me the output of: `lspci` or b) Go to System > Administration > Hardware manager, and tell me, with detail, every device connected to a PCI bus.
Even for instructions, not debugging: a) Open a terminal and type `sudo apt-get install vlc` or b) Go to Applications > Add/Remove Programs > Sound & Video > Scroll until you find VLC (or perhaps VideoLAN). Or type in the search box.
Even ignoring problems like "there isn't a 'Sound & Video' category" (you then need to figure out if they even have the correct window open), command-line answers are much simpler since they can be copy-pasted.
Sorry for the somewhat (probably nonsensical) rant, but I felt this needed to be explained. Don't be mad at us who are trying to help:)
But then who foots the bill for various things like all the ads that get displayed? It's not as simple as a water bill because a shower head manufacturer can't suddenly turn your water usage up in order to promote a new product.
Yeah, it's a bad example, but it's also a bad idea.
As an added bonus, it further makes the issue harder for non-nerds to understand. Obligatory car analogy: You own a highway, and I own a motor vehicle company called "Cars". You deny all access to motor vehicles (due to "congestion"), and when people start complaining that you're denying cars, you let my Cars-brand vehicles on and say "That's not true, we fully allow Cars!"
Yikes, even the car analogy was hard to explain. This should get interesting...
There is no option #2. Dial-up is not an option since I require the bandwidth for work. I've lived in three different large US cities on the Northeast, and I have never had my choice of ISP.
I'm on Comcast and over the last two days or so, all of my SSH sessions have been terminated after a few minutes, regardless of the server I'm connected to or how long I've been idle. I can SSH into the same servers from work and leave an idle session open all day, no problems.
Very annoying, to say the least, when a long-running job gets aborted because Comcast just wants to "slow (not block!)" my encrypted traffic.
Verizon, hurry up and roll out FIOS the last few miles to me; I'm waiting to give you boxes of money as soon as it gets here.
Slashdot Mirror
Just to clarify my original point: I didn't intend to point (or even imply) to a specific model, maker, or combination thereof that sells Windows for cheaper. I was merely saying that, if it happened, it makes economic sense to get the Windows-based one if every dollar counts.
Of course, there is also the issue that only specific Dell models come with Ubuntu, but that's a different matter altogether.
I'm a die-hard Linux geek as well, and all for preloaded Linux (especially if it solves driver issues!), but if a computer is cheaper with Windows, why not buy the cheaper computer and get a refund for not accepting the EULA? You then save money on both fronts, and get your Linux computer.
At the end of the day, I always decide that the hassle isn't worth it and that I'd also rather send the message to the company that there is a market for selling computers preloaded with Linux.
Just my $0.02.
"Microsoft Works"
*ducks*
I didn't know it off the top of my head. As a matter of fact, /she/ did the Googling and found the option, but didn't know where to put it.
When you pop in the CD under Windows, there are a few options. The first installs it as a Windows app (virtualized, I assume) using Wubi. The second does the partitioning and such for you (but under Windows). You then reboot and the Windows bootloader (not grub) now has the additional Ubuntu entry. It's pretty slick.
She did the latter.
(Sorry, I'm not sure what technology the second option uses or what it's called.)
I know this is just anecdotal evidence, but my girlfriend recently got a M1530 from Dell, which came preinstalled with Vista. She decided she didn't like Vista and wanted to try Ubuntu (since she sees me using it and was curious). She downloaded the ISO, grabbed one of my blank CDs, burned it, put it in the drive, installed it through their Windows-based setup (not wubi), and was set.
The only involvement that I had in this (indeed, this was also the first time I knew she was going to try Ubuntu) was when she IMed me while I was at work and asked why the mouse on her laptop didn't work on Ubuntu. When I got home, I was expecting a botched install that was going to be hell to repair, but it turns out that it was 100% perfect and simply didn't work due to a faulty BIOS. I added the necessary boot argument (i8042.nomux=1) and it's worked perfectly ever since.
Just my $0.02.
My cheap Toshiba tablet PC has accelerometers for emergency HDD-shutdown.
It's three years old.
Speaking as someone who regularly hangs out in IRC and helps people with Linux problems, I admit to giving command-line answers for one simple reason:
:)
It's easy.
Which is easier to get right:
a) Paste me the output of: `lspci`
or
b) Go to System > Administration > Hardware manager, and tell me, with detail, every device connected to a PCI bus.
Even for instructions, not debugging:
a) Open a terminal and type `sudo apt-get install vlc`
or
b) Go to Applications > Add/Remove Programs > Sound & Video > Scroll until you find VLC (or perhaps VideoLAN). Or type in the search box.
Even ignoring problems like "there isn't a 'Sound & Video' category" (you then need to figure out if they even have the correct window open), command-line answers are much simpler since they can be copy-pasted.
Sorry for the somewhat (probably nonsensical) rant, but I felt this needed to be explained. Don't be mad at us who are trying to help
I think our friend Newton that would disagree with that.
But then who foots the bill for various things like all the ads that get displayed? It's not as simple as a water bill because a shower head manufacturer can't suddenly turn your water usage up in order to promote a new product.
Yeah, it's a bad example, but it's also a bad idea.
Good idea, except that you seem to be forgetting who the governor of California is...
As an added bonus, it further makes the issue harder for non-nerds to understand. Obligatory car analogy: You own a highway, and I own a motor vehicle company called "Cars". You deny all access to motor vehicles (due to "congestion"), and when people start complaining that you're denying cars, you let my Cars-brand vehicles on and say "That's not true, we fully allow Cars!" Yikes, even the car analogy was hard to explain. This should get interesting...
I've been seeing these on
WARNING: Do not look at GRB with remaining eye!
Forget having a secondary mouse--when can I type using this thing?
The OP specified an "innocent person's house." I don't think Jack Thompson fits into that category.
That might work except for the fact that it's extremely simple for a computer to differentiate between colors. Better than humans, even.
Case in point.
Where I live, my choices are:
1. Comcast
There is no option #2. Dial-up is not an option since I require the bandwidth for work. I've lived in three different large US cities on the Northeast, and I have never had my choice of ISP.
I'm on Comcast and over the last two days or so, all of my SSH sessions have been terminated after a few minutes, regardless of the server I'm connected to or how long I've been idle. I can SSH into the same servers from work and leave an idle session open all day, no problems.
Very annoying, to say the least, when a long-running job gets aborted because Comcast just wants to "slow (not block!)" my encrypted traffic.
Verizon, hurry up and roll out FIOS the last few miles to me; I'm waiting to give you boxes of money as soon as it gets here.