Open-Source Users Break Free From Commercial Software (Fox News) [LWN.net]

Open-Source Users Break Free From Commercial Software (Fox News)

Posted Feb 10, 2006 4:47 UTC (Fri) by grouch (guest, #27289)
In reply to: Open-Source Users Break Free From Commercial Software (Fox News) by jmorris42
Parent article: Open-Source Users Break Free From Commercial Software (Fox News)

"And even if they did know, getting Linux running on the average piece-o-crap Dell is beyond their skills."

That's hard to believe. I had the pleasure of introducing an elderly couple to Linux about six months ago. They were sick of MS XP. Unfortunately, at the time, I didn't have time to do a custom installation for them, so I just handed them a Mepis CD. The next day, they returned with questions and I had to explain to them that they needed to reboot the computer with the CD in the drive and don't be afraid of all the text that goes flying by. The next question they asked, via telephone, was how to install. "See the icon labeled 'Install me'? Click that." They like KDE, now.

I think the average computer user can summon up skills to match this couple.

(Log in to post comments)

Open-Source Users Break Free From Commercial Software (Fox News)

Posted Feb 10, 2006 15:39 UTC (Fri) by X-Nc (guest, #1661) [Link]

The problem isn't that "normal" people can't install Linux. It's that Dell systems suck so badly it can be torture to get anything working on them. Or, as is the case more often, you get things working and the HW starts crapping out. There are so many problems with the Dell I have I wish I could return it and get my money back.

I don't want to turn this into an "I think Dell sucks too" thread

Posted Feb 14, 2006 0:16 UTC (Tue) by Baylink (subscriber, #755) [Link]

(or, to put it another way, I don't mean to go off on a rant, but...)

*When*, exactly, did Dell support start to suck so hard?

I had a mobo go in an Optiplex last week. Next day support.

Had the wrong address, so the mobo showed up near me, instead of 30 miles and one county away, where the machine really lives. But rerouting it was impossible, and when they shipped another one to Tampa overnight, it showed up Monday at 0938 *and that was too late to schedule it for a Monday install.

And Dell's phone trees all suck. And their online chat was broken.

Can *anything* get big and still work?

And why are Mergers and Acquisitions such big business?