Re: [LUG] Re: today's meets and some observations etc.

[Sadie Brinham <barmy_fungy_fips@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Monday 27 September 2004 14:15, Adrian Midgley wrote:
> On Sunday 26 September 2004 21:12, john wrote:
> > > So, how hard it is it to generate preinstalled hard drives for a
> > > standard PC device?  (Asus Terminators are £299 incl a blank 20Gbyte
> > > HDD... what price loaded to go?)
Be careful of Asus.You might just get away with installing GNU/Linux on a 
4-year old Asus mobo,but recently Asus has gone all-out to make its 
componants wholly incompatible with GNU/Linux.

Slightly off topic,I know,but worth mentioning.Since Asus have assumed such a 
public stance against GNU/Linux,they have to expect GNU/Linux supporters to 
take an equally obstinate position against Asus products.

I personally have boycotted Asus products.These days,I buy PCs without 
operating systems installed,having made it a condition of purchase that all 
hardware must be wholly GNU/Linux compliant.
It's another approach to addressing the same old issue of buying PCS 
pre-loaded with Windows,as is the norm.

If more people (those who are comfortable with installing an O.S.) ordered PCs 
with those criteria,then *perhaps* retailers would re-assess what's available 
"on the shelf".

A reformat perhaps doesn't cut it.Wiping Windows as soon as the new kit is 
delivered still means the retailer has sold yet another computer with Windows 
installed as standard.(Heaven help the total new comer to computing who 
discovers when he tries to install GNU/Linux that he's unwittingly been 
lumbered with an Asus mobo).

If day after day,computer suppliers are being met with demands for Operating 
System-free PCs,they'll start taking notice.
At the end of the day,they want to shift products and make money.
They'll soon start offering machines pre-installed with any flavour distro 
you'd care to name.Lots of stores in England (Me being in Cornwall.Heh.) 
already do.

Sadie

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