Topic: I'm Not dead yet!

[Age]

Toshiba and other companies will build a Linux machine for you, but they're going make you pay through the nose.

I have never seen a a name brand PC to come with Linux as all are preinstalled with Windows on them from the factory and other propietary software.

You are welcome for the Vid.I know a lot of Muscle cars that would beat it.

[knightstorm]

Toshiba and other companies will build a Linux machine for you, but they're going make you pay through the nose.

That couldn't possibly be because Microsoft will raise their prices to companies that build any real numbers of Linux machines at competitive prices?

Another possibility is that for the windows machines, the cost for developing drivers is spread out along a great number of units resulting in less of a markup.

[Tulwar]

I have never seen a a name brand PC to come with Linux as all are preinstalled with Windows on them from the factory and other propietary software.

Toshiba did a few years ago.  I don't think they do, anymore.

[Nemesis]

I have never seen a a name brand PC to come with Linux as all are preinstalled with Windows on them from the factory and other propietary software.

They do exist but to avoid angering Microsoft they are hard to find on the company websites. 

When Microsoft started getting Windows put on Netbooks (rumoured to be pressure on the companies) they wouldn't allow the same model or a cheaper variant to be released with a lower price.  At least some of the companies released similar models with higher amounts of flash for the same price.  Microsoft didn't like that and Ballmer started making his anti Linux threats and they vanished.  Hard not to think that there were also behind the scenes threats against those companies as this was followed by the vanishing of Linux netbooks. 

Another possibility is that for the windows machines, the cost for developing drivers is spread out along a great number of units resulting in less of a markup.

If so then it is their own fault.  Most drivers are open source and developed and maintained by independents.  These people have to work hard to figure out how to write the drivers and would dearly love to have the specifications for the units but most companies won't supply such. A few like ATi have started releasing open source drivers but without documentation.  Fewer still release the documentation that makes it easy to develop the drivers.  Make the documentation available and publicize it and they can get freely written drivers freely maintained.  Keep it secret and the drivers may still be developed but won't be as good as the developers must try to deduce by experimentation what your device can do and how it does it. 

[Tulwar]

Well, the Chinese government is one of if not the largest consumer of computers in the world, and they run Linux.  I'm sure that they will influence component manufacturers for years to come.  I'm not sure that does us any good.  After all, we deal with the factories in China that produce for export.  Who knows if we're just getting the monkey-model computers here.  All the good stuff could be made for internal use only.

[Nemesis]

If you were China would you use a OS that is rumoured to have holes in it to let the NSA at your data?  Don't think so.  As a Canadian I don't like my government using it for that reason alone. 

[Tulwar]

Personally, I wouldn't put it past the Chinese government to have those holes hard coded in every computer component made.

[Age]

I have never seen a a name brand PC to come with Linux as all are preinstalled with Windows on them from the factory and other propietary software.

They do exist but to avoid angering Microsoft they are hard to find on the company websites. 

When Microsoft started getting Windows put on Netbooks (rumoured to be pressure on the companies) they wouldn't allow the same model or a cheaper variant to be released with a lower price.  At least some of the companies released similar models with higher amounts of flash for the same price.  Microsoft didn't like that and Ballmer started making his anti Linux threats and they vanished.  Hard not to think that there were also behind the scenes threats against those companies as this was followed by the vanishing of Linux netbooks. 

You would probably have to oder it not just go into say Futurshop and buy one off the shelf.That is what I am referring to for the average pc user.

[Tulwar]

You would probably have to oder it not just go into say Futurshop and buy one off the shelf.That is what I am referring to for the average pc user.

For that matter, you have to go on-line to get a Win 7 machine.  I think I might do that, but I don't want to buy an OS that has already been superseded.  I might as well buy another used computer.

[Age]

You would probably have to oder it not just go into say Futurshop and buy one off the shelf.That is what I am referring to for the average pc user.

For that matter, you have to go on-line to get a Win 7 machine.  I think I might do that, but I don't want to buy an OS that has already been superseded.  I might as well buy another used computer.

Why buy it online and if any Windows OS come with it.It will be Windows 8 not 7 as that is out of production.When you buy a used computer it comes with no OS.

[Tulwar]

Used computers are usually refurbished Dells, HPs, or some other name brand that has been "refurbished."  That is, they have some crap soldiering job on some burnt up connection and a fresh coat of paint.  They still have the tag with the serial# of a MS OS, so whomever refurbished it went ahead and reloaded the OS without all the crapware.  Aside from the hardware being suspect and the microscopic HD, they're better than new.  Often, a mom and pop store will have a dozen stacked up.

The computer I'm using is of this nature.  It only has a 40 Gig HD, which ain't much.  The PS2 connection for the keyboard doesn't work.  That must have been the original failure for which it had been refurbished.  There is a reason the military does all of its electronic repairs in house.  When the Army sent its radios out for repair, they came back looking like new, but they still didn't work.  I got lucky with this one.  The USB ports work fine.

Right now, you can go to Toshiba's website and buy a Window's 8 Pro laptop for $450.00, and that will come with rights to downgrade to Win 7 Pro.  If you want a machine with Win 7 Home edition, it will cost you about $100 less.  Not all models with all processors can be configured with Win 7, but Toshiba is really good at making it easy to find what you want.  Trying to find Win 7 Pro on HP and Dell's sites is not as easy, but they still offer Win 7.  MS has to allow computer vendors to do this, because their new OS's tend not to play well their larger customers' networks.  They don't give a crap about you and me, but companies like Toyota and ADM buy a lot of MS software, and have the means to go elsewhere.

[Nemesis]

I'm posting from a refurbished Chromebook and my SETI machine is a refurbished machine that came with Win 7 Pro 64 bit. 

[Tulwar]

I just can't risk $200.00 on a refurbished machine.  Too often, they break down immediately.