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| Remember IBM? Of all the companies you mentioned they are still the largest with the most revenues. |
Posted on 04/05/2006 6:36:59 PM PDT by NCjim
Naked PCs: Free software supporters are angry that Microsoft is putting pressure on PC vendors not to sell machines without an operating system installed
Microsoft has urged UK PC vendors not to give customers the opportunity to buy a PC without a pre-installed operating system.
Supplying base systems, or 'naked PCs', is a missed opportunity, according to Michala Alexander, Microsoft's head of anti-piracy.
Writing in Microsoft's Partner Update magazine, which is distributed to computer dealers, Alexander estimated that 5 percent of computers sold in the UK in 2006 would not include an operating system.
Alexander is keen to bring that number down, even though customers could want a base system because they want to install Linux, or because their firm already has a licensing agreement for an operating system such as Windows.
"We want to urge all system builders — indeed, all Partners — not to supply naked PCs. It is a risk to your customers and a risk to your business — with specifically 5 percent fewer opportunities to market software and services," wrote Alexander.
Linux vendors and free software supporters, though, believe these base systems can play an important role in supporting the open source market. Some are concerned that Microsoft may be attempting to use its powerful position in the market to hamper competition.
The European branch of the Free Software Foundation hopes that PC vendors will not be swayed by Microsoft.
"We would be happy to see any kind of hardware being shipped without an operating system, or pre-installed with free software. Furthermore, we would be happy to get in contact with any hardware vendor who wants to free his customers this way," said Joachim Jakobs, of the FSF Europe.
Alexander's role is to combat the use of counterfeit and unlicensed versions of Microsoft's software. In February, Microsoft launched an initiative called Keep IT Real, in which "feet on the street" investigators would visit technology vendors suspected of installing counterfeit software on PCs before selling them.
In the article, Alexander appeared to reveal that these investigators will also have a role in clamping down on the sale of base systems.
"Microsoft is recruiting two 'feet on the street' personnel whose role will be to provide proactive assistance during customer visits, and help you get the value proposition for pre-installed software and related services. Give us a call and let's get those feet walking," Alexander wrote.
The FSF Europe is alarmed by the prospect that customers who request a base systems would risk a visit from Microsoft's investigators.
"It looks like a private sniffing service which is supposed to spy on these who do not want to pay the Microsoft tax anymore. It is an incredible piece of impudence which any politician, customer and journalist should recognise carefully," said Jakobs.
When contacted by ZDNet UK, Alexander denied that operatives would be dispatched into the premises of customers who attempted to buy a PC without Windows.
"I can confirm that the... personnel are not participating in customer visits. This is an error in the copy and will be amended in future material on the subject," Alexander claimed.
Alexander also insisted that Microsoft was simply trying to help its reseller partners by explaining how they could grow their businesses by selling its software and services. But she did reiterate that the software giant is concerned that the sale of base systems may be linked to the use of counterfeit software.
"There will be a concern if we see an increase in businesses selling PCs without Windows and piracy goes into the sky," said Alexander, who also rejected the suggestion that Microsoft was attempting to use its powerful position in the market to hamper rival operating systems.
Both Red Hat and Novell argue that naked PCs can be an important part of the overall market.
"Microsoft is clearly concerned about the threat of Linux on the desktop and is trying to protect its base. Naked PCs provide customers with choice and lower the price of commodity PCs," said a Novell spokesman.
"Customers want to have choice and they don't want to be locked in by one vendor, such as Microsoft," said Red Hat's Dirk Kissinger. "We would like to see more hardware vendors give their customers the choice of pre-installed operation systems, be it Microsoft or Red Hat or other options, or raw hardware without an operating system."
Several PC vendors contacted by ZDNet UK were reluctant to comment on the issues surrounding base systems. One, though, did say that they hadn't encountered any difficulties.
"We've had no pressure from Microsoft, yet," said a representative from Chillblast, a UK PC vendor that sells some computers without operating systems.
Three things stopping me:
$$$
Knowledge (Will this motherboard work with this processor and case, etc.)
Time
I got 5.1 surround speakers from Newegg.com and they were very fast and reliable. Any reccommendations of any other sites known for this stuff would be really helpful. Newegg doesn't really tell of compatibilities of it's products -I have to read the reviews to get that.
FYI: I'm looking to build a gaming system that will also work well for mods of games. I'm wanting to make an updated Battlestar Galactica game using the Freespace 2 source code.
LOL!
Someday computers will probably just be built into homes from the get-go, and my guess is 98% of those will be Microsoft networked-home systems. (The other 2% will be a few criminalized hackers and some persecuted open-source system that's permitted to lurk around just so that Microsoft can circumvent monopoly laws).
But, that day is still a while off!
system builders can sell whatever they want, but as far as the piracy element goes I can actually understand where microsoft is coming from. Anyone who can install Linux or whatnot can build a system from components as well.
knowledge - you pick the CPU u want and find a motherboard with the right socket, usually everything on the market is up to date on clock speeds, etc. make sure u get the right memory and install in the right order (sometimes not linear), that has burnt me on non-sequential installation of memory. Case form factor at this point afaik is atx or something extended, but that is straightforward, or just go without a case and put it in a pizza box.
time - i can understand this one well - i build my own machines for my office (4 in 2 offices, 2 each) but when they are done i avoid touching them for as long as possible. last set of 4 lasted at least 3 years, this set is over 2 years old now....the new tactic is to build 4 at the same time using identical parts in all, then install one OS on one drive and dupe the drive onto 7 identical drives (4 backups). presto-magic.
$$$$ - custom systems unfortunately aren't cheaper. the hardware flexibility may or may not be worth it to you.
I think this already in place, contractually, here in the US. A manufacturer does not receive the lowest possible price for Windows unless they agree to install Windows on every PC they produce.
When faced with the choice between paying a higher price for Windows on 99.99% of their machines or saving a very few of their customers a few dollars, they really don't have a choice.
oh i see what you're saying. MS would not give them a "group"
or "bulk" discount on the OS if they sold "naked PC's"? Don't think they will get away with it, sounds like a form of discrimination.
Oh gee, I remember when there were these boxes out there with a 8086 or 8088 and nothing really on it and you got DOS for $80. Junk DOS.
And now, 20 years later, it's work to get a box with nothing on it. I say like the rest of them here, how about if I decide what is on my own machine?
I can remember subscribing to "Chicago On Line" before it became America on line.
...especially if the law (criminal, civil, or just court precedent) is behind them. Wouldn't that be just dandy?
not sure on xp issues, I am still using win2k pro as long as I can (as long as my software works).....
I installed Firefox tonight and my browser screams compared to IE. This weekend I am going to install a Linux OS. I have been getting too much BS with viruses, spyware, hackers, etc. It is a full-time job on top of the full-time job, especially when I'm taking down a few Islamist sites a month.....
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| Remember IBM? Of all the companies you mentioned they are still the largest with the most revenues. |
Firefox has got its share of bugs/security problems, but I prefer it to crumby old IE as well. Hard to understand how anyone could stand using a web browser that welcomes popups and other garbage.
I can remember using IBM's Call 360 time sharing sysstem at home using a Seletric terminal. That was in 1970. The Seletric Terminal steamed along at 13.5 CPS while the rest of the world was stuck with Teletype Terminals at 10 CPS.
Jeepers! Ya got me beat! I remember playing the old Star Trek on the teletype machines on the Univac back in '73 or so.
Red ALert!!!! Red Alert!!!!
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Now I do mainframes (IBM) z/OS.
This whole Microsoft thing's getting my goat. I installed XP onto a smaller laptop, then decided to pop the hard drive into a faster laptop, it gave me activation grief, so I just went back to the older machine. Now I'm scared to change anything on the sucker (I have DVD player I could put in, but the heck with it.)
I take machines apart and put them together and reconstruct them all the time. So now I gotta call Redmond and get permission every time? I don't think so, Tim. Hell, I'll put Linux on it.
I know, but all the laptops and desktops are now Lenovo or something.
I've been building mine off and on since my 386 dx 40. Sure is nice to turn it on and not have time to go take a shower while it boots up.
Of course with my laptop I had to spend [waste] time cleaning it up as soon as I got it. Unbelievable the amount of useless, resource wasting garbage they put on it. And on my Vaio, most everything of any use was 90 trial anyway. When you get down to it, there isn't much worth crap except the OS on them anyway.
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