Microsoft Offers BestBuy Employees Anti-Linux Training

OSNews ^ | September 8th | Jordan Spencer Cunningham

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

According to a leak from a BestBuy employee, Microsoft is initiating a sort of "Anti-Linux Training" course for the employees, and those who take part in the said training are rewarded with a copy of Windows 7 for only ten dollars. The leaked screenshots of the campaign show Microsoft's comparison of its own system with an obscure "Linux" and how Windows is better in every way including security, "free downloads", and software and hardware compatibility.

When Microsoft said a few weeks ago that its biggest threat was Linux, I suppose a campaign such as this was to be expected. We've seen the Laptop Hunter ads against Apple as well as that "Apple Tax" report. Now Linux is the target, apparently.

[Still Thinking]

I will give it a try. I must admit, I really hate, hate, hate this tendency to put "MyThis" and "MyThat" in so many products. It makes the product sound like a teenage girl's purse instead of a real piece of useful software. When I dset up users' XP and 2000 boxes, I have the 2000 interface, but rename the "My Network" and "My Computer" icons.

Hah! I do the same thing. The profusion of "My xx" just annoys the crap out of me.

[Still Thinking]

Can one go between Open Office and Office 2007? That is, to say, are the files compatible?

In my limited experience, yes.

Funny story: I recently built a new computer and had heard Open Office was getting competitive to Office, so I installed in instead. Turns out it lacks a few features critical to me (niche things that probably wouldn't bother most people), and I ended up going back to Office 2003, which I've never liked, without deleting Open Office. So eventually, I decided to upgrade back to Office '97. I liked it so much better than 2003 that I actually bought it again cause I couldn't find my old ones. So someone sends me a .docx document (Word 2007 format) and I open it and it Opens in Open Office, because I never uninstalled it and .docx doesn't associate with Word '97! so now I have the best of both worlds, I have the version of Office I like and provides the features I need to work on my stuff, and Open Office as a file viewer/editor for newer formats '97 won't do! (Office '97 -- the best Office yet!)

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Yeah.

Windows millenium and windows millennium 2.0(windows vista) have been the equivalent of scandals.

But I tell you what, I really miss windows 2000. That really was a great OS. After some service packs of course.

And I can’t lie. I’ve had some really stinkers when downloading and trying different linuxes. That’s why at this point I pretty much stick with fedora. It’s fast, stable, full featured, supported, and best of all free. It’s great.

[Still Thinking]

Thats assuming that I would ask a Best Buy employee any question other than “Wheres the restroom?”

But then they come and stand in your way and offer to "help" you. OTOH, the store is so poorly laid out that it IS often quicker to ask "Where have you hidden the USB thumb drives?"

[Tribune7]

Thanks. I’ll check out Picassa.

[cynwoody]

When Microsoft said a few weeks ago that its biggest threat was Linux

Wait until the Google Chrome OS comes along. It will suck in the low end of the market that only cares about web and email. Windows will become a premium brand. Mac OS will still be there for those who care more about quality than cost. And Linux will remain the OS of choice for hackers and folks who need cheap, industrial grade servers.

[sierrahome]

Yes completely...pretty neat huh?

[IYAS9YAS]

Thanks! I tried Open Office several years ago. Tried in the most basic sense - I managed to get the programs downloaded, but I could never get the spreadsheet program to work - no formulas would work, help wouldn’t work, so I gave up. Maybe it’s time for a new try.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

I use a local install of it for all my database stuff. I’m just used to it I guess.

BTW, Office up to 2007 I believe, works just fine in Linux with WINE. Paying $40 for Crossover, the commercial offshoot of WINE, makes the install even easier for that, but it’s still pretty easy to get going.

[markman46]

I am making the switch to Linux,A Frreper turned me on to PCLinuxos.. I have played with Ubuntu, but I really enjoy using Pclinux, everything worked right after install...

[AFreeBird]

Linux T61 2.6.27.29-0.1-default #1 SMP 2009-08-15 17:53:59 +0200 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[AFreeBird]

Red Hat isn't Chinese. SuSE was originally a German distro. Novell bought them, so I guess they're Mormon?

I'm running openSUSE 11.1 (x86_64).

[AFreeBird]

OpenOffice is up to version 3.0.0.9. At least that's the one I'm running. A year ago, my sister needed an office program, she was running winders but didn't have office. So I directed her to openoffice.org and she downloaded and installed it, and then started using it all without any further help from me.

Give it another go. They've done a lot of work on it.

[zeugma]

Windows is better in every way including security

---

BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Well, you know, MS-Windows is o.k. I guess, if your time and data isn't worth anything. 

I prefer stability, security, ready access to powerful scripting tools, and not having to worry about spyware and the virus/malware of the day.

[Fichori]

Microsoft also sells Anti-Microsoft training.

It comes in a box titled MS Windows.

[Big Giant Head]

I am making the switch to Linux,A Frreper turned me on to PCLinuxos.. I have played with Ubuntu, but I really enjoy using Pclinux, everything worked right after install...

PCLinuxOS is my Linux of choice. 2007 was perfect and ran on every machine in the house. Everyone talks about Fedora, Suse, Mint, and Ubuntu, but PCLinuxOS is right there with them. Polished and sweet.

[markman46]

PCLinuxOS is my Linux of choice. 2007 was perfect and ran on every machine in the house. Everyone talks about Fedora, Suse, Mint, and Ubuntu, but PCLinuxOS is right there with them. Polished and sweet.

I am using 2009, no more hunting up third party software just do a search in synaptic, if the software is there install and use...

[TexasRepublic]

I am waiting for a Linux database program with a useable front end.

Me too. If the DOS version of Paradox 4.5 was ported to Linux, it would be a winner.