Linspire, Lindows, Lindoors, all Rhodes lead to LinDOS

Actually, the prices you quote on your article are NOT monthly subscription fees. Because it's a "payment plan" You cannot "cancel" your plan if you are dissatisfied with the product, even if parts of it are malfunctioning (there is no "service warranty"). You also cannot "return" your product after 15 days. So if you don't like it, you'd better figure it out (whether it all works, etc) before the first billing comes around. Lindows screwed me this way, and I think people should not be misled by this.

Finally, the lion's share of the software available through the $15.00 monthly subscription fee is free software anyway, but, Linspire lacks SSH & GCC, and other helpful building tools in the default distro, so geeks should definitely stay away.

Isaac Yonemoto

HP Outsauce

Hello Mr. Magee,

I'm a frequent INQ visitor and I just read through article about HP's support issues..

I just wanted to inform that here in Finland the situation is, if possible, even worse !

Once upon a time Compaq had GREAT technical support - even though one needed to be "certified" in Compaq's terms to get that support. You could even talk to a guy that developed.. .. a let's say firmware for particular product. Of course this level of support was not free - but there was support when it was needed.

After Compaq's financial difficulties, merger with HP and endless loop of outsourcing support the situation has gone horrible !! After tens of minutes of waiting you end up talking to zombie recommending you, re-installing the operating system or possibly check all the cablings...

The only resolution I can see with current HP support quality is disaster - once dealers and corporate customers have made their minds that there's no real support from HP, up there goes a big business - not only services business but also business critical hardware business.. one is too afraid of buying business critical equipment from HP..

After working over ten years with Compaq and HP, this is really sad.

JH

Windoors

Hi,

I've been following this article and the letters that followed quite closely, and feel that the majority of people seem to have missed the point. The average computer user knows very little about their computer - from dealing with the majority of support calls I receive, the average computer user calls their whole computer the hard disc! These are the people who would not be suited to moving to an environment that doesn't have a fool proof gui. Im not trying to say that Microsoft have hit the nail on the head, but you have to admit that if you knew nothing about PCs - if you thought Windows was a word processor (believe me a lot of people do). If you didn't know the difference between System Memory and Video Memory. If you didn't know what System or Video memory were. If you didn't have the first clue as to what was inside the PC's case - you would be far better off in the land of Windows than anywhere near an open source linux environment.

Cheers
Ben

All Rhodes lead to LinDOS

They may be giving away a free download, but they certainly aren't giving away the link to the download. I am not a novice surfer. I have perused the Linspire site looking for a way to download a free version of the 4.5 OS, to no avail. Maybe you can have your source send it to you and post it for us.

Thanks,

R

All Rhodes lead to L'Indoors

I've read the article and gone to the link, http://linspire.com/lindows_storefront.php?own=yes, but haven't seen any giveaway.

Thanks,

Michael

SpionWarez

Earthlink's estimates of 30% of computers having spyware and adware is a conservative number. In all honesty, 90% of my customers have spyware and adware on their system, even though it may not the the entire cause of their problems. Laws have been in the works to do away with the spam problem, however we need some educated lawmakers working on the spyware front as well. Most of these apps install themselves whether you agree to install or not, Xupiter as an example, reinstalls itself almost as soon as you uninstall it. Many of these apps hijack your browser and the only difference I've found between them and viruses is the virus sends itself out. At least most viruses are easy enough to fix my customers can handle many of them.

Glen Waldrop

All Rhodes leads to Her L'indoors

Where can you find the link that will allow you to download the software for free?

Victor Ruiz

Windows, Linux, et al

Hi Mike, (pls hide email address etc)

Continuing on the linux rant, I think there is a common misconception amongst lusers, hopefully this will explain a lot.

Story 1 - my story

I have been using linux as my primary desktop for about 8 years, and can install linux in under 20 minutes, then add awhile to apply patches etc. as usual. I have no issues at all with linux, and find it much easier to use, more stable and much, much faster than windows. I wouldn't like to guess the number of linux servers I have installed. However if I try and install windows, I find it takes me at least 4 days to install it, usually in about 4 attempts. I find it very slow unstable and the applications are impossible to use.

Story 2 - my parents

They have been using windows for about 5 years, are happy enough as it does what they want and accept it's stability issues and application querkies. I could never imagine them swapping to linux as its taken them 5 years to get use to using windows and they aren't great with that.

The point here is I use linux and have for a long time, and find it much easier to use because I am used to it. (Even my wife finds it easy to use) My parents use windows because they are used to it.

The problems with windows is the proprietry file formats, If someone sends me a word doc I am generally OK, but if I can't read it I just tell them to send it in another format that I can read. If I send someone a document I will generally try and send it in pdf or something that most people can read, people always moan "linux can't handle this..." but what would they do if someone sent them a document in gnumeric xml format or open office format? or encrypted with gpg?

Linux users are just far too forgiving nowadays, excel can export as csv. Word files are generally OK and can be exported as html or rtf. Anyone using access as a database needs there head examining, or they are just too lazy to use a half decent database, again databases can be exported. Just because some user/company can't be bothered to be considerate doesn't classify linux as not ready, just the companies concerned as lazy and not prepared to provide adequate customer support.

If a company doesn't support me, why should I change. If the company wants to supply me with a new PC with windows installed and fix it whenever it goes wrong, fine. But they could just provide a decent level of service in the first place.

Most companies when you explain to them that is just as easy to save in a standardised(ish) format, rather than losing your custom will oblige and are usually grateful for showing them how to use Windows.

Just my 2 pence

Malcolm