[Coco] [Color Computer] The evolution of the Coco..

[David Hazelton]

Glen VanDenBiggelaar wrote:
> Basil,
> I guess when you have been exposed to it the way I have, you just get 
> bitter. I use to work in a small computer store as service manager, and 
> EVERYDAY (YES- 6 DAYS A WEEK!), I would have these guys come in and try to 
> "covert me", and the owner of the store and try to get us to sell Linux 
> Pre-intstalled, and suport Linux Boxes. The simple fact is Microsoft, and my 
> MSCE, feeds me, puts food on my table. It makes money for the store, and it 
> sells computers, for people with families, it feeds the childeren and puts 
> childeren through school. Dell has tried now twice to sell computers with 
> Linux "pre-instaled" and has failed miserbly both times. 

That's because both times Dell offered this, it actually cost more than 
the same PC with Windows.  Everyone knew Microsoft was still getting 
their cut for the machine, but if you bought Linux on it you didn't get 
the Windows install disk, which you already paid for.  I'm not sure if 
this was Dell's attempt not to be tied to deeply to Microsoft.  Just 
like Dell officially is not tied to Intel.  Dell will not sell a VIA or 
a Crusoe or even an AMD chip.  Go figure.

You might be surprised in how many companies bought PC from Dell and put 
Linux on, You got 2 OS's and Dells Microsoft pricing.

On the home front, where 9 out of 10 PC's are over priced Playstation 
2's...you got to go where the games are...Sort of like the C-64 and 
Tandy, Those who want to play games picked C-64 because you  could go to 
your local K-mart and pick one up.  Which was a better machine, the C-64 
or the Coco.


> When linux is mainstream, and customers like grandma's are useing linux, or 
> if Redhat came to me and offerd certification for free, then I will start 
> learning it, but for now, I see it like something that is dead, but refuses 
> to be burried.
> -but thats way off the topics here,
> -Glen
> 
> 

Well, first when did any OS company give out Free training.  HP, Sun 
Microsoft, Novell and Redhat all charge for certification.  Both 
Microsoft and Novell dump thousands of dollars into Colleges/tech 
schools as a kick back to offer such courses at a "reasonable" price.

You grandma is not going to have linux, because no one will sell her a 
machine at walmart...eventho Walmart does sell Linux only boxes on the 
net.  But that would mean that grandma is already on the net.  Now 
grandma (if I can stereotype a little) is spending most of here time on 
the computer, reading and writing E-mail or Instant Messager.  It really 
makes no difference if it is a PC or a Mac.  But everyone knows Apple 
doesn't sell through Walmarts!   This is also the reason why Compaq/HP 
is still around in the home market.   I once worked for a company that 
switched from Dell to HP...we got Compaq desktops, had to return 
hundreds of them all because they were crap.  But what do find at 
"computer" store, rather it is Walmart or Best Buy or Staples. 
Compaq/HP is every where.  I don't see Grandma actually doing here 
homework, she wants the cheapest machine to do E-mail.

~David Hazelton