Stupidity as an Ideology
I've seen a lot of stupid ideas float past, but this one from the EU's Globalization Institute makes it into the top 5 - only the existence of the RIAA and the MPAA prevent a complete victory for these morons:
Microsoft has had plenty of trouble with the European Union in recent days and now, if the Globalization Institute think tank has anything to say about it, PCs sold within the EU will be sold without an operating system.
The think tank recommended to the EU that all computers be sold without an operating system and sees no reason "why computer operating systems could not follow the same model as computer hard drives and processors."
Yes, installing an OS from scratch is exactly what most buyers long to do - it's such a productive use of their time. Imagine the fun dialog at home after this policy is enacted:
"Dad, I need to do my homework"
"Sorry son, but it looks like I have to download another 20 drivers first..."
Maybe next they'll recommend a return to "do it yourself" auto kits.
Comments
hilarious
[Paul McDonough] October 2, 2007 17:56:00.581
Some things the EU should be working to 'harmonize.' Others they really, really need to leave well alone! Telling the world how to assemble PCs is not exactly the core competency of yer average Eurocrat ...
or just ideology
[Dennis Decker Jensen] October 2, 2007 18:12:14.860
Actually OS vendors would be forced to make it a non-issue to install their products, if such a suggestion ever became reality.
It is not so stupid I think. I for one wouldn't mind having operating systems become a commodity market. That would actually mean real competetion! And competetion is supposed to be good, right? That certainly wouldn't be stupid!
I am not forced to by a certain processor or a certain harddrive when I go buy a computer. Why should I be forced to buy a certain OS? Package solutions can be fine, but are not if there isn't a real choice to begin with.
O, and people wouldn't need to download 20 drivers. Such an OS would cease to exist in such an ideal situation. It will probably remain just ideal for a while yet.
Re: Stupidity as an Ideology
[ James Robertson] October 2, 2007 20:09:42.406
Comment by James Robertson
Because Microsoft would go out if its way to make life easy on the EU, Apple would get behind the "clean box" initiative, and the Linux world would start making life simle.
Wake me when you get out of your dream world :)
Not Stupid If You Think About What They Mean
[W^L+] October 3, 2007 23:39:14.963
Actually, I don't think it is about having the user install the OS. I think it would be a separate line item on the bill, with the local retailer installing the OS and hopefully offering a choice of OSes to purchase with your shiny new computer.
This might force the retailers to actually hire / train people that know what they are doing. It might also lead to retailers giving buyers a short training course before turning them loose on the Internet. Right now, that lack of training is the greatest threat, fueling all sorts of "here, click on this cute little [insert name here]" malware.
I for one am really enjoying my new Dell with preinstalled Ubuntu Linux. It has been more problem-free than any other new computer I've ever had. It also beats the systems I use at work (both WinXP SP2 and the former Win2K), including the newest system images. I find myself wondering why there wasn't this much choice all along, and why it takes so much effort to get to Dell's (or Lenovo's or HP's) alternate OS offerings.
Since I'm the tech support person for my family and friends, I find that lack of choice leads to all sorts of ills, such as Technological Usage Restrictions (TUR, what is often euphemized as DRM), preinstalled garbage software, and tying your OS to one browser / media player / etc, all of which happen to made by the same company. Monopolies lead to corporate leaders sitting down together and choosing things based on their needs rather than the end user's needs.
No, I don't live in a dream world. I live in the present system, where retailers have an incentive to seek out and push computers on untrained users and to keep them untrained so they will be dependent on buying the next "solution" from the retailers. I live in the world where the lack of choice keeps users from seeing and buying the software that will meet their needs in favor of the one that has the greatest marketing strength.
When I bought my earlier computers, I had a choice: 20GB or 40GB hard drive, Intel or AMD processor, 128MB or 256MB of RAM, 17 inch or 19 inch monitor. This is the same kind of choice you should have with your OS and other preinstalled software. Anyone who disagrees needs to read Adam Smith again.
The current system, that's what is stupid.
Sigh
[ James Robertson] October 4, 2007 0:48:57.438
Comment by James Robertson
There's nothing stopping any vendor - even Apple - from shipping systems with pre-installed Linux, other than the fact that you can count the potential market for that on one hand. Companies are out to make money, and if OEMs thought there was money to be made selling Linux, they would do so.
Double sigh
[Marcel Weiher] October 4, 2007 3:35:53.205
"IT professionals are being forced to adopt Microsoft's operating systems ï¿¿ even if they tell their PC supplier they want a system free of Microsoft software, ZDNet UK's research has revealed." http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/0,1000000091,39286228,00.htm
Irrelevant
[ James Robertson] October 4, 2007 6:44:26.443
Comment by James Robertson
Marcel, you miss my point. If vendors thought there was money in selling systems w/o an OS installed, or with Linux installed, they would do so. The fact that they mostly require Windows now bothers a handful of activists - and you cherry picked well - witness Dell, for instance - they actually ship systems with Ubuntu now. Go pick an arbitrary non-technical neighbor and ask them whether they would like a PC with no OS. After they stop looking confused, they'll probably laugh at you.
Use the source
[Marcel Weiher] October 4, 2007 14:42:15.210
James, I did not cherry-pick, I simply went to the source to check what they meant, because it was obvious it couldn't be the straw-man you had created. See http://www.metaobject.com/blog/
I'll say it again
[ James Robertson] October 4, 2007 15:24:39.832
Comment by James Robertson
Ask any non-IT guy you know whether this sounds like a good idea. Not to mention the fact that you can get Linux pre-installed on Dell Systems now.
Freedom of *choice*
[Marcel Weiher] October 4, 2007 23:31:21.113
James, what you "say again" is completely irrelevant to (a) what the EU Globalization institute proposed and (b) your mischaracterization of their proposal in your original post. Apart from that, it is also still incongruous in itself. Protecting free markets is not about determining market outcomes (which is what you are talking about), and especially not about majority outcomes. As representative of a minority programming language platform, I would think you might be able to appreciate that. What if every Cincom Smalltalk customer had to pay for a Microsoft Visual Studio license just to get VW, even if they never intended to use it. When objecting to this, they would be told "just ask you non Smalltalking programmer friends what they prefer".