[Am-info] Naked PCs from Wal-Mart

[Mitch Stone]

I don't honestly think Wal-Mart is trying to reach Linux or other 
alternative OS users with these offerings. As we all know, at this point 
individual Linux users (as distinguished from corporate users) tend to be 
hobbyists who roll their own systems in significant numbers, and I don't 
picture many of them jumping at the chance to buy a computer from Wal-Mart.
  I read this as directed to your "number 2" people -- owners of an OEM 
Windows disk who see no reason to either pay again for Windows or to 
"upgrade" to XP.

Yes, this might tick off Microsoft if the trend grows, but two things I 
notice right away: (1) Microsoft's heavy thumb is still on the scales, 
restricting in a subtle way what system configurations their OEMs can sell 
sans Windows, and (2) Wal-Mart is not selling these products in their 
stores, only on their web site. I'm going to check my Sunday newspaper 
today, but  I have a feeling they won't be advertising them widely in the 
mass media.

On Sunday, March 3, 2002, at 12:14 PM, John J. Urbaniak wrote:

> Well, I would like to know why Wal-Mart is doing this.  Obviously they've 
> done
> some market research and concluded that there is some significant demand 
> for
> naked PCs.
>
> Now what could the demand be:
>
> 1. Folks who want to install an alternative OS, like Linux, or OS/2 or Be 
> or
> eCS?
>
> 2. Folks who have Windows 98 or NT or ME who want a faster machine, but 
> don't
> want to pay for another copy of the OS?
>
> I suspect lots of 2's.  It may be counter to Microsoft's license, but I'd 
> love
> to see MS try to sue all the Mom's and Pop's out there who already paid 
> for
> Windows once and don't want to pay again.
>
> I bet this one is making Gates hop up and down like Rumpelstiltskin.
>
> John
>

   Mitch Stone
   mitch@accidentalexpert.com