[Am-info] Dell Outsmarts Microsoft!

[Eric Bennett]

Paul Rickard wrote:
> 
> ========== On 2002.08.14 08:10 AM, Erick Andrews typed: ============
> 
> >This part of the article is really cute on MS's behalf:
> >
> >"The Microsoft licensing terms, which were put in place on Aug. 1,
> >specify that PC makers must ship PCs with an operating system.
> >The new policy exists to prevent piracy and to better track OS shipments."
> 
>    I'm wondering about one thing, though... Why can't Dell include a free
> distro of Linux with its new n-Series systems instead of FreeDOS? Is Dell
> under some contract with a Linux vendor that prevent it from using a free
> Distro? Or is Dell in an agreement with Microsoft not to sell Linux to
> anyone buying fewer than 100 computers? The latter one seems more likely
> to me. I just can't see why FreeDOS is the solution here instead of Linux.

There's also the issue that the PC costs the same as a PC with Windows.  I
wonder if MS is still getting paid for that PC shipment...


-- 
Eric Bennett ( ericb@pobox.com ; http://www.pobox.com/~ericb )

We've been doubling sales every 18 months. However, when you start
from zero, it takes a long while.
- Stephen Yeo, marketing director for Wyse