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jcooper
November 2nd, 2006, 03:59 PM
The below is a post submitted to a forum I frequent. It's a direct result of the bare-minimum you get with Windows XP when you buy a new PC. Imagine the potential if this person had an Ubuntu/other distribution pre-installed to do email, browse the web, write letters, view presentations, etc.


Hi,

I need help with this! my wife has just started a midwifery course at uni and most of her course notes she needs to get of the uni website are in powerpoint format! my home computer does not have this. she has a way of downloading powerpoint but i not sure about doing it!

what i need to know is if i download this will this become my operating system as i have windows xp home or is powerpoint just a programme like say windows mediaplayer!

sorry about this im not very clued up on this sort of thing!

jimmy


If this person bought their PC with a decent OS + Application suite, imagine how much more productive they'd be! It could have read:


Hi,

My wife has just started a midwifery course at uni and most of her course notes she needs to get of the uni website are in powerpoint format! My home computer does not have this, but when I double clicked it, I was able to view and edit it with ease!

I have a PC with Ubuntu Linux which just does everything I need it to, without me having to buy third party applications or worry about not being able to do what I need to!

sorry about this im not very clued up on this sort of thing!

jimmy

megamania
November 2nd, 2006, 04:03 PM
I see your point, but I'm quite sure (not 100% sure because I don't use windows anymore) that there is a free powerpoint-reader from microsoft...

hkgonra
November 2nd, 2006, 04:14 PM
There is and it is installed on every oem pc I have seen for at least the past year.

PriceChild
November 2nd, 2006, 04:14 PM
I see your point, but I'm quite sure (not 100% sure because I don't use windows anymore) that there is a free powerpoint-reader from microsoft...Yeah i think the latest versions of xp come with a powerpoint viewer. (on pre-installed machines at least)

Its besides the point anyway... ubuntu CAN do a lot more than xp on a standard install.

EdThaSlayer
November 2nd, 2006, 04:28 PM
hmmm...you make Microsoft Windows XP sound really bad, and Ubuntu Linux OS sound really great. If only that was reality, but good point. From reading other posts people say that there are free powerpoint viewers, but probably most Windows users will shell out $100 to get Microsoft Office. If only Ubuntu came pre-installed on computers.

mips
November 2nd, 2006, 06:13 PM
If only Ubuntu came pre-installed on computers.

Ubuntu is not really the ideal candidate as far as I'm concerned.

It would be if you could get:
The full repos on DVD with the PC.
The full PLF repos on CD/DVD with the PC.

If the above would be the case then it would be great. Ubuntu relies to much on broadband as a distro, if you had the above it would be great.

And no, I'm not going to compare it to windows.

hkgonra
November 2nd, 2006, 06:44 PM
Ubuntu is not really the ideal candidate as far as I'm concerned.

It would be if you could get:
The full repos on DVD with the PC.
The full PLF repos on CD/DVD with the PC.

If the above would be the case then it would be great. Ubuntu relies to much on broadband as a distro, if you had the above it would be great.

And no, I'm not going to compare it to windows.


I don't think that would be a problem in the US , I don't know anyone on dial-up anymore and haven't in a while.
Heck even my grandparents have the low-end DSL ( 1.5/384 ) for $30 a month.

bruce89
November 2nd, 2006, 06:45 PM
It would be if you could get:
The full repos on DVD with the PC.
The full PLF repos on CD/DVD with the PC.


Since when have all the (essential) applications for windows been made put on a CD? Surely you have to download them too.

mips
November 2nd, 2006, 07:13 PM
Since when have all the (essential) applications for windows been made put on a CD? Surely you have to download them too.


](*,) ](*,) ](*,)


And no, I'm not going to compare it to windows.

Some always neglect to read. like i said it is not a comparison with windows. Why always this insistance to compare ?

No it has not been done for windows and yes you would either have to download stuff or buy it at the shop.

It could be a big selling point for Ubuntu if you can get the repos with your purchased PC. Advertising to the effect of 18000 applications available right here, right now, no charge or online time.

have it your way then, no DVDs with the PC, I'm not phased.

DoctorMO
November 2nd, 2006, 07:27 PM
sure you can put as many repos on a number of DVDs and ship it with the computer if you wish. there are configurations for /etc/apt/sources.list to specify a CD/DVD medium and it would just ask you to insert the required DVD/CD that the software that your trying to install is on.

Nothing hard about that, you just need an iso creating for it and I'm sure if there were demand for it someone would create one.