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View Full Version : "Linux for housewives. XP for geeks."



jomiolto
July 9th, 2008, 05:23 PM
I thought this article might give some people a chuckle: http://blogs.zdnet.com/storage/?p=342

From now on, whenever someone's saying that Linux is too difficult for ordinary people to use, I can point them to this one. (Or perhaps Taiwanese housewives just are more computer savvy than one might expect? :p)

madjr
July 9th, 2008, 06:44 PM
totally cool:


"Retailers and contract manufacturers in Taiwan say that novice PC users there, like students and housewives, tend to buy the Linux version of the Eee PC701, while geeks go for Windows XP."

nick09
July 9th, 2008, 06:48 PM
I see why the geeks want XP they want to play games.:lolflag:

happysmileman
July 9th, 2008, 06:50 PM
I see why the geeks want XP they want to play games.:lolflag:

I think the XP version has a bigger hard drive, so some of those geeks probably bought the XP version for bigger hard drive, maybe they even installed Linux over it

LaRoza
July 9th, 2008, 06:53 PM
It is obvious. Linux has what the average person needs and is freer, faster, cheaper, and safer.

XP may support CAD, Photoshop, certain games, but that is not what the typical person uses.

popch
July 9th, 2008, 07:07 PM
XP may support CAD, Photoshop, certain games, but that is not what the typical person uses.

.. particularly not on an Asus eeePC.

That article makes me a housewife. I bought and used mine with Linux.

LaRoza
July 9th, 2008, 07:12 PM
.. particularly not on an Asus eeePC.
That is true.



That article makes me a housewife. I bought and used mine with Linux.

You are a housewife? I won't tell your wife ;)

(Nice avatar...less racist :-))

popch
July 9th, 2008, 07:15 PM
(Nice avatar...less racist :-))

Why, thank you. Souvenir, shot it myself. Only the pic, not the bird.

LaRoza
July 9th, 2008, 07:19 PM
Why, thank you. Souvenir, shot it myself. Only the pic, not the bird.

Cool. Where did you go to get it?

popch
July 9th, 2008, 07:21 PM
Cool. Where did you go to get it?

Edinburgh. Could have done it at home, too. We have penguins here as well.

madjr
July 9th, 2008, 07:56 PM
I think the XP version has a bigger hard drive, so some of those geeks probably bought the XP version for bigger hard drive, maybe they even installed Linux over it

the XP version is 12 GB

the linux version is 20 GB


people who buy it with XP usually do it only if they need a windows only program like office 2007 for work, itunes junk, install some of those phone windows-only software or simply the linux version has been sold out.

else if xandros is too limited they install either another linux version (u know who) or W.


i agree with the article that xandros version is great and easier interface for "that novice PC users there, like students and housewives".


anyway if you read the amazon reviews you'll see that the linux version (with better specs) is out-selling the windows version.

people who need windows and are tech savvy just get the linux one and install XP on it (or even dual-boot by removing everything they don't need).

pre-installing linux on these babies was the best idea ever.

vambo
July 9th, 2008, 08:02 PM
Edinburgh. Could have done it at home, too. We have penguins here as well.

That's the Lord Provost :0:0:0

Lostincyberspace
July 9th, 2008, 09:24 PM
So this all brings you to the age old question?

Is Linux reeady for the desktop?

Seeing how it has been going the past couple months with Acer, Asus, and Ati; I think it really is, or elese really close to it. (You can also tell who will support next because it is going in alpabetical order so of this trend continues the next should be Biostar.)

red_Marvin
July 10th, 2008, 12:29 AM
I'd say linux is rftd (this phrase is getting so common an abbreviation could be appropriate no? :)) but not everybody knows it yet.

dizee
July 10th, 2008, 12:52 AM
most people think they need windows but they don't really.

the type that demand photoshop when they pirate it on windows.

if you're an industry professional, you'll need photoshop, and you'll have a legal copy. for what the average joe does, the gimp is more than enough. they just have to give it a chance.

the same applies to other programs too. mark shuttleworth said that an internet browser is the killer app, and he's right. linux can do that fine, as well as general office stuff, so for most people it's ready. the problem is they're not ready for it.

gamers will disagree, but they're also a small specialised segment of the pc userbase.

so yeah, i would pretty much agree with "Linux for housewives. XP for geeks."

LaRoza
July 10th, 2008, 01:04 AM
I'd say linux is rftd (this phrase is getting so common an abbreviation could be appropriate no? :)) but not everybody knows it yet.

When it is preconfigured, like Windows typically is, it is easy for anyone to use (at least, as easy as Windows and OS X).

The average user wouldn't be able to install Windows without complications.

hansdown
July 10th, 2008, 01:05 AM
I haven't usrd microsoft in the last year. Ubuntu has everthing that works for me.

NxZDr
July 10th, 2008, 01:30 AM
When it is preconfigured, like Windows typically is, it is easy for anyone to use (at least, as easy as Windows and OS X).

The average user wouldn't be able to install Windows without complications.

And this is basically everything people fear about Linux, installation and configuration.

P235
July 10th, 2008, 01:31 AM
I thought the article was rather exciting. Can you imagine mobile computing augmented by virtual PC technology for the masses? In the future, people may walk around with these compact netbooks and use them to remotely access a virtual PC rented space which could be based within super computers or quantum super computers. I think the idea is very exciting anyway.

Maybe we won't even need mobile computers. With sufficient infrastructure maybe the people of the future will use shells with wireless internet capability and an LCD monitor.

NxZDr
July 10th, 2008, 01:32 AM
We're approaching Ghost in the Shell, is what you're saying. XD

ShodanjoDM
July 10th, 2008, 01:44 AM
...and all this time I think of myself as a geek... :confused: