Windows tax (Re: [ltp] T40 / Pentium M and Linux)

[Atul Chitnis]

On Sat, 29 Mar 2003, Steve Barr wrote:

> At least meet IBM halfway and *try* to order. :-)

Tried that several times. The "DOS Entitlement Certificate" option is
available only for corporate bulk purchases in situations where corporates
have a large number of available of licenses already, and follow the
custom-install path as a matter of policy (in which case pre-installed OSs
just get in the way). And since at bulk purchases levels, you can specify
pretty much anything you want with any vendor, this option is fairly
meaningless in this context.

The real impact of the compulsory Windows purchase isn't really price 
(though it is often understood that way) - it is the fact that once the 
manufacturer (in this case IBM) sells you a machine with windows 
pre-installed, they do not have to build up a formal support structure for 
any other OS (hey, including OS/2!). So this is more a matter of the 
manufacturer's own convenience. Isn't this what you were stressing 
earlier?

However, it *is* wrong. By doing so, the manufacturer is actually trapping 
their customers in a situation that is not beneficial to the customer in 
any way - by setting up a situation in which the manufacturer does not 
*have* to support the customer in a situation relevant to the customer's 
needs. I.e. - it is almost as if the manufacturer is trying to dictate the 
customer's IT policies, and not the other way round.

That is a situation that really cannot last very long. It is what IBM 
tried in the early 80's, and Compaq firmly killed that stand by providing 
alternatives to IBM. In real terms, the "Linux era" in the corporate 
perspective is very young (only a couple of years) but it will become more 
important over the next year (or less) - at that time, where does a 
company like IBM want to be? In a situation where they are seen to be 
dictators of useless IT policies, or as a viable contender for the "king 
of the market" crown (which they lost to Compaq, and then to Dell, in the 
PC market)?

As I said - I have actually tried, and things would have actually been 
more favourable for me given my location and IBM's heavy Linux focus - but 
even that didn't help me in acquiring a Linux (or OS-free) TP. 

I paid the MS tax because I wanted a Thinkpad because it is by far the
most Linux-compatible notebook around, and because I actually trust IBM's
Linux-savvy service and support people.

What bitter irony!

Atul

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Atul Chitnis       | achitnis@exocore.com
Exocore Consulting | http://www.exocore.com
Bangalore, India   | +91 (80) 344-0397
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