[ltp] Re: Lenovo to shun Linux

[David A. Desrosiers]

On Tue, 2006-06-06 at 11:04 -0400, Andrew Barr wrote:
> Yes, because there is a market for no-OS computers, whether the
> end-user wants 
> to install pirated Windows or Linux or something else.  

My point was that providing a licensed copy of an OS on a "new" computer
(a term which is probably going to be questionable) will soon be wiped
to make way for the pirated version of some other OS in its place, along
with the pirated applications sitting on top of that OS. 

There was a study done (and I can't find the link at the moment) where
estimates of >40% of all Microsoft Windows copies running on PCs
(personal and corporate), were illegal/pirated copies. 

Why don't they care? Because if people learn to use Windows, they'll
learn that they need applications on it. This means they can either buy
them or pirate those too. 

More people using Windows (in their minds) is a good thing, because it
increases the Microsoft mindshare around their computing environment.
They'll go to training for MS products, conferences, talk their friends
into buying a Microsoft app, upgrade their computer hardware or OS to
the "next" version, and so on. 

Restricting purchases to computers sold with a "legal" OS on it doesn't
cut down on piracy at all, not a single bit.