Submitted by Dell has this “highly sophisticated website” telling us “WHICH OPERATING SYSTEM SHOULD I CHOOSE ?” Ubuntu or Windows? Read the site and understand why it is a “highly sophisticated website”
Dell has this “highly sophisticated website” telling us “WHICH OPERATING SYSTEM SHOULD I CHOOSE ?” Ubuntu or Windows? Read the site and understand why it is a “highly sophisticated website”
Did Microsoft design this ad and Dell agreed to run it? They’re implying that Ubuntu is for programmers only. What bullsh1t.
Okey here is scenario for you. Person goes buy laptop, he/she has never ever used computer so naturally he/she will have some problem, so where is she/he gonna ask help? Normal people will ask friends, co-workers or relatives for help. So how big you think is change that those people know even WTF ubuntu is, near zero.
Atleast Dell is honesty how stuff is, I guess you should be too.
Yup, this basically sums it up. If my parents bought a new computer with Ubuntu installed and asked me for help (as I’m the first person they always go to), I’d be like sorry… I can help you with Windows, but you’re shit outta luck now. I bet they’d probably get the same thing if they called their ISP for tech support, or any number of hardware vendors …
I would definitely discourage them from going the Ubuntu route, unless they know a Linux geek who can provide support for them …
Edited 2010-07-20 21:05 UTC
just no.
people that claiming that “they know windows” are in fact users that have enough gut to click on “next”. if you asking them how to reinstall windows, it will be funny when they face driver problem (if they arrived to this ….)
to these people, it is much simpler to learn ubuntu than windows …..
but try to convinced them that “no, you do know nothing” ….
Just LOL
OK. You made your choice ? Fine.
Now, look at all our laptop models for example and try to find one sold with Ubuntu…
You did not find ? Oh…, try next year, dear…
The crap from the $5 “bargain” software bin at <<insert name of discount store>> won’t install under Linux.
You better believe it.
I was surprised to insert little a CD that came with a bottle of Daiquiri mix and have it work on my Gentoo box.
It ran the autorun.inf or whatever it was with Wine and it came up with a little menu to pick different videos to play. It actually worked.
You will be surprised at the mount of stuff that wine now runs.
And most people should be encouraged to explored the vast amount of software available freely with their distribution, including some of the best educational software I have ever seen (Thanks, kde-edu folks)
+1 Sad But True
Just leave a bad comment in the “Feedback” section, like I did.. they deserve it.
nope, not angry, disappointed
They could have just said…
* You are not new to using a computer.
* You are new to using a computer.
Yeah, Windows is SO totally different than Ubuntu. Its like the difference between driving a car and driving a van. Big deal! They both use the SAME windowing paradigm. If the only reason not to try Linux is because everyone already knows Windows, then this IS the year of the Linux desktop. Ohh, and if they have problems, the could call Dell. They did buy the system from them. Windows fanbois never stop to think.
but they could probably use some better writers? fire hot, water wet. buy computer.
AT least Dell is making some sort of effort at advertising with Ubuntu. maybe when Ubuintu’s Marketshare with OEMs grow, then so will the quality of the Ads. Right now, Ubuntu nor any other Distro has companies subsidizing it. At least under Windoze, you have Symantec, McAfee, Adobe, even Microsoft Subsidizing the Desk/Laptops. That’s what makes the product cheaper for you, and also brings a better profit margin to teh OEM.
So right now, I’m happy with the paltry effort that Dell put towards Ubuntu’s Explanation. Hell At least I don’t have to spend half a day performing an exorcism of trialware and garbage off of my new system.
All I can say is that the website is a complete waste of time on Dell’s part, if you want to recommend Windows than recommend Windows.
It least have some tact and put some better description up about using Ubuntu, why bother to load it and sell it on Dell machines at all.
Choose UBUNTU if:
* You are interested in open source programming
Yeah, because there are no open source software projects for Windows. Sheesh.
You’re mentioning a valid point. Let me put a different emphasize on the part you quoted to elaborate on another view:
* You are interested in open source programming
What? Programming? Wake up, Dell! Hello! It’s not 1992 anymore. Linux isn’t a “developers only” platform. And open source projects are not only about programming, they are primarily about using. The statement could be “You are interested in open source” which would be more according to the truth. But then, how about the implications to the “Windows” side?
* You are interested in closed source programming
* You are interested in proprietary programs
* You are interested in vendor lock-in
Just a few possibilities.
Honestly: Scaring people off Linux by the word “programming” is so idiotic. People interested in open source programming – as you correctly pointed out – can do this on “Windows” also.
Additionally, the differentiational reasons haven’t been choosen very wisely. For example,
* You are familiar with WINDOWS and do not want to learn new programs for email, word processing etc
doesn’t match reality. Those who are able to configure “Windows” version n, will surely have problems configuring version n + 1; the same goes for application programs, like “Word” with its “Ribbon” UI elements. There are many things that are changing in “Windows” environments, so any knowledge you might have is quite static, and you need to learn new things.
Also, the concept of
* You are new to using computers
isn’t understandable. It doesn’t make any difference which system you’re using to learn “computers in general”. In the past, people did use DOS text mode programs to get their work done, and they weren’t magnitudes smarter than today’s users… hm? Additionally, I may say that “Windows” is not a better “beginners system” than Linux per se. I want to add this example (but please interpret it as what it is: one individual opnion among others, usually different ones): My grandmother, having used a typewriter for many years, got a PC for free with Linux. She didn’t have problems finding her way there, mostly by “trial & error” and some quite generic advice. Recently, I changed the underlying OS from Linux to BSD, keeping files and configuration for her KDE account. She didn’t even notice!
The misbelief that “‘Windows’ is easy” comes from the fact that problems with “Windows” are usually delegated to other persons, instead of solving them. Yes, it is that simple. 🙂
Remember kids, Linux is stupid, it is crawling with viruses. You’ll fry your brains out just trying to figure out how to use it, and when it breaks (and it will) you will be harrased and mocked by tech support, and be forced to go to trolling around on the forums where all the open source terrorists are. Anyone can view and change the code – in other words – hackers could code poisonous penguins to spew into your mouth, set your computer on fire, and zap your family and friends, except you will have no friends because you will sprout warts and your eyes will turn red. You will fail out of school and loose your job without Microsoft Word, and be ridiculed by everyone you meet.
-Your Greedy Friend, Microsoft
*this is satire – I am a Linux user and loving it
Don’t forget the communists. We all know that Open source movement is communism!
Use the “Feedback” link on that page (top right) and tell Dell what rubbish they are portraying.
They left out so many positive things of Ubuntu:
* Easy to use (my family members us it without problems)
* Virus free
* No adware!
* Free office suite, OpenOffice, which CAN open MS Office documents.
* No spyware
* Free OS and software program updates
* Free OS (reduces system price because no Microsof Tax)
Also mention the gapping whole in there advertising. Where do I find a Dell system (laptop or desktop) that allows me to choose which OS (Ubuntu in my case) I want pre-installed.
They sure did forget a few things:
* Free kernel and driver updates that barf your machine.
* Cryptic messages that make utterly no sense.
* Sub-part graphic performance, particularly around nVidia graphics.
* Less native gaming choices, certainly rare to see AAA titles.
* No iTunes.
By the way, I’m writing this from Ubuntu 10.04 which after an update to a newer kernel nuked my desktop panels with some moronic error message that made no sense, and wouldn’t connect to the network, so I had to revert to a previous kernel and manually restore my panels to get back to a usable desktop.
I love Linux but it has a ways to go before I can recommend it above Windows for the average punter.
EDIT: I’m downloading openSUSE 11.3 now to give that a go. Fingers crossed it works better.
Edited 2010-07-21 11:26 UTC
First of all, realize that Ubuntu is Linux, but Linux is not Ubuntu! There are about 400 active distros listed at distrowatch.com and Ubuntu is only one of the rather big and bloated distros.
Secondly, how often can one freely update the kernel in Windows? Oh… that’s right — NEVER! It’s a closed, proprietary OS. You can install a very few hand-fed “SP” upgrades, but who knows exactly what they contain. And sometimes those upgrades cost $$$$$!
By the way, there are Linux distros that provide system update “packages” that include newer kernels with the appropriate drivers. There are also “rolling release” distros that can continually keep the system current. How are those Windows (and OSX) rolling release versions going? Oh… that’s right — there are NO rolling release versions of Windows (and OSX)!
You think that Windows and OSX error messages are any better? At least the Linux messages are specific and detailed so one can quickly get help from someone knowledgeable.
The fewer gaming choices is a fault of the game providers, not the OS. Likewise with some graphics manufacturers not providing decent Linux drivers (but Linux developers have done some amazing reverse-engineering).
Edited 2010-07-21 16:52 UTC
Garbage!
Look what they say in that page:
Windows® . Life without Walls. Dell recommends Windows 7.
In a life without walls, who needs windows and gates?
Yeah, because there are no open source software projects for Windows. Sheesh.
Everything of interest in F/OSS is routinely ported to Windows-
while the port of the attractive and desireable closed source/proprietary app to Linux remains rare and grudging.
Even that is a very narrow view of open source and Windows.
Star Office for example was originally released for DOS; then for Mac, Windows, and others; and finally for Linux.
From a marketing background I visited the Dell site and noticed several things immediately:
1. Either my old Lenovo Thinkpad’s screen is going bad, or the Windows graphic is much sharper and nicer than the somewhat blurry Ubuntu graphic.
2. I think the phrasing of the sentence that “Ubuntu is not a Microsoft Windows Operating System” is written to discourage Windows users from chosing Ubuntu on the assumption it is some new variant of Windows (heck, there’s been XP SP3, Vista Home, Home Basic, Professional, Ultimate, Balmer’s Wet Dream Edition, Windows 7 Home Basic Bare Bones, etc., etc.).
3. The choice of what is displayed on the screen is a dead give-away (or at least subconscious): Windows has a system control center. Ubuntu has Potatoe Guy and Nibbles. Read as: “You decide which is a serious operating system.”
4. The bullet points suggest one has to learn entirely new software for all computer functions – as if Firefox doesn’t exist cross-platform.
5. Is this for a netbook or a PC desktop/laptop purchase? The thumbnail for Ubuntu is the Netbook remix, not the more traditional gnome destkop. If this is the screen one sees when selecting an OS for your new Dell (gonna die in a year) laptop, then Linux looks all the weirder.