[conspire] No more GNU HP Minis

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Ruben Safir (ruben at mrbrklyn.com):

> I want computers with GNU/Linux preloaded everywhere.... 

Which effectively means you want Broadcom and Nvidia crap chipsets, 
and people obliged to throw away their computers and replace them,
because they cannot reinstall the OS.  Sorry, I've seen your preferred
future, and it sucks.

> You don't REALLY believe that  people will purchase computers without
> operating systems?

Why _without_ operating systems?  I see no reason the manufacturer or
retailer might not throw a couple into the box with the computer.  

Actually, what would be really cool would be if a pervasive standard for
ordinary people plugging in storage media from the outside of the box
were to catch on.  That would make modular no-installation-required 
Linux more feasible, as with Clay Claiborne's old "Linux in a box"
product he used to sell (a Linux distro on a hard drive), except easier.

Anyway, one more-reasonable setup would involve the customer just
wheeling his/her new purchase over to a kiosk, plug in the machine and
its network cable, boot it up, and select which OS to network-load.
(This could certainly include proprietary OSes.)


> Rick - Nothing is more important than having an OS on the computer you  
> buy from Walmart...

Repetition doesn't do much for your assertion -- though I've seen you
wear some folks down with it.  ;->


> But that has nothing to do with  what it will take to get the majority
> of the public to switch to GNU.   And that is my goal. 

Well, for whatever it's worth, I actually don't _share_ your goal.  Not
a bit of it. 

It doesn't make me one cent richer or poorer when J. Random User chooses
one OS over another, and my preferred OSes have healthy communities, so 
other people can live off the canned Spam of software if they want, and
leave the confit de canard for me.


> I don't want the GNU OS's to be an exclusive  status symbol for the a  
> certain class of people.

And it isn't.  Joining our community is dirt-simple, and we've the most
comprehensive set of information and welcoming, active presence on the
Internet of any software community that's ever existed.

Try to pull the elitism card, and I'll just laugh and point.


> Couldn't disagree more.

And you're welcome to your view.  I sure don't want it.


> BTW - I'd like to make a trip out there in the near future.  Could  
> anyone put up with me for a few days?

I'm sorry to report that our place is too jammed at the moment, but
maybe someone will offer.