[ILUG] Opportunity for Linux?

[John P . Looney]

On Tue, Jan 23, 2001 at 12:32:08AM +0000, Niall O Broin mentioned:
> There's very little doubt that Micro$oft would like to be able to do this.
> But considering that the answer from Micro$oft tech. support (military
> intelligence, anyone ?) to just about any non-trivial problem is
> "Re-install Windows" they'd really be shooting themselves in the foot.

 Sun do it - all software is licensed to the "hostid", which is a PIII
"cpuid" like thing, in the PROM. And few people know that you can change
it ;)

 You get a new machine, a new motherboard, a new PROM - and you have to go
to the various vendors of the licensed software you own, and get new
license keys & do it all again. Great fun.

 Theorectically, the EULA does state that the license is for one
processor, one user. If you buy a home machine, it's only to be used by
the owner - the rest of the family are legally pirates.

 Do you think Colleges pay a per-machine license for MSOffice ? They pay
for one license per student, with a bulk discount.

> > If this is true and goes ahead, would it be the ideal opportunity for Linux 
> > to make serious inroads onto the desktop of the average PC?
> I doubt it really. The average person doesn't drive a performance car / ride
> a performance bike / ski on racing skis. Why would you expect the average
> person to use an above-average OS ?

 People are sheep. They'll use whatever their next door neighbour does.
Always have, always will. It's the only reason stone axes caught on.

Kate

-- 
 When I say 'free', I mean 'free': free from bond, of chain or command: 
to go where you will, even to Mordor, Saruman, if you desire. " 
    -- Gandalf, paraphrasing the choice between Free and Non-free software