On Jan 9, 10:40 am, Roy Schestowitz <newsgro...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> Alternative Operating Systems - Part One
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | Since companies are no longer making software for the older versions of
> | Windows. Linux, with one of the lighter window managers, would be a perfect
> | alternative.
> `----
> http://sun-weekend.com/paper/?asw=view&asw=view&sun=38093308610108200...
Microsoft bet the farm on Vista, and did everything they could to use
Vista to drive Linux off the desktop completely. Unfortunately, this
strategy may have backfired.
Even Linux users found that the XP license had benefits. By
purchasing a PC with an OEM XP license, Linux users could use Linux to
access the desktop interface of other XP systems and Windows 2003
servers. They could call the Windows XP libraries from the WINE
library, and they could use XP as a virtual client. All of this was
legal with any version of Windows XP, and most of the PCs displayed on
retailer shelves were being sold with XP professional.
With Vista, Linux users are not allowed to use Linux to access remote
Vista PC desktops. They are not allowed to call Vista libraries from
Linux. With Vista Home edition (Basic or Premium), they are not
allowed to run Vista as a virtual client. To make matters worse, the
version of Vista shown on retail shelves is Vista Home Premium.
The net result is that once Microsoft "pulls the plug" on Windows XP,
anyone who was "on the fence" about using Linux could be pushed to the
Linux side of the fence. If Microsoft stops letting OEMs "downgrade"
Vista Business licenses to Windows XP licenses (with XP terms), those
who have been ordering XP machines that could easily be converted to
Linux, could stop ordering the machines with Vista. If the OEMs don't
start offering Linux on their retail desktop machines, there could be
a shift to VARs who purchase popular OEM machines in bulk, convert
them to Linux, and sell them as PCs. Worse, it could add more
stimulus to the "White Box" market.
Microsoft got a big boost starting in December, selling machines that
were "Vista Ready" and allowing PC buyers to upgrade at very
reasonable costs or even free, if they purchased one of these PCs.
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