12.14.08
Gemini version available ♊︎Microsoft is Insulting Our Intelligence, But Dell Collaborates with Microsoft
DELL is still lying to its customers. We covered this before, but nothing has changed since then. Those who are interested in a GNU/Linux computer will be greeted with a message from Dell that urges against it.
The bottom half was dedicated to the Ubuntu version. Shown in a smaller, less eye catching ad than usual. What really caught my eye was some larger text (14 pt.) in the upper right-hand corner of the Ubuntu section. It said:
“Dell recommends Windows Vista Home Premium.”
Real smooth, Dell. Once again, Dell shows it’s weak side when advertising another product, with another form of software installed other than Microsoft Windows. It’s strange really. Both models were described as “new” in the advertisement, but the Ubuntu version gets treated like a second-class citizen. I am glad that Dell is selling Ubuntu machines, but sometimes the whole “we recommend this…” line gets a little old, especially when plastered not in the appropriate section, but in the section advertising an Ubuntu product.
Dell does not recommend Windows Vista Home Premium. In fact, Dell complained about Windows Vista in general for being an utter failure. Rob Enderle, a Microsoft mouthpiece, talked about Dell in a series of E-mails, only to be impeded by an NDA.
As we showed before, using solid proof, “Dell recommends Windows Vista Home Premium” is a Microsoft advertisement. Dell knows this is a lie, yet it plasters this lie right next to GNU/Linux products. Maybe it gets paid even more by Microsoft for doing this. The truth is always a secret, so it leaves room for illegal maneuvering.
“The truth is always a secret, so it leaves room for illegal maneuvering.”In other news, Microsoft is not willing to permit rational acceptance of GNU/Linux in Australian education. It’s fighting against it using old techniques that we call B.A.D. [1, 2] (or predatory pricing), with insufficient evidence of kickbacks [1, 2].
Microsoft is allegedly dumping $0 Windows to get children addicted to Windows and educators seem unable to understand this. As Ken Starks said to ‘Microsoft guards’ in education, “You’ve been trained well.” They are being trained and influenced by Microsoft, as we showed on numerous occasions over the past month [1, 2]. It’s a classic technique, much like the tobacco industry’s, which is trying to capture customers while they are young. At the early stages, cost is almost irrelevant. █
“They’ll get sort of addicted, and then we’ll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade.”
Diamond Wakizashi said,
December 14, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Dell is Microsoft’s bitch?
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:19 pm
No way.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 14, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Update:
More encouragement from Microsoft to ‘educators’ (trainers).
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Named Education Partner of the Year by Microsoft
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt-Named-Education/story.aspx?guid=%7BCD1C80BC-AF7C-4E0E-8A37-62AEA21635B1%7D
Diamond Wakizashi said,
December 14, 2008 at 4:06 pm
People should avoid the Microsoft puppet companies like HP and Dell. Buy computers from companies that TRULY support Linux.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 14, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Following Dell’s most recent support of Microsoft search (Live), which they’ll preinstall, I can warmly recommend Linux-only shops. Var Guy (Joe P) wrote about a couple of them yesterday:
Diamond Wakizashi said,
December 14, 2008 at 4:30 pm
It’s nice that people can FINALLY buy a computer with a quality OS.