On Mon, 2009-04-06 at 14:35 +0100, mick wrote:
Yep. Apparently there are large numbers being returned by buyers who thought they were getting MS compatible software. When they discover that Linpus is not quite what they wanted, they ask for their money back.
Sadly if these stats are to be trusted that does seem to be the case
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/06/windows_crushes_linux_on_netbooks/
I struggle to think what MS software people need netbooks to be compatible with and think this is more a scared by the unfamiliarity thing. You aren't going to convince me that people purchase an office licence that even in it's most basic form would cost as much as the netbook itself.
So this is either "support for the pirated software I have","It's free so it can't be as good" or "whaa it looks different..I want windows"
I am not sure how OSS can fight these attitudes or even if it needs to.
Either that or there is some crucial functionality that is missing or it's not obvious that it is available. Linpus on the Asipre doesn't work out of the box with 3G modem dongles which I always thought was a shame. Or perhaps the OSS apps to get on things like Messenger etc are not obvious enough.