Author: Frank Phillips
Date: 11:29:41 08/11/04
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On August 11, 2004 at 13:48:21, Eugene Nalimov wrote: >On August 11, 2004 at 12:15:28, Frank Phillips wrote: > >>[...] >> >>Windows here is the order of 100 ukpounds to buy OEM. > >That's price for individual customers. Large PC manufacturers pay much lower >price to Microsoft, exactly like milk store pays to the milk factory much less >than you are paying for the bottle of milk. Article in WSJ estimates Microsoft >sells Windows to OEMs for ~$45 per copy in the USA. I've heard even lower >numbers. > >As I wrote in my previous post (and gave some links), PC manufacturers are free >to sell PCs with any other OS. Some manufacturers are doing this for some >models, at least in the USA. > >I suspect your manufacturer refused to sell you PC in "non-standard" >configuration for 2 reasons: >(a) Profit -- money they are making on Windows are probably the only money they >are making on the PC, or at least major part of it. >(b) Support cost -- it's more costly to support different OSes than a single >one. Example: Windows (not even device driver!) include workaround for defect in >some external device; PC maker found that defect after it sold ~5mln such >devices (sorry, I cannot provide more details). I am not sure Linux includes >such workaround. Or do you remember recent cases when Linux damaged some CD >drives? To avoid such incidents all hardware should pass OS compatibility tests, >and it costs 2x more to test for 2 different OSes than for single one. > >Similar case: Honda Motor Co. will sell you cars only with very limited choice >of audio equipment, and I believe you cannot buy the car without *some* audio >equipment installed. At the same time you can go to the any store that sells car >audio and can choose from tens of different audio radios, CD players, etc... Is >it the fault of the manufacturer of the pre-installed audio equipment? No, Honda >just made decision (based on the market estimates) so it will maximize its >profit. > >Thanks, >Eugene Fair points. Luckily I can still buy a different car with a different radio, for example. Or indeed a different car because I want a different radio. I did not know about Windows covering up faulty hardware - so computer suppliers can make money out of selling shoddy goods. Yes, M9.2 (at least) emptied LG CD ROM bioses. Not sure if this was entirely the fault of the software. IIRC, I think the CD responded in an atypical, if not wrong, manner to a software probe. Nice image of shops selling (broken) hardware as a way of making money out of the 'free' installed software......but does this not illustrate that MS are subsidising computer sellers in order to maintain their strangle-hold on the market ;-) Co-bundling is illegal of course, in some countries. Frank
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