Re: [Hampshire] pcworld southampton & linux (pavithra

2009/8/5 Edward Beckmann <ed@???>
> Hi

Hi

[SNIP]

> 1. online stores do not have the costs of employing assistants, keeping
> lights on, having displays, renting shops or car parks. Obviously they
> will be more expensive than online unless they are going to go bust.
> Shops are for people who are willing to pay for advice. parking etc.
> Saying you can buy online cheaper is about as constructive as walking
> into a restaurant and saying the ingredients are cheaper in Tesco's. I
> would be amazed if you really expected to get a netbook for a decent price.

A business can run both a conventional shop and an online store. PC
World is a online retailer too. I think their customers would be
entirely justified
in expecting decent prices from them. However, it pays to be sure so I have
emailed PC World customer services and I am waiting for their reply.

> 2. some shop assistants give poor advice, some give better and this
> depends on their training and motives. If PC World make a markup on
> having a bit of kit with windows on it, they are a bit dumb to try and get
> customers to buy something without windows or to use open source software.
> Although there is a moral debate about shop assistants acting in the
> customer's best interests here, a business goes bust if it consistently advises
> people how to do without it. PC World's job is to make money, not ensure
> best value for people who use computers.

The success of any business depends completely on providing the
best value for its customers. Any business can be aided by monopolistic
and illegal practices but no business will succeed if it is seen as offering
poor value.

[SNIP]

> What's my conclusion? I am certainly no fan but acknowledge that MS is
> not totally stupid to have managed people's knowledge (or lack of it) so
> effectively to date.  They have managed to be seen as the only real option
> for a lot of people's lifetimes! The way us open source fans can help is in
> subtly and gently helping people to become aware of the alternatives, and
> helping them in small steps. We can waste a lot of time and energy by
> pushing against simple business economics of IT suppliers and retailers
> unless we take a moment to consider how they operate.

Saying Microsoft must be a great computer company because they have
sold more software than anyone else is like saying Thomas Kinkade must
be a great artist because he has sold more art than anyone else. Microsoft
have been around since 1975 and they have only been preeminent since 1995.
If they had been split in 2001 following the judgment that labelled them an
"abusive monopoly", I very much doubt they would be enjoying their current
reputation of using their talents to sell bad software and exploit
their customers.

I really can't agree that subtle and gentle promotion is what is needed. I don't
think awareness or availability of open source software are its key
drawbacks. There is no linux shortage, there is no secret free software.

In my brief experience in the IT world, Microsoft products are used because of
compatibility and familiarity. Microsoft have made every effort to reduce the
compatibility and familiarity of open source software using legal and
development strategies. The best way to see a free operating system in a shop
like PC World would be to help free projects to address these concerns.

However, I am reliably informed that it is very boring in PC World and
it is always
nice to have someone to talk to. Plus, what Hugo said.