WallyWorld/Microtel/Mandrake - M$ KILLER!

Discussion in 'ten-forward' started by spy1, Jul 29, 2002.

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  1. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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  2. Technodrome

    Technodrome Security Expert

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    Lets face it! What can you get for $389... What kind of PC costs less then $400 ?

    What you are going to get is "okey" Software and more or less Junkie Hardware.

    I also love when they say " enjoy a stable, secure and virus-free computing experience"... Yeah rite ! M$ reminder....


    Technodrome
     
  3. snowy

    snowy Guest

    Techno certainly made valid points...heck I've payed more for a business suit......before I grew-up an went to bluejeans....

    however..its not un-common..for marketing purposes...to introduce a new product at a low price just to build a customer base....the company knowingly takes a financial lost on the product for a limit time or a limited number of products........not saying thats the case here......maybe just "wishing" LOL

    snowman
     
  4. Prince_Serendip

    Prince_Serendip Registered Member

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    Hi snowman, spy1! Remember Snowy? A couple months ago I told you there was a glut on the market of low-end PC's? Well, here they are! Yes, I have worked in retail sales (past job). This is called a "Loss Leader." It's a common ploy to put something up as Snowy said below cost to get more customers into the store. Then, of course, you try to upsell them. However, I'm glad this is happening because I know people who would really like to get on the Net but they have low income. They cannot afford the PC's we use. It would open their horizons. That would be good. A lot of these people are shut-ins or disabled. (I volunteer.) :)
     
  5. snowy

    snowy Guest

    LOL it may be interesting to hear a WM employee explaining a Linux type os......

    snowman
     
  6. Prince_Serendip

    Prince_Serendip Registered Member

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    Yeah, with only 3 days of training. WOW!
     
  7. root

    root Registered Member

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    Hey guys, you know what? It's a start. :D

    You know the old saying about the two happiest days in a mans life are. The first is the day he gets married, and the second is the day he gets his divorce.
    Well, the next happiest day for me is the day I can tell M$ where to put it. ;)
     
  8. snowy

    snowy Guest

    Root

    An I second that emotion!!
     
  9. Detox

    Detox Retired Moderator

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    Yup, this is a start fueled by whoever was smart enough to watch everyone who is mad at M$ crying for a replacement... Here it is, in its first form. I see nothing but good coming from this, even though it might take a while. Heck, how many people who DO have nice computers might go buy one of these just to try 'em out? get enough of these things out there (first computer for the young ones, send off to college with a cheap but operational machine.. etc) and how long will it take before all the software vendors start making more linux-compatible stuff?
     
  10. controler

    controler Guest

    Yes indeed , all those happy WM customers will have to go someplace for support, when the junk falls apart . They might as well come to Wilders where their is plenty of friendly faces, ready to help LOL
    How mucg are we going to charge ?
     
  11. Paul Wilders

    Paul Wilders Administrator

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    charging someone is not in our dictionary :cool:

    regards.

    paul
     
  12. This forum was linked from another. You guys are all wrong about the deal from walmart. It's not junk. from the walmart.com website, here is what you get

    28 MB memory
    40 GB hard drive
    CD-ROM drive
    Ethernet connection
    56 Kbps modem
    Mandrake 8.2 Linux OS
    Monitor not included

    The reason it is cheap is there is no expensive Windows XP operating system, no licensing deals with loads of programs you don't want. Look above again. What does a case and power supply cost, now add the above. They can actually MAKE money off of these. We are using 3 of them for testing purposes. Here are the specs on one of them. It has a Samsung hard drive that gets good reviews, a basic motherboard from Shuttle, but again, Toms's Hardware.com says it's the best board Shuttle has ever made. It has Kingston memory, Panasonic CD-Rom, generic 56k modem, here's a surprise.. a 3com NIC, and with Mandrake 8.2 that's it! Add that up. Look at it. WHY spend more? If you want more, it's expandable. It is hardly junk. It just doesn't have all the unneeded M$OFT, HP, Compaq extras that you never use but is all part of the nig manufacturers price! This is a BIG start. I agree with the gent/lady called ROOT. Price the above and you'll see this is hardly a loss leader. walmart has accepted the fight against M$oft. Go to www.walmart.com and see the same boxes loaded with LINDOWS! Yup! LIN-DOWS!! We have one of those and have been blown away. It's even a beta version on the walmart box (with a free upgrade when it's ready) www.lindows.com
     
  13. Sorry. I forgot to tell you, our boxes came with a AMB Duron 900mhz processor. No slouchy processor for Mandrake and cheap for Microtel (walmart)! These are just simply nice little boxes without the crap.
    I wonder what M$oft thinks about the world's largest retailer carrying these? :)
     
  14. Technodrome

    Technodrome Security Expert

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    Well you can get emachines for about 400$ with the same quality hardware and with XP installed on it.

    Plus I don't like idea about subscription!


    Technodrome
     
  15. Prince_Serendip

    Prince_Serendip Registered Member

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    It seems we were mistaken, jumping to conclusions without checking the facts! Thank you Technodrome. I was wondering about getting another system, preferably Linux, and you've solved the problem for me. Far be it for me to be one of those who criticizes something, then goes right out and buys it. All that for $400! That's 25% of the cost of my current computer. (Now I have the feeling that I was ripped-off!) Get thee hence and go to WalMart! That price doesn't include the monitor, right? Just the tower? I guess I'll wander down to WalMart and find out. ;)
     
  16. Checkout

    Checkout Security Rhinoceros

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    Bear in mind, folks, the biggest rip-off of them all - no matter what the current exchange rate is, $1 = £1 when it comes to computer hardware, software or books. I suspect the Euro fares no better.
     
  17. root

    root Registered Member

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    Martin, thanks very much for that enlightening little bit of news. I am seriously considering buying a Linux machine, as I have had nothing but disaster when trying to install my own. Its my fault for not understanding anything about Linux and being too lazy to study.
    I may try a Lindows install, just to see what happens.
    I wouldn't have an emachine with XP on it if they paid me $400. I will not have M$ continue taking away my choices.
    Look at what you get if you go from 2K to XP. You get M$s version of a wimpy firewall, which cannot be uninstalled,you get M$s CD burner, you get M$s music player, email client, and on and on. With every update now, you get a EULA that says you give M$ full administrative priveleges on your machine.
    WHY should I have to install all that stuff, only to have to try and uninstall it later, in order to install better third party products.
    Why is Bill Gates so afraid to leave any choices up to us? Are you happy about renting your programs from M$ over a network connection? Thats what Daddy Bill wants.
     
  18. Technodrome

    Technodrome Security Expert

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    1. Nobody took anything from you or anybody. Linux exists since 1991, MAC was available. YOU HAD A CHOICE!
    2." You get M$s version of a wimpy firewall," YOU HAVE A CHOICE NOT TO USE IT! (No reason to uninstall it)
    3."you get M$s music player" DON'T LIKE IT DONT USE IT.
    4."email client, and on and on" YOU HAVE A CHOICE!
    5. "With every update now, you get a EULA that says you give M$ full administrative priveleges on your machine". YOU SHOULD INTERPRET THIS IN BETTER WAY!
    6. "WHY should I have to install all that stuff, " wHO'S FORCING YOU? YOU HAVE A CHOICE!
    7."Why is Bill Gates so afraid to leave any choices up to us? MAN, HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TO SAY YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Read no.1
    8.Are you happy about renting your programs from M$ over a network connection? THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU GOING TO DO WITH LINODWS! YOU'LL PAY $99 A YEAR TO RENT SOFTWARE OVER A NETWORK CONNETCION!



    Technodrome
     
  19. root

    root Registered Member

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    Hey Techi, you don't have to shout. I can hear you. :)
    Evidently, your idea of having a choice and mine are different.
    Is it so difficult to understand that some people do not like the 600 lb gurilla tactics that M$ uses. Up until recently, what kind of choice did people have as far as a primary OS was concerned? 99% of all programs available have been for a Windows platform. Ever since M$ decided they didn't like having a competing browser around, they have systematically tried to make it more difficult to use third party programs, when they offered an alternative.
    M$ could have offered options to install on not install features that were not necessary for an operating system. What would that have harmed?
    Believe what you want, its no skin off my butt. I do not like M$s business practices and never will.
     
  20. Technodrome

    Technodrome Security Expert

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    Sorry, I am sure you can hear me! ;)

    Don't blame Microsoft for this, blame program's authors! Why Blame Microsoft...


    Technodrome
     
  21. Paul Wilders

    Paul Wilders Administrator

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    Gents,

    As ever, it's Ok to agree to disagree ;)

    regards.

    paul
     
  22. the Tester

    the Tester Registered Member

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    Am I reading this correctly?Wal-Mart is selling a system that isn't from Microsoft?WOW!!!! I never thought that would happen!I have a cheaper h/p pavillion that I purchased from Wal-Mart this past feb.Bear in mind this is my first computer.It has xp home edition on it.While I am no Microsoft fan,I do have a functioning pc and I can get on the net.While I have had my problems with this pc,the troubles I have had will hopefully make me smarter.LOL But I think it is great that a huge chain like Wal- Mart is offering an alternative.
     
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