gpg: failed to create temporary file '/var/lib/lurker/.#lk0x577c0100.hantslug.org.uk.15995': Permission denied
gpg: keyblock resource '/var/lib/lurker/pubring.gpg': Permission denied
gpg: Signature made Wed Aug 5 14:56:40 2009 BST
gpg: using DSA key 20ACB3BE515C238D
gpg: Can't check signature: No public key
On Wed, Aug 05, 2009 at 02:04:02PM +0100, pavithran wrote:
> 2009/8/5 Edward Beckmann <ed@???>:
> > 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 whole point is even if people are buying netbooks and installing
> ubuntu remix vendors like Asus and shops like PCworld disregard linux
> and do Bad PR on linux which is actually hurting those newbies who
> might be interested :(
That's because the over-the-counter sales of netbooks have
reportedly been extremely poor for shops. Either they're mis-selling
the equipment, or purchasers are making unwarranted assumptions about
what they're getting. Either way, they're reporting very high
return/refund rates for Linux-based netbooks. Equally anecdotally, the
return rates on mail-order Linux-based netbooks are much, much lower.
What it means for PC World is that given their current set-up, it's
not worth their while trying to sell Linux-based machines, because
they know that they'll get a high proportion of returns (which
ultimately costs them money). It's a debatable point whether the cause
for the returns is:
- Poor salesmanship
- Poor knowledge of the equipment by the sales staff
- Lack of understanding of the implications of buying a Linux
machine, onthe part of the purchasers
- Linux being unusable
- Linux being sufficiently different from the expected Windows that
people don't want to use it
- Any other reason
Some of the above problems are fixable by PC World. Some are not.
Is it going to be economically worth it for PC World to try to fix the
problems above in the light of the risks involved? I would guess not:
the substantial cost of a complete training programme for staff so
that they can tell their customers what Linux is and what it can do,
vs the chance that they might get fewer returns of a small (and
probably narrow-margin) proportion of their business. Doesn't sound
good to me...
Hugo.
--
=== Hugo Mills: hugo@... carfax.org.uk | darksatanic.net | lug.org.uk ===
PGP key: 515C238D from wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net or http://www.carfax.org.uk
--- "There's a Martian war machine outside -- they want to talk ---
to you about a cure for the common cold."
