Walmart VS. Microsoft?

[APFelon]

Interesting story on how Wal-Mart is going to start offering OS- free computers. No Microsoft products installed at all.

However, I can only imagine the tech support calls from the compudolts who only want to use it for E-Mail and Deer Hunter all-night marathons.

http://news.com.com/2100-1017-842375.html

[Drake1009]

Well they were saying that they were aiming at the more tech savvy people so it's a good move. I just hope that they do let people know which computers are without and which are with.

[jmmijo]

Originally posted by APFelon
However, I can only imagine the tech support calls from the compudolts who only want to use it for E-Mail and Deer Hunter all-night marathons.

Yep this is most likely going to happen right away. Now as far as the Beer Hunter and Inbred Jed's out there, well there is no cure for that:laughing

[Twistin'Ghost]

I see this as a good thing. Even though they're terrible for the economy in the long haul, Wal-Mart saves me bucket loads of money by shopping there. I see some great deals on PC's there, even with the usual crap installed. Same thing with peripherals. If I could get a stripped-down machine that doesn't have XP or ME or some other hideous deformity on there (and save money because of it), then I may very likely use that route to buy a fast-processor box (and then install something like 98SE or even an alternate OS).

[APFelon]

True, TG. This can be seen as WalMart flipping Microsoft the bird, really. But the big question is whether or not hyper-compuliterate people will turn to a large chain store to buy bare-bones computers and upgrades.

Personally, I HATE WalMart. I don't like going in there to buy anything. I find them crowded and dirty. It is difficult to navigate a shopping cart through the aisles without knocking merchandise off the shelves and bumping into irritable shoppers.

I like Sam's Club, though. :D

Well, this new turn of events will be interesting, to say the least. The world's largest company VS the world's second largest.

Ding, ding, ding, lets get it on!

[CodyJarrett]

Yes, I find it shocking that Twistin' shops at Walmart, a company which leaves a trail of destruction behind it in every town, putting smaller shops out of business, paying minimum wage to its employees and treating customers as thieves before they've even entered the shops!

The Microsoft of supermarkets and Twistin' is their number one customer! Sheesh! ;)

[APFelon]

Originally posted by CodyJarrett
Yes, I find it shocking that Twistin' shops at Walmart, a company which leaves a trail of destruction behind it in every town, putting smaller shops out of business, paying minimum wage to its employees and treating customers as thieves before they've even entered the shops!



I certainly have witnessed this first hand. When they moved a Wal-Mart into my town, it left a swath of destruction. They drug that large building across farmland, had to level homes, and kicked a few puppies as the building scraped down the county road. The mayor asked, "What is to be done with this trail of destruction? We now have homes to rebuild, roads to reconstruct, and puppies to unkick. Oh, and the fields have been ruined so we will starve to death."

But no one really cared, because we had a Wal-Mart. No one noticed when the Wal-Mart goons showed up on our city streets who ran shakedown rackets against the small business owners. Now all the other shops are either boarded up, or have turned into porn shops or soup kitchens. I miss Mr. Wilson who ran the corner carpet remnant shop. He had a gumball machine out front and played "Greasy the Clown" in the parades we used to have here (Until Wal-Mart drug their big ol' building down the main street and ruined it).

But we have Wal-Mart. They pay us minimum wage and pat us down as we enter and leave the building. If you ever visit my small town and want to find the local Wal-Mart, look for the trail of destruction. At the end of it, prices are falling every day. Just think of it as a terrible, trenchlike rainbow.

/end hyperbole

;)

[Djay]

if you are fairly technical, you would build your own PC not buy an "Off the peg" PC. Most people who could install an OS, could build a computer.

And, didn't Walmart takeover as the Richest company on the planet from Micro$oft, or was that someone else, i would imagine the ethos is probably the same thou!

[jmmijo]

Originally posted by Djay
if you are fairly technical, you would build your own PC not buy an "Off the peg" PC. Most people who could install an OS, could build a computer.

Yes my sentiments exactly, I prefer to build my own box. The thing is I can pick out exactly what I want and not what some large OEM thinks I want.

I also have an advantage too, I deal with a local wholesaler so I can save even more money of the parts :laughing

[Drake1009]

While I could install an OS I'm not sure I could put together a computer myself. I'm all thumbs and software's more my thing. I'm just happy I have my brother, I pick out and buy the parts and he puts them together.

[Djay]

believe me, building PCs are a piece of cake...

as long as you do a bit of research, i.e. make sure you buy the right mainboard for the processor, the right memory for the mainboard, the rest of it you are pretty safe with.

auto detect ide devices in the bios, then fdisk the hd, format and install your (and the worlds) favourite OS.

you can really go wrong, because every bit fits in where its suppose to. (make sure you read the mainboard manual)

you'll probably find that it goes wrong, one or some of the parts are faulty.

infact the most time consuming part is installing windows!

i built my first PC in less than half an hour!!!

[jmmijo]

Originally posted by Drake1009
While I could install an OS I'm not sure I could put together a computer myself. I'm all thumbs and software's more my thing. I'm just happy I have my brother, I pick out and buy the parts and he puts them together.

Thats what my bro does to me as well ;)

Of course I have others asking me to build them a box as well and I love it. I make a little money and keep my skillz up to date.

[Twistin'Ghost]

So much to respond to, no desire to do quotes.

I buy at Wal-Mart because I have to meet a budget. Their low prices allow me to do this. I can't see this parallel between Microsoft and Wal-Mart completely. While they are both monolithic money machines, that's where the similarities end. K-Mart and Target also pay minimum wage. But even if they didn't, you would expect Wal-Mart to since their prices are lower and they are expected to trim the fat at every corner. It's just business sense. Nobody forces people to work there for minimum wage, anymore than they do at McDonalds (another huge corporation - only one that fails to deliver a reasonable product for the price). I still shop at their competitors when they have loss-leaders in their sales papers. Shopping there is not a religion for me, it just saves me money.

The Wal-Mart in my town is the biggest in the entire state. And probably the newest, as well. It is very clean and very spacious. And they are open 24/7, which none of their competition is. Sometimes I have the need to go buy a Soundblaster card at 4:00am and at Wal-Mart, I can do this. I find this more productive shopping than, say, buying a copy of M$ Office 2000.

I ran a mom & pop video store in the early 80's. We thrived for years until the format became huge and video store chains like Blockbuster and their ilk came to town. We had to pack our bags, as well. It happens. It's business. Survival of the fittest. Life sucks sometimes.

[Djay]

@twistin

the issue isn't whether Wal-Mart is cheap or such like...

...the issue is that you shouldn't sell a computer without an OS, (see my above comments)

IHMO!

[Drake1009]

It's my impression that they're going to make the OS opt in/out. Thus the people who'd rather install their own OS gets to get a computer without having to pay for a windows license they could throw out the window.

I don't read it as them leaving users who can't install an OS to figure out themselves.

[Djay]

having work "Customer Services" in the computer industry, i remember many cases of people trying to save a buck, but have no clue as to what they are buying.

selling a computer without an OS is like selling a car with no petrol (Gas)

the car works great, looks great, but i won't go anywhere!

build a computer and then install your OS, you'll save money and you'll know a bit about your computer

[Drake1009]

Just another stupid comment (Inrightiously bashing MS again), but where would a PC be going with a MS OS compared to not having an OS?

(Sorry about the lame comment, Windows does run though not optimally)

[Djay]

did i mention Windows, No i said OS!

[Djay]

more over,

to be honest, i couldn't care less if you wanna buy a pc with or without an OS, i'm just saying that i think (IMHO) that if you have to install an OS yourself, you could probably build the PC in the first place (it's NOT difficult).

@Drake, I'm not trying to start an arguement with you, so no getting nasty with yor comments, OK:)

[Twistin'Ghost]

Originally posted by Djay
@twistin

the issue isn't whether Wal-Mart is cheap or such like...

...the issue is that you shouldn't sell a computer without an OS, (see my above comments)

IHMO!
I am aware of that. But I was responding to different messages. The actual subject of the thread is not about your above comments. So my response was referring to Cody and APFelon's comments, which were indeed about my using Wal-Mart and everything else that I explained.

[APFelon]

Originally posted by Twistin'Ghost

So my response was referring to Cody and APFelon's comments, which were indeed about my using Wal-Mart and everything else that I explained.

Oh, Twist...

I thought you'd recognize my response as a satiric play on Cody's post.

:/

I mean, really. No one actually drags a building, leveling homes and destroying farmland to reach its destination.

[Twistin'Ghost]

Oh, I did...I just got caught up in the moment when he made a parallel with myself and Microsoft in the same breath. And I used you in the above example because I needed to illustrate how this thread has many branches and not one static theme. I always catch your humor, it's just that the zealot in me took over in this thread. :cheese

But for the record, dragging a river can cause the effect you speak of.

[CodyJarrett]

I'm sorry Twistin'! :crying