Stop Microsoft

All Things Microsoft => Microsoft as a Company => Topic started by: raptor on 29 January 2003, 05:08

Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: raptor on 29 January 2003, 05:08: quote:
By David Becker
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
January 28, 2003, 2:02 PM PT

Linux software maker Lindows took another crack at Microsoft on Tuesday with a package intended to mimic the software giant's Windows XP Media Center.

Idot, a small PC maker specializing in direct online sales, will sell a Lindows Media Computer model that incorporates some home entertainment functions such as DVD and digital music playback. The company plans to begin selling the PCs early next month, with prices starting at $330 without a monitor.

The goal is to offer a low-cost PC that can take the place of several home entertainment appliances, Lindows CEO Michael Robertson said in a statement. "For under $350 retail, consumers can have a DVD player, CD player and personal computer in every room of the house or office," he said.

The media PCs appear to be a scaled-back response to Microsoft's heavily touted Windows XP Media Center, a version of the operating system that focuses on digital entertainment functions. The Lindows PCs lack several basic functions found in the Windows version, such as the ability to record TV programs and a remote control.

The Idot PCs are based on budget processors from Via Technologies and are similar to low-cost Lindows PCs sold by Wal-Mart, with the addition of a DVD drive and accompanying software. Lindows uses software maker Elegent's etDVD program to enable DVD playback.

Linux has had a contentious history with DVDs. The lawsuit-plagued DeCSS software, which government and movie-industry figures have attacked as a tool for illegally copying DVDs, originally was created as a way for Linux users to be able to play DVDs on their PCs.

Robertson, founder of MP3.com, started Lindows two years ago with the aim of offering a simplified, consumer-oriented version of the open-source Linux operating system. The company was promptly sued by Microsoft for allegedly misappropriating the Windows trademark.

This will be fun to monitor, it might be a bad decision for lindows OS.

Speaking of Lindows OS (Wal-mart sells computers pre-packaged with this OS (http://tongue.gif) )
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: hm_murdock on 29 January 2003, 05:42: that lindows guy is a wannabe gates

he sounds like he's got a lofty goal with linux, but really, he pulled a bill. linux is free, it's available, and easily modified, so he took it and he's turning it into his little windoze clone
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: Fett101 on 29 January 2003, 06:24: Anyone else can't help but think Idiot instead of Idot? Whenever I read that name in the artilcle. Idiot.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: pkd_lives on 29 January 2003, 06:33: I have to admit, I hope in some respects he succeeds. I don't believe a true monopoly can exist in Linux, but if ideas like this get people buying Linux PCs then when they try to fully implement computer control (TCPA, etc.), there will be many many more people who will join the outrage.

The more people not using M$ the more people are involutarily in the revolution.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: hm_murdock on 29 January 2003, 06:50: that is true!
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: slave on 29 January 2003, 08:37: quote:
Originally posted by fett101:
Anyone else can't help but think Idiot instead of Idot? Whenever I read that name in the artilcle. Idiot.

Man but it's true! I had to re-read the first sentence of the second paragraph 3 times befor I figured out it was Idot instead of Idiot! At least be called iDot or something... but then Apple would probably sue because they have trademarked the lowercase I.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: preacher on 29 January 2003, 11:36: Ok here is my question. What software DVD Player will Lindows use that can play encrypted DVD's? Im curious, because I wasn't aware there was any player for linux that could legally play encrypted DVD's in the US, and I'd be quite willing to pay for a high quality software DVD player for linux, so I can legally watch DVD's that are encrypted and not as choppy as Ogle.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: SpeeDFreaK on 29 January 2003, 12:17: I'm suprised Apple hasn't sued yet. His site's design looks like a copy of Apple's.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: Calum on 29 January 2003, 12:42: i still haven't managed to play a DVD legally or illegally, not to mention quicktime. but we won't go there.

lindows: yes fine whatever, good for them et c, i have a feeling that they STILL offer nothing new to the user that isn't implemented better on another popular desktop operating system at a cheaper price.

are they still breaking the law by witholding the source code of GPL software?
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: Pissed_Macman on 29 January 2003, 13:32: 虛擬主機、域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值點數卡虛擬擬主機、網域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值點擬數卡虛擬主機、網域、撥接帳號、儲點數卡虛擬主機、網域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值點數卡虛擬主機、網域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值點數卡虛擬主機、網域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值數卡虛擬主機、網域名稱、撥接號儲值點數卡虛擬主機、網域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值數卡虛擬主、網域名擬稱、撥號、儲值點數卡
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: Calum on 29 January 2003, 14:31: quote:
Originally posted by Macman: dumb retart / BOB:
虛擬主機、域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值點數卡虛擬擬主機、網域名稱 289; 撥接帳號、儲值點擬數卡虛擬主機、網域、撥接帳號、儲點數卡虛擬主機、網域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值點數卡虛擬主機、網域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值點數卡虛擬主機、網域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值數卡虛擬主機、網域名稱、撥接號儲值點數卡虛擬主機、網域名稱、撥接帳號、儲值數卡虛擬主、網域名擬稱、撥號、儲值點數卡

what the hell's that in a language i can understand?
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: rtgwbmsr on 29 January 2003, 18:27: IDot is (was?) a pretty good computer store. They are the only people to sell the VIA C3's standalone...

www.idot.com (http://www.idot.com) in case you want to visit them...they seem to be overloaded at the moment.

Oh, yeah. The Lindows business model:
(http://www.akgames.net:8000/Images/Moods/redeemerwhore.gif)

[ January 29, 2003: Message edited by: The Muffin Man ]
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: rtgwbmsr on 29 January 2003, 19:24: Pics & Screenshots of the LMP:
http://info.lindows.com/lmc/ (http://info.lindows.com/lmc/)

Info on hardware used (first news article):
http://www.mini-itx.com/ (http://www.mini-itx.com/)
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: HibbeeBoy on 29 January 2003, 22:31: Well as long as it deflects revenue away from M$ then it's fine by me. A lot of home PC users insist on buying overpriced high end brand name PCs that they don't need and I think there is a market for this thing.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: DJ on 29 January 2003, 23:58: Just a quick question about this. Assuming that MS doesn't have too much of a hissy fit or anything else otherwise hinders this product's staying on the market, would this be something that may work on other *nix platforms? I read a couple responses about not having any 'real' DVD playback software for Linux, so does anyone believe this would this be a solution to that or would it be something only Lindows compatible?

Dj
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: pkd_lives on 30 January 2003, 00:15: quote:
Originally posted by ThePreacher:
Ok here is my question. What software DVD Player will Lindows use that can play encrypted DVD's? Im curious, because I wasn't aware there was any player for linux that could legally play encrypted DVD's in the US, and I'd be quite willing to pay for a high quality software DVD player for linux, so I can legally watch DVD's that are encrypted and not as choppy as Ogle.

They are not using a Linux DVD playback system. It appears to be a stand alone piece of kit.

The Lindows DVD player (http://www.elegent.com/etDVD/)
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: rtgwbmsr on 30 January 2003, 01:04: Ahhh...it all makes sense now!

If you want DVDs, you boot to the DVD bios thingy and get instant on. If you want a computer you pick an option or something, and go to Lindows.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: raptor on 30 January 2003, 04:57: if i get bored i will just dl lindows OS for fun.

why would you a name remotely close to windows?
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: pkd_lives on 30 January 2003, 05:38: fuck it I think it's time to try raising the dead (http://undeadlinux.com/evile/about.php).

Looks like a better option to me.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: rtgwbmsr on 30 January 2003, 06:03: I assume under this setup, you could install any OS and retain the DVD player. I just might do that...RH8 with an instant on DVD player!
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: raptor on 30 January 2003, 21:04: quote:
Originally posted by Linux Frank:
fuck it I think it's time to try raising the dead (http://undeadlinux.com/evile/about.php).

Looks like a better option to me.

how about not.

[MOD EDIT] Properly quoted what he was actually responding to...[/MOD EDIT]

[ January 30, 2003: Message edited by: The Muffin Man ]
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: Calum on 30 January 2003, 12:23: quote:
Originally posted by raptor:
if i get bored i will just dl lindows OS for fun.

why would you a name remotely close to windows?

firstly, you would rather try out lindows OS "for fun" than try out evil entity, which from what i hear is a *real* operating system?

secondly, do you realise that downloading lindows "for fun" costs US$129 at the moment?
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: Pissed_Macman on 30 January 2003, 12:27: quote:
Originally posted by Calum: Member # 81:

firstly, you would rather try out lindows OS "for fun" than try out evil entity, which from what i hear is a *real* operating system?

secondly, do you realise that downloading lindows "for fun" costs US$129 at the moment?

虛擬主機、域主機、網域、撥接帳號、儲點數卡虛擬主機網域名稱撥接帳點數卡

接帳點數卡帳域擬主機接

[ January 30, 2003: Message edited by: Macman: dumb retart / BOB ]
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: Calum on 30 January 2003, 13:14: macman is that chinese? it doesn't look like japanese to me and i don't think i know anybody who can read chinese.

where are you getting this stuff from? and what does it say?
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: raptor on 31 January 2003, 07:40: quote:
Originally posted by Calum: Member # 81:

firstly, you would rather try out lindows OS "for fun" than try out evil entity, which from what i hear is a *real* operating system?

secondly, do you realise that downloading lindows "for fun" costs US$129 at the moment?

sorry, i didnt clarify that i was joking.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: raptor on 31 January 2003, 07:43: quote:
Originally posted by Calum: Member # 81:
macman is that chinese? it doesn't look like japanese to me and i don't think i know anybody who can read chinese.

where are you getting this stuff from? and what does it say?

i believe there is a translator in

kde (http://www.kde.org) :), other than that i have no idea.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: SAJChurchey on 31 January 2003, 10:37: The Lindows founder and CEO is quite a character. He anonymously funded the XBox hacking contest about a month or so ago, and between him and Gates I think it's a few spoiled rich kids having at it.

Lindows CEO spite sued M$ for trademark rights of "Windows" after M$ tried to sue them for violating copyright laws. I think that was kinda immature, but funny none the less.

Although I think his goals are pretty much the same. Initially, he gave up the Wine emulator in Lindows b/c he didn't realize he had to report the changes/improvements in code back. He didn't even understand GPL before throwing himself against bill gates in the Linux OS business.

He's just as proprietary and thus bad as Bill Gates. Although I do hope he succeeds (Lesser of two evils).
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: Calum on 31 January 2003, 14:30: there's a big difference between 'character' and 'arse' and i do disagree with you. i am not convinced that he is the lesser of two evils. in many ways bill gates is the more honest of the two. he tends only to lie out of habit these days, not counting some notable exceptions.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: Pissed_Macman on 1 February 2003, 04:07: quote:
Originally posted by Calum: Member # 81:
macman is that chinese? it doesn't look like japanese to me and i don't think i know anybody who can read chinese.

where are you getting this stuff from? and what does it say?

No idea what it says and I just copied and pasted it from some whateverese ad I saw. Thought it would be fun to mess with your mind.
Title: lindows makes a good decision for viewers that dislike the M$ media center era
Post by: SAJChurchey on 2 February 2003, 21:04: I'm not saying it's a matter of "character." Bill Gates is a good guy, I'm sure, but it's the way he does business that I don't agree with. Lindows is pretty much as eager to monopolize and control markets as M$ is, and that's all I'm saying.

The two companies are basically flexing their muscles by throwing money around in law suits and hacking contests. Trying to outdo each other almost like children.