The line I found the most interesting was "provide high-quality
education to all of its students". 

I think the M$ tax is more like $40 for a Dell class computer.

In 1997 when I bought my first CD that contained RH ?4.7? ?5.2?  Not sure what version.  I bet it fit into 100M or less.  Today?  Everything is bloatware. 

I tend to find both XP and Linux have their best applications.  In 2000 I went 8 months running Linux only.  Then in 2007 I tried again.  Did not like IE in wine and did not like the editors for writing PHP.  I run both XP - desktop, and Linux for my dev box.  This is the optimum solution for me.

------------------------
Keith Smith

--- On Tue, 7/27/10, joe@actionline.com <joe@actionline.com> wrote:

From: joe@actionline.com <joe@actionline.com>
Subject: The inevitable eventual cost of computers.
To: plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
Date: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 9:25 AM


How much is computer hardware *really* worth?

This week, India announced a new $35 tablet PC

How low do you think computer prices will eventually go?

And how long do you think new PC hardware will sustain $500 and higher
price points (due to the built-in M$ tax of $100 to $500 per unit)?

Is it not inevitable that the actual/true value of PC hardware and
complete computers will continue to shrink ... and radically? Consider the
ubiquitous electronic calculator at the now typical full retail price of
about $1.00.

And now that Linux is taking over an ever greater share of all
computer-powered devices ... how much longer do you think antitrust M$
will be able to get away with holding baseball bats over the heads
computer manufacturers and retailers?


CONSIDER ... a few excerpts from the India announcement:

Kapil Sibal, India's Minister for Human Resource Development unveiled a
prototype touch-screen tablet PC that has been in development for five
years.

The initial target price is ... $35 US.

This new tablet PC is part of India's push to provide high-quality
education to all of its students. It also has a solar power option.

Of course, it is a Linux-based computer with web browser, multimedia
player, PDF reader, Wi-Fi, video conferencing ability, 2GB RAM, memory
card, USB ports, and expected to be available next year.

Students from the Indian Institute of Technology co-designed motherboards
for it. They say the eventual price could be $20 or even as low as $10.

See a photo and read the original article here:

- - - http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20011536-1.html - - -


YES! ... Linux powered computers will rule the computer world ;)

It is inevitable.  It is just basic economics.

$10.00 computers with a $100-500 M$ tax added (and for an inferior,
inefficient, bloatware, permanently virus, worm, and spyware infected
system) just won't fly.

The eventual victory is in sight ;)



---------------------------------------------------
PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss