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I would think that if either company really though they were stronger than the other, they'd encourage the dual boot devices - because they would believe in their ability to retain their current market while moving into the other's. Are they both really scared of a little competition?

"Competition is a sin."

I'm sorry, I don't have the author or the reference, but it was someone in big business.

Keep in mind Snoopy, we're a small percentage of the total computing device demographic.

I look at it from a manufacturers' viewpoint. Why would you want to make a device have the ability to dual-boot two different OS's, when most consumers would rather have just one OS? It makes total sense given what MS and Google are doing. Make sure the device plays well with their OS, and avoid any dual-boot related issues.

Sure, you and I could make a dual boot machine happen, but would you want the typical consumer (who is just smart enough to run an iphone), to be greeted with a dual-boot machine? Can you imagine the tech support nightmare that would result? Both Google and MS want to avoid that.

Sergeant Thorne wrote:"Competition is a sin."
I'm sorry, I don't have the author or the reference, but it was someone in big business.

That's irony for ya!

I should have just Googled it to begin with. I thought it was a Rockefeller, but I didn't want to misattribute. A Google search brings up John D. Rockefeller.

Ferno wrote:Keep in mind Snoopy, we're a small percentage of the total computing device demographic.

I look at it from a manufacturers' viewpoint. Why would you want to make a device have the ability to dual-boot two different OS's, when most consumers would rather have just one OS? It makes total sense given what MS and Google are doing. Make sure the device plays well with their OS, and avoid any dual-boot related issues.

Sure, you and I could make a dual boot machine happen, but would you want the typical consumer (who is just smart enough to run an iphone), to be greeted with a dual-boot machine? Can you imagine the tech support nightmare that would result? Both Google and MS want to avoid that.

Computer illiteracy: the new kind of stupid.

Seriously... more and more these days I'm realizing that the open source/linux philosophy (which would be all about a dual boot machine... except that we don't particularly care because we'll just hack it to make it boot linux later) is in a serious minority out there.

I don't think it has much to do with intelligence levels. I've had a few dual boots. Compiled several kernels. Several base installs of Debian even without an x-server running. Learned how to create my own scripts. Then it was no fun anymore and I just use my computer to make life a little easier. Not everybody likes to tinker which is why computers never took off until windows.

flip wrote:I don't think it has much to do with intelligence levels. I've had a few dual boots. Compiled several kernels. Several base installs of Debian even without an x-server running. Learned how to create my own scripts. Then it was no fun anymore and I just use my computer to make life a little easier. Not everybody likes to tinker which is why computers never took off until windows.

Yeah I took my comments into the hacker realm....

But - I'm sure that you're aware of the surprising number of people that manage to trash their windows installations - the surprising number of people that use any things they can change to promptly hose up their systems... but making silly changes.

Hehe, yes I've known a few illiterates. Worst is when they want you to fix their install after deleting system files!

At least with that, as of XP Windows started hiding critical system files by default, and with the normal hidden files/folders on top of that, a lot of it would be invisible to your average user. Of course that doesn't mean that there still aren't a thousand ways to screw up an install if you don't know the basics.

snoopy wrote:Computer illiteracy: the new kind of stupid.

That's not very fair to say at all.

There are lots of smart people out there. Some are smart in different areas and just can't be bothered to compile their own kernel, hack the crap out of something, or write their own software. Some just want stuff to work and just don't have the time or the inclination to go super-geek like we did. It's all a matter of priorities. Computer literacy is a learned skill, not a measure of intelligence.

Would you think it's very fair to be considered stupid because you didn't build and adjust your car and it's computer from a crate of parts? Probably not. If someone doesn't want to spend hours tweaking just to get one thing to work properly, then that's okay. None of us should look down on them because they didn't choose the path we chose.

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or maybe I've become more accepting of the fact that people are people and we'll screw up no matter how hard we try not to.

^^
Well put, Ferno.

Agreed Ferno, well put. No man is an island and man was created to work as a Body. Each person doing their part and building the whole up. That's why I hate to see it put in the terms that one person is more intelligent, therefore more valuable than the other.

I like intels' idea of "make the choice at purchase" have common hardware, and pick the OS you want - just one though. 95% of the user base won't want or know what to do with a dual-boot device, its nonsensical. Leave the choice open, and if the 5% want dual boot, let them do it themselves at their own risk.

Absolutely capm.

It makes a ton of sense, business and otherwise to give the consumer a choice at the time of purchase. Let them decide what they are most comfortable with, and support it.

Ferno wrote:Would you think it's very fair to be considered stupid because you didn't build and adjust your car and it's computer from a crate of parts? Probably not. If someone doesn't want to spend hours tweaking just to get one thing to work properly, then that's okay. None of us should look down on them because they didn't choose the path we chose.

Yeah, as I said earlier I took it into the hacker realm and didn't particular mean to associate non-hackers with stupidity.

I do lose a bit of respect for people that manage to mess up their installs because they are tinkering with things that they shouldn't. To follow your analogy: I do think it'd be fair to be considered me stupid if I tried to adjust my car all on my own (without referencing any type of manuals/documentation), royally hosed it up, and then called the manufacturer and yelled at them for making such a crappy car.