[SGVLUG] High computer prices and US debt

[Robert]

I agree with this assessment.

We who write software are usually not to keen on documenting it. I
remember once in my newbie linux life of doing the traditional
configure/make/make install, but then finding out something wasn't
working.

I had to email the developer to find that I had to run ldconfig to load it
(it was a library for something). A bit painful -- he could have mentioned
in a installation README or something.

I also read an article somewhere on the latest requirements for M$'s
latest OS... pricey to meet.

I hope people will use it like they are using the sudden spike in
gasoline/diesel prices: as a chance to reflect/reevaluate what they choose
to spend money on. I don't think people should be _required_ to have a PC
with 1Gb RAM, 128Gb video ram, and 15Gb free _just_to_load_ M$'s latest.

I will also speculate that perhaps the clippy now does a tap dance in 3d
to have such requirements?!


>
> ...And the documentation needs improvement.  Then not too
> much skill would be needed.  And a lot of people who can't afford to
> buy newer computers have the needed skills for this if only the
> documentation and configuration programs were better.  With the US
> having a -1.6% savings rate and an imbalance of trade where the amount
> of imports is approaching double that of exports, a lot of people that
> do buy computers in the US really can't afford them, even if they
> don't use credit cards to pay for them (and credit-card debt is very
> high).  So I believe there is a huge, but mostly unrealized, market
> for installing Linux on old computers to be used as desktops, both in
> the US and elsewhere.
>
> 			David Lawyer
>


-- 
"Knowledge is Power" -- Francis Bacon

Robert Leyva
mrflash818 at geophile.net