On Feb 19, 2008 9:27 PM, Rony gnulinuxist@gmail.com wrote:
Nishit Dave wrote:
- Build up an effort to force Microsoft to let its boot loader
recognize and (hopefully) accommodate other operating systems that have been installed previously. This would at least keep them intact instead of being overwritten / rendered unusable when the user inevitably installs Windows, licensed or unlicensed, thus keeping up the possibility that it will get used sometimes, even out of curiosity.
This need not be a major issue if a handy CD is made available that a user simply pops in and restores the GRUB boot loader by simply clicking Yes in a dialog box.
Typical scenario:
Yooser: "Hey, I've bought this new laptop, and they've given me one with this thing called Lainux installed on it. It's weird and I can't find Word or Excel, or play my games on it."
Geekish fiend: Here, let me install Windows and Office for you. Forget that Lainux. It does not even play mp3s, I've heard. The best things in life are for free.
Typically, it does not even get escalated to the friend. There would be other friendly technicians at some of the vendors willing to help you.
What we really need is a situation where Microsoft would be willing to accept Windows' position as a secondary OS installed at the user's choice. A very difficult point to concede, I accept, but rather than wishing for a miracle solution, I would like to hear what people suggest we can do to move it forward.