Abbie Schubert paid more than $1,100 for a Dell laptop hoping to enroll in online classes at MATC.
[...]
Schubert says she ordered her laptop online at Dell.com expecting to buy your classic bread-and-butter computer.
She didn’t realize until the next morning her laptop defaulted to the Ubuntu operating system.
“It’s been a mess,” she said. “I regret ordering the computer.”
Schubert says she never heard of Ubuntu before learning that’s when she accidentally bought. She called Dell the very next day and says the representative told her there was still time to change back to Windows.
But she says Dell discouraged her.
[...]
Her Verizon High-Speed Internet CD won’t load, so she can’t access the internet. She also can’t install Microsoft Word, which she says is a requirement for MATC’s online classes.As a result, with no internet and no Microsoft Word, Schubert dropped out of MATC’s fall and spring semesters.
>I’m sorry, your too stupid to own a computer.
Now that’s funny.
If I got a laptop and it was running something I’d never seen before, I’d be upset about it. I can’t believe the people on here who think everyone should adapt to Linux instead of the other way around.
Sure you can set things up without the CD, or run OpenOffice and so on, but that’s not the same thing,
I hope that “Abbie Schubert” is an alias. Imagine being an HR person and googling this name to find this article in 2 or 3 years. I can’t fathom this person getting a job that requires a computer in any way. That includes the ones at McDonnalds.
“Oh.. this cash computer doesn’t have windows on it. I can’t order this guy’s bic mac”.
I’m not overly surprised that the “news” team called Ubuntu and operating system, I am however surprised that they didn’t at least ask the station’s IT guys about more than just “pronunciation”.
They admit in the article and the video that OpenOffice is compatible with Word documents, and that the fracking college was more than willing to help this girl.
I’m picturing that this girl just called mommy and daddy and one of them, not knowing anything about computers either, just called the tv station because no one in that family apparently knows how to take responsibility for themselves.
I have an HP laptop, and got hit with the irony bug after installing Ubuntu Studio for mobile audio recording. The sound card refused to make a peep. Did I blame HP for using that sound card? NO! (OK, I kind of did
) I blamed myself for not fully researching the unit I bought before attempting to do something with it.
Come on, no OS is suitable for everyone. Quit shoving. Yes, you with the penguin flag. Quit it.
That said, this problem that this girl has is not really a problem. You telling me she bought a wrong OS and then had to drop out because of that? Come on, this is BS. Go change the freaking thing.
“Oh! I bought this laptop, and it doesn’t have Windows, and, oh no! I have to drop out of school! Now I’m scared! I cannot do anything, because I need Minesweeper! Solitaire! MS Paint!! Oh the humanity!!!”
#4,
Nerds tend to fail to close the deal because of the nice guy syndrome. Ive seen it over and over again, there is the girl willing ready and able, but the nerd fails to take the initiative and misses the opportunity.
Of course there are exceptions, but generally, the guy needs to take the lead, and nerds lack that quality.
The young lady must have different problems than what she is trying to tell us. Ubantu is a nice system. I tried it for awhile but did go back to WIN XP. If necessary though, I would have continued to use it. I suspect a friend recommended Ubuntu to her.
If she discovered that Open Office was on the laptop, she should have also discovered that it will open and save in Office formats. I still use OO even though I have a license for Office 2007 and have 2003 installed. I am thankful for the guys (and girls) at OO for making it available. And I do love that price.
I suspect something along the lines of using all her tuition to buy the laptop.
And yet, the linux fanbois still wonder why their precious OS hasn’t conquered the world.
Linux is literally the mirror image of OSX. While one is so easy to use you literally don’t need computer skills to use it; the other one is a nightmare for an end user.
I suppose the first Dell tech support Hell that she went through was the tour of India handoff play. The American Dell folks fixed her up with what she wanted. Has that happened to you? It has happened to me.
I’m with #4 on this one. If the pretty young lady had let nerds in her life, this tragedy would never have had to happen.
By the way, I think that station is way too fakey nicey-nice. It’s the only station that has ever put me on the air. They must have been so awed by my snarling for the camera that they keep airing the interview for days.
There are always some sort of prerequisite course(s), one needs to get into some class. This one should come with a “know what you’re getting yourself into, when ordering your 1st PC” prerequisite course. Or at least they should offer some technical counciling for PC newbies. Just as they have career counciling.
On second thought, this news item smacks of just plain old FUD against Linux. And you can guess who’s ultimately behind it. So one wonders just how true this story really is? And how well was it timed to effect Microsoft stock?
Most computer users don’t buy OSs, they buy brands. Even today, I would bet 75% of computer users have no idea that Windows is different then Mac. They know Mac is a different brand, but that’s it. Mention Linux and they will look at you like you have a second head.
The biggest retailer in the world couldn’t even move linux machines at less than $200.
The OS isn’t geared towards the average computer user. The market has long ago spoken.
If you like to make spaghetti by first growing wheat to mill into flour, so the noodles have that special appeal, then Linux is for you. If you prefer to spend twice the money for imported noodles from strange places with a lot of bragging rights to nothing special, then the Mac is your machine. If you just want a good plate of noodles like most other people eat, then your a Windows person. This girl doesn’t know how to cook and looked in the wrong cookbook because the chef she talked to was more interested in showing how much s/he knew rather than helping.
if you like making your own noodles and sauce, then Ubuntu/linux is fine. If you buy Kraft spaghetti kits for your consumption, then Microsoft products are for you. If you go to an expensive Itallian restaurant for your spaghetti, then get a Mac! you just need to know what suits your taste for computing.
As a side note, I have never heard of Ubuntu. I think that it’s ridiculous that she would drop out just because she couldn’t access the internet or Microsoft Word from her home. There are so many other ways she could get her studying done. Library, school library, friend’s house. She’s just being stubborn and spoiled on the luxury of technology at her home. There are plenty of students that don’t have the internet, let alone have a computer at their home.
All I can say is, “WOW!”
I run Windows at work and a mix at home: My Ubuntu 8.10 desktop (racked in as an my entertainment system to my analog TV and stereo), My Wife’s Acer XP media center laptop, my kids’ Averatec tablet running XP, and my WiBrain UMPC running Ubuntu 8.04 (proprietary drivers won’t let it go higher than there).
It sounds like my 7 year old and maybe my 4 year old know more about computers than this lady did when she bought her laptop.
Hopefully she decides to take that time off from college to learn Linux and then goes back. Really, it is a wonderful OS for anyone who is willing to “put their hands under the hood.”
L8R
Jamie
I kind of feel sorry for the people that are getting a bad impression of Linux. I have installed LinuxMint on my sister’s computer and she loves it. Though she realizes that it is not Windows XP, she likes having the entire Open Office Suite and the host of other programs such as CD/DVD Burning programs and her ability to send and receive her e-mail with ease with Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird. Though sometimes she calls me for some help or general questions, she says she is so glad that she has LinuxMint (Ubuntu) because she never has to worry about viruses. Dell is a very reputable company and I believe that they would have replaced her laptop in a heartbeep. Kind of makes you wonder what the real story here is?
To:
“Linux is not for the stupid or those unwilling to learn.
Linux is like a tool chest. Windows is like having a hammer, a screw driver and a pair of pliers. Some people just don’t know what to do with a chest full of tools.”
I say:
Why not buy and drive a Model-T ford? You’ll get all the ease of replacing any part with any tool you want. Good luck driving long haul.