Microsoft Attacks Linux at the Retail Level

Rob Williams

Editor-in-Chief
Staff member
Moderator
From our front-page news:
If you're reading our site and others like it, chances are you are well-versed where technology is concerned, or are at least trying to be. That's great, because if you understand technology, life will be easier and you'll always know what you're looking for when you need to make some tech purchase. Sadly, that's not how it is for most people, and like me and knitting, many people just don't care or have the desire to learn about technology or computers.

Those are the people that companies like Microsoft and Apple like to prey on, because after all, it's easy to be gullible about something you don't have much interest in. The situation isn't made much better when retail stores exist to mislead customers, either. Just walk into a Best Buy to see what I'm talking about. And speaking of Best Buy, there's an interesting thread at Overclock.net that's pretty eye-opening.

Whenever a hyped product is soon to be released, employees at stores like Best Buy (I should note that Best Buy is certainly not the only store guilty of this) are usually briefed about it, so that they know which points to bring up when talking to customers. With Windows 7, Microsoft for some reason considered Linux to be a large enough threat to have them create course material to explain to people why Linux is inferior. Of course, employees who opt for the training get a perk: $10 Windows 7. Heck, even as a Linux user I'd take the quiz for a $10 copy.

It's not so much the fact that they are explaining reasons why Linux is lacking, but it's the fact that a lot of their statements are untrue. In the slide below, they rank Linux extremely low with regards to camera and iPod support and also MP3 compatibility. Anyone who has ever used Linux knows how false this is. I've never had a camera not work in Linux, and most iPods work just fine as well. As for MP3 compatibility, Windows 7 might open up a bragging right for Microsoft where media support is concerned, but install Ubuntu and you'll see an even wider range of support available.

I won't point out all the false statements, including "Linux is safer then Windows" as being a myth, but I do recommend anyone to look through the thread and find them yourself. Even if you don't use Linux, they're clear as day.

windows_misleading_090409.jpg

No iPod support? Really? And the Zune doesn't work on the Mac either although there has been some progress from the Linux community. And I've never had any problems pulling pictures from cameras. I've yet to see a printer that doesn't have a driver. You might have to download it from the products website though (gasp!). Yeah yeah. Software. Although WINE has been vastly improving lately (we even got around that stupid Secu-ROM). There are free alternatives to all of the Windows Live "essentials". WOW. Of all the games to mention, they mention World of Warcraft.


Source: Overclock.net
 

Rebeca

Obliviot
I wonder how often are Best Buy employees asked about differences between Windows and Linux. Either way, these type of comparisons don't surprise me since they did something similar with their IE8 comparison some time ago.

As someone who uses Linux, I'm not sure what's more saddening... this common marketing practice (which is not limited to the technology industry) or knowing there's people who believe ads (or what Best Buy employees were trained to tell them) without questioning them.
 

Rob Williams

Editor-in-Chief
Staff member
Moderator
Ahh, a fellow Linux user, nice! I agree... the training is sad, but the fact that people believe whatever they're told is worse. Like my illustration above, if you are not already really interested in something, you're far more likely to believe what you're being told. It's sad, but I could see the same thing happening with me, depending on what topic's at hand.

It pays to be skeptical of what you're told. It's just too bad very, very few people would ever want to do the research themselves and instead would just go ahead with a purchase.
 

Rebeca

Obliviot
That's true. I'd add more, but I'm afraid I'd turn this into a discussion about human nature -- and that's not what this thread is about.

I wonder if they will make any changes now that this has come out in the open though. If not, maybe we should make this into a meme, comparing microsoft products with alternatives and writing more silly claims.
 

Rob Williams

Editor-in-Chief
Staff member
Moderator
I wonder if they will make any changes now that this has come out in the open though. If not, maybe we should make this into a meme, comparing microsoft products with alternatives and writing more silly claims.

I forget where I read it, but Microsoft openly admitted to this "training" and didn't seem to apologetic about it, so I'm guessing the answer's no, sadly.
 
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