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.
What’s even more funny is that MATC stands for Madison Area Technical College.
Some like Asus are dropping Linux because they had so many of their netbooks returned that had Linux on them.
Unfortunately people are buying these things because of price and not on functionality.
1,
Maybe she’s applying for the advanced field of IT admin assist…
Give some nookie to a nerd and he could fix that for you. Hell, a nerd might do it for a kiss.
I’m sure she’ll eventually work out to be a fine beautician…
“Schubert says she ordered her laptop online at Dell.com”
What is she doing in college if she can’t read? When you order you have to actually choose the O/S.
anyone who gives dell $1100 to become a receptionist with MSword skills deserves to be ripped off……
WOMAN + LAPTOP = WASTE OF LAPTOP
poor MSword skills.,. but an exceptional talent with bullsh*t emails
Fortunately for Microsoft this person represents the majority of computer users.
Do people still buy Dells?
She could have had a mac for that price. Oh wait, does that run office?
I think the real problem is that she’s too stupid to be in college.
Yes people are buying these on price…people vote with their checkbook…that should be non surprise to anyone.
I bought an Acer subnotbook, for these resons:
1) Price $350.
2) Size
3) Running XP
4) Running dual core Atom.
5) 1Gig ram (if it was 512, I would have passed)
I avoided the other box I saw on sale at costco because it was running a non Microsoft OS.
I have installed differing OS’s, I work on Unix boxes…I don’t want to deal with a non Microsoft experience unless I am being payed to do it! I might run Apple, but all my purchased applications are in MS, so why should I switch?
This is such a stupid article I have to comment. It’s a puff piece by a stupid writer attempting to ring the “technology is too complicated for normal people” bell. One need not use the Verizon setup disc to configure DSL. It possible to get it to work by logging into the modem. It’s a little trickier than using the disc but it’s how a Mac user would do it.
Nah, she looks stupid now, as we all did the first time we dealt with a computer. Give her a couple years and she’ll be master haxx0r at her college.
THAT’S THE POWER OF UBUNTU!
BTW, I gave up on Ubie too, too much hassle to do the things I already do with Windows with no effort, such as printing and a couple other small things… It’s quite polished otherwise, I’ll be trying it again in the future. Just not yet.
Computer illiteracy at its clearest. If able to attend college one must at least know that Verizon CD is not needed (actually should be avoided) for internet connection… My department at the major University (and couple of small colleges we work with) assume that incoming students at least know about OpenOffice and can quickly adapt any new software given. They’ll encounter Linux (Fedora) on all student workstations.
# 15 dusanmal said, “My department at the major University…”
What dept would that be?
#1 MATC offers lots of classes, not all of the technical. It’s like a junior college, and it’s actually damn good. I’ve taken quite a few courses there, including Mandarin Chinese.
“She also can’t install Microsoft Word, which she says is a requirement for MATC’s online classes.”
What the fuck kind of school is that?
I’d drop out too.
#11-Jimbo (the other one, I guess)
http://microsoft.com/mac/products/Office2008/default.mspx
Survival of the fittest, just Darwin at work here.
Last time I look, it was a major pain the arse to order a Linux laptop from Dell. They had them in separate section of the site, and only had 2 or 3 models to choose from. How hard did she have to look to find this section? I knows it there and have a hard time finding it.
Dell’s site says everywhere that they recommend Vista, and it seems to be only or default choice for most machines, so did she play around with things to get the cheapest price or what?
Sounds like a Ballmer troll to me.
Although I feel badly for her, that is absolutely not an acceptable excuse to drop out of college. There are libraries with computers. Cafes with computers. Dell discouraged you? So what – call them again and change it.
I’m pretty sure in the few weeks you might have to wait for another computer you could find a way around not having one. I don’t see people dropping out of college because their laptop breaks and they need to send it away for a few weeks to get it fixed.
#18, yeah, crappy interface aside, OpenOffice loads office documents just fine as long as you aren’t taking an MS Access class.
I sense a lot of Linux-love here: “if you don’t know how to do [whatever] you’re obviously too stupid to use a computer.”
And you wonder why nobody in the real world actually uses that crap to get real work done.
# 24 Olo Baggins of Bywater said, “I sense a lot of Linux-love here: “if you don’t know how to do [whatever] you’re obviously too stupid to use a computer.” ”
You’re right. For the non gear head, Linux isn’t a real option.
The little blurb about it not installing word when Open Office comes by default makes this think smell like BS. She was probably partying and doing drugs and had to make up an excuse so mom and dad would take her back.
How the hell could the computer cause her to drop out?! All you NEED for school a pencil, paper, and effort.
She would never have made the grade anyway.
Wow, a computer shows up unlike anything you are expecting, and you bash the owner for not knowing how to use your beloved operating system?
Windows is superior.
Obviously she had not purchased a computer before (like many people) and probably doesn’t know what an OS much less Linux verse Windows. This is the typical user, we have to accept that. She messed up, Dell had a way to fix it so she got what she want but a tech support guy discouraged her. That is the real problem, the tech support guy should have helped her get what she wanted. Like it or not, most people want Windows because they know it or use it at work.
Regarding OpenOffice, I use it and like it. My problem with it is that it is much slower loading than Office and takes a lot more memory. Fix those and it will be much more compelling.