[NTLUG:Discuss] Fry's and Linux

[Kevin Hulse]

--- "Burton M. Strauss III"
<Burton_Strauss at comcast.net> wrote:
> I've let this pass until now, but really...
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: discuss-bounces at ntlug.org
> [mailto:discuss-bounces at ntlug.org]On
> > Behalf Of Kevin Hulse
> > Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 3:04 PM
> > To: NTLUG Discussion List
> > Subject: Re: [NTLUG:Discuss] Fry's and Linux
> 
> <snip />
> >
> > > > That's a bit above the scope and
> > > > training of a store sales clerk.
> 
> Yup.  Emphasis on 'sales', to whit -
> http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary -
> 
> Main Entry: sales
> Pronunciation: 'sA(&)lz
> Function: adjective
> : of, relating to, or used in selling
> 
> If you want an educator, well, you're definitely in
> the wrong store.

If "education" is required to make a sale then a 
salesman should be an educator. I can expect this
out of Lowes or Home Depot. I should be able to 
expect the same out of a more technically oriented
electronics retailer.

> 
> <snip-snide-comment />
> 
> > A store of Fry's caliber really should have that
> sort
> > of information on hand. If I have to do my own
> > research and build my own test modules, why the
> h*ll
> > do I need any brick-mortar retailer?
> 
> You're wrong.  For most cards, the Manufacturer
> doesn't make the information
> available.  In fact, given that many of them don't
> test under Linux or
> FreeBSD or whatever, they may not even know.
> 
> The hardware compatibility lists everyone has
> pointed at are great, but they
> represent user experiences.  When somebody says X
> doesn't work, that really
> means "X doesn't work on MY system at the level I'm
> able/willing to test

That gives you two massive advantages over whatever
process produced the manufacturers information: a
wider test sample and use under conditions comparable
to what an end user would tolerate.

If someone was willing to work through the problems to
get something to work, chances are that it really does
work.

> it".  It may work for a different individual or in a
> different setup.
> 
> So what do you expect?
> 
> (A) Fry's to test every item in all reasonable
> configurations?  So they
> "know" if it works?
> (B) Fry's to pass on the Mfg's info (which is on the
> box, bucko), and say "I
> don't know"
> (C) Fry's to pull some foolishness out of a hat
> (which seems to be the norm,
> natch)?
(D) Someone at Fry's Corporate keeps up with hardware
reviews for VARIOUS platforms seeing where the
problems and pitfalls are, providing for more useful
standard "I dunno" answers for the drones to use.

H*ll, even a corporate policy that requries the drones
to state "we don't support Linux" would be an
improvement.

[deletia]

Division of labor is a wonderful thing. I really
should be deployed more.