Lindows.com: Michael's Minute: Lindows.com Report Card ------=_LINDOWS_1890362a5620f32f969ae58b8fe2ef84 Content-Type: text/plain; 	charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit If this message is not displaying properly, click  here to launch it in your browser.   Michael's Minute:  Lindows.com Report Card  As summer arrives, many school children are coming home with their report cards.  I thought this would be a good time to see what kind of grades Lindows.com received for their first 9 months in operation..   To view the Timeline of Lindows.com's first 9 months in business, click here  .  Operating System:   As of last week, consumers can experience LindowsOS in one of two ways. One way is to buy a computer running LindowsOS from Walmart.com  , for as little as $299. This is a significant milestone for us, as we've partnered with our first builder (Microtel) and retailer (Walmart). These computers work great out of the box and are ideal for general purpose computing tasks.  For those who already have a computer and also wish to try LindowsOS, we offer the Insider program  . This gives people wanting early access to LindowsOS a chance to try out LindowsOS as it develops. Currently, Insiders report installation success about 80%  of the time on their PCs. Therefore we have some room to grow, consequently, this product is not yet for everyone.  Some may wonder how we can sell a computer at Walmart  when the program available directly from Lindows.com is billed as not completely ready. The difference is the Walmart   computers are certified, ensuring that all components  work elegantly with LindowsOS. That's much different than offering a software program that will work on any computer in the world - that's very difficult. It's the difference between making a single pair of shoes for a known foot size versus opening a shoe store with every style of shoe for every size foot. The first one is easy, the second one is a much bigger job. While the installer is fantastically easy and fast (the entire OS installs in under 5 minutes), we've got a lot more work to do to support a wider range of hardware, printers and other devices. Grade:  B   _____   Software:  Our goal to give people choice means giving them choice not just on their operating system, but access to all the programs they'll want to add to their computer to really make it work for them in their school, home or business. Click-N-Run   is the easiest way to load software onto a computer. For the first time a Linux based system has leapt ahead of Microsoft's operating systems in ease of use. With 1,000 plus programs already in the Click-N-Run Warehouse  , users can find quality software titles for just about any computing task and, with a single mouse-click download, install and run these programs. All these titles are included in the $99. This is a fantastic consumer experience and price point. Look for a lot more great software in the Warehouse in the future. Grade: A-   _____   Microsoft Windows Compatibility: We live in a Microsoft world, so there needs to be a bridge from the legacy world to the broadband LindowsOS world. This means we need to support some bridge programs, file types and network devices to help people interact with the legacy Microsoft world. LindowsOS computers come with software to view, print and copy popular Microsoft applications like: MS Word files, MS PowerPoint files and MS Excel documents. There's great Linux based alternatives and we'll guide people to those alternatives (they're better than most people realize). To edit Microsoft files, we'd highly recommend one of the office suites in our Warehouse such as OpenOffice  .  Many of these programs are of very high-quality and a great value since they're included in the Warehouse  . Sometimes there are no viable alternatives for those programs, so we're investing necessary resources to support some Microsoft Windows based programs. Stay tuned for more developments in this area. Our printer support is ok, but there's lots of room for more drivers. Connecting to MS Windows based file servers is still a challenge. We need to get better in the above areas.  Grade: B    _____   Communication: We've tried to be diligent in communicating where our company is going which is why there's typically a weekly Michael's Minute  . While our overall goal has not deviated - Bringing Choice To Your Computer - our implementation has become more focused as we listened to what our Insiders and potential customers have told us. (Keep sending me your comments.) We have been de-emphasizing running Microsoft Windows programs because many of you told us you detest spending hundreds of dollars on individual software programs, forced upgrades and activation codes. It's not just the operating system, but costly Microsoft programs you're wanting to avoid.  Consequently, we've been emphasizing Click-N-Run because it will change the way you think about software. Having a neatly categorized library   of 1,000+ software titles all for a flat annual fee at your digital fingertips is an entirely new way to think about paying for software. It's immediate, elegant and affordable. There are lots of mischaracterizations about Lindows.com swirling around - which happens when you have a small organization which can't address every question or publication. We'll do a better job of addressing these in the future. For now, I wrote up answers to the Top Myths about Lindows.com. Check them out by visiting: www.lindows.com/myths  Grade: B+   _____   Overall: B+ Michael Robertson Please visit support.lindows.com   to answer questions you may have about LindowsOS or Lindows.com. Bringing Choice to Your Computer!    LindowsOS is presently available on LindowsOS Certified Computers being offered from Lindows.com   Builder partners.  The General Release of LindowsOS (available now for download and preview to Lindows.com   Insider partners) will be made available later this year for those wishing to install and run LindowsOS on their existing computer hardware.  The General Release version will support a wider range of computer hardware and includes unique features such as a "Friendly-Install" alongside an existing MicrosoftR Windows operating system, a streamlined installation process which requires no computer knowledge, and the ability to run a select set of "bridge" Windows-compatible programs. For more information see   www.lindows.com/products  LindowsOS and Lindows.com are trademarks of Lindows.com, Inc. LinuxR is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. MicrosoftR WindowsR operating system is a registered trademark or service mark of the Microsoft Corporation. mm18 ___________________________________________________________ To change your mailing list options please go to www.lindows.com/update ------=_LINDOWS_1890362a5620f32f969ae58b8fe2ef84 Content-Type: text/html; 	charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message Â  Â  Â  Â Â Â If this=20 message is not displaying properly, click=20 here to launch it in your browser. Michaelâs = Minute:=20             Lindows.com Report Card  As summer arrives, = many school=20             children are coming home with their report cards.Â  I = thought=20             this would be a good time to see what kind of grades = Lindows.com=20             received for their first 9 months in = operation.. Â To view=20             the Timeline of Lindows.com's first 9 months in business, click here. = Operating System: Â  As = of last week,=20             consumers can experience LindowsOS in one of two ways. One = way is to=20             buy a computer running LindowsOS from Walmart.com, for = as little=20             as $299. This is a significant milestone for us, as we've = partnered=20             with our first builder (Microtel) and retailer (Walmart). = These=20             computers work great out of the box and are ideal for = general=20             purpose computing tasks.  For = those who=20             already have a computer and also wish to try LindowsOS, we = offer the=20             Insider = program. This=20             gives people wanting early access to LindowsOS a chance to = try out=20             LindowsOS as it develops. Currently, Insiders report = installation=20             success about 80%Â  of the time on their PCs. Therefore = we have=20             some room to grow, consequently, this product is not yet for =             everyone.  Some = may wonder=20             how we can sell a computer at Walmart when the = program=20             available directly from Lindows.com is billed as not = completely=20             ready. The difference is the Walmart = computers are=20             certified, ensuring that all componentsÂ  work elegantly = with=20             LindowsOS. That's much different than offering a software = program=20             that will work on any computer in the world - = that's very=20             difficult. It's the difference between making a single = pair of=20             shoes for a known foot size versus opening a shoe store with = every=20             style of shoe for every size foot. The first one is easy, = the second=20             one is a much bigger job. While the=20             installer is fantastically easy and fast (the entire OS = installs in=20             under 5 minutes), we've got a lot more work to do to support = a wider=20             range of hardware, printers and other devices. Grade:Â =20             B Software:=20              Our = goal to give=20             people choice means giving them choice not just on their = operating=20             system, but access to all the programs they'll want to add = to their=20             computer to really make it work for them in their school, = home or=20             business. Click-N-Run is = the=20             easiest way to load software onto a computer. For the first = time a=20             Linux based system has leapt ahead of Microsoft's operating = systems=20             in ease of use. With 1,000 plus programs already in the Click-N-Run = Warehouse,=20             users can find quality software titles for just about any = computing=20             task and, with a single mouse-click download, install and = run these=20             programs. All these titles are included in the $99. This is = a=20             fantastic consumer experience and price point. Look for a=20             lotÂ more great software in the Warehouse in the = future.Â =20             Grade:=20             A- Microsoft=20             Windows Compatibility: We = live in a=20             Microsoft world, so there needs to be a bridge from the = legacy world=20             to the broadband LindowsOS world. This means we need to = support some=20             bridge programs, file types and network devices to help = people=20             interact with the legacy Microsoft world. LindowsOS = computers come=20             with software to view, print and copy popular Microsoft = applications=20             like: MS Word files, MS PowerPoint files and MS Excel = documents.=20             There's great Linux based alternatives and we'll guide = people to=20             those alternatives (they're better than most people = realize). To=20             edit Microsoft files, we'd highly recommend one of the = office suites=20             in our Warehouse such as Op= enOffice.=20              Many = of these=20             programs are of very high-quality and a great value since = they're=20             included in the Warehouse. = Sometimes=20             there are no viable alternatives for those programs, so = we're=20             investing necessary resources to support some Microsoft = Windows=20             based programs. Stay tuned for more developments in this = area. Our=20             printer support is ok, but there's lots of room for more = drivers.=20             Connecting to MS Windows based file servers is still a = challenge. We=20             need to get better in the above areas. Â Grade: = B=20              Communication: We've tried to=20             be diligent in communicating where our company is going = which is why=20             there's typically a weekly Michael's Minute. = While our=20             overall goal has not deviated - Bringing Choice To Your = Computer -=20             our implementation has become more focused as we listened to = what=20             our Insiders and potential customers have told us. (Keep = sending me=20             your comments.) We have been de-emphasizing running = Microsoft=20             Windows programs because many of you told us you detest = spending=20             hundreds of dollars on individual software programs, forced = upgrades=20             and activation codes. It's not just the operating system, = but costly=20             Microsoft programs you're wanting to avoid.  Consequently,=20             we've been emphasizing Click-N-Run because it will change = the way=20             you think about software. Having a neatly categorized = library of=20             1,000+ software = titles all for=20             a flat annual fee at your digital fingertips is an entirely = new way=20             to think about paying for software. It's immediate, elegant = and=20             affordable.  There are lots=20             of mischaracterizations about Lindows.com swirling around - = which=20             happens when you have a small organization which can't = address every=20             question or publication. We'll do a better job of addressing = these=20             in the future. For now, I wrote up answers to the Top Myths = about=20             Lindows.com. Check them out by visiting: www.lindows.com/mythsÂ =20             Grade:=20             B+ Overall:=20             B+ Michael Robertson Please visit support.lindows.com = to answer=20             questions you may have about LindowsOS or = Lindows.com. Bringing Choice to Your Computer! = Â  LindowsOS is=20             presently available on LindowsOS Certified Computers being = offered=20             from Lindows.com Builder partners.Â  = The General=20             Release of LindowsOS (available now for download and preview = to=20             Lindows.com Insider partners) will be = made=20             available later this year for those wishing to install and = run=20             LindowsOS on their existing computer hardware.Â  The = General=20             Release version will support a wider range of computer = hardware and=20             includes unique features such as a = âFriendly-Installâ alongside an=20             existing MicrosoftÂ® Windows operating system, a = streamlined=20             installation process which requires no computer knowledge, = and the=20             ability to run a select set of "bridge" Windows-compatible = programs.=20             For more information see www.lindows.com/productsÂ  LindowsOS and Lindows.com are trademarks = of=20             Lindows.com, Inc. LinuxÂ® is a registered trademark of = Linus=20             Torvalds. MicrosoftÂ® WindowsÂ® operating system is a = registered=20             trademark or service mark of the Microsoft = Corporation. mm18 __________________________________________________________= _To change your mailing list options please go to www.lindows.com/update<= /P> ------=_LINDOWS_1890362a5620f32f969ae58b8fe2ef84--