Void's Forums

It's unclear how much of the price was devoted to Microsoft Windows. I've heard that you can get a refund, but I've also heard that it takes a lot less time and effort to just format the dang thing and forget it. So I did.

Had a little bit of a scare during the installation, when I thought that my primary hard drive was only 677 MB! Turns out that hda is the cd drive, and sda is the hard drive. Once I figured that out, basic installation was a cakewalk. Advanced installation, as it often is in Slackware, is proving to be a bit more difficult.

sda is the hard drive? It comes with a SCSI hard drive? That's very odd.

That's what it tells me. I thought it was strange too.

As far as I can tell, it doesn't really matter what you call it, as long as it points to the right device. So it's just a matter of convention. I'll try and post some more information about it.

sda is probably a SATA disk.
all my SATA disks get a SCSI interface

worker201 wrote:It's unclear how much of the price was devoted to Micro$oft Windows. I've heard that you can get a refund, but I've also heard that it takes a lot less time and effort to just format the dang thing and forget it. So I did.

you're still paying taxes to microsoft though, and that's the main point, in my opinion. I think this is similar to a person who says they are a vegan, and yet they have no problem buying meat and cooking it for their family. In my opinion, this is an ethical impossibility since veganism is not a dietary choice, but a lifestyle choice. In the same way, for me, using Linux is a lifestyle choice, in that i have chosen not to pay any more microsoft taxes. For some here, it may simply be a logistical choice. They don't mind funding the beast, so long as they can wipe the drive and use linux as well.

Actually I have known a few people who became vegan as a diet choice rather than a lifestyle choice. Mostly, they're just confused.

At this time, unfortunately, the purchase of a Thinkpad requires a purchase of OEM Windows XP. If you don't want to pay for Windows, then you best find another place to buy a laptop. I judged that the marginal cost of Windows (both ethically and economically) was worth the deal on the Thinkpad. If making a small (and easily repairable) sacrifice to get what I want is somehow wrong, well, I can't help you there.

Actually I have known a few people who became vegan as a diet choice rather than a lifestyle choice. Mostly, they're just confused.

they aren't vegans, they're herbivores. The definition of veganism includes the fact that it is an ethical choice. A person having the same diet as a vegan, but for selfish reasons, is not a vegan. This is something which is commonly misunderstood, like "vegetarians" who eat fish.

At this time, unfortunately, the purchase of a Thinkpad requires a purchase of OEM Windows XP.

is this even legal?

If you don't want to pay for Windows, then you best find another place to buy a laptop.

yes, that's exactly what i was saying.

I judged that the marginal cost of Windows (both ethically and economically) was worth the deal on the Thinkpad. If making a small (and easily repairable) sacrifice to get what I want is somehow wrong, well, I can't help you there.

you don't have to help me, i was trying to help either you, or other readers of this thread, by my comments. And i suspect you know why this is "somehow" wrong, so i would appreciate it if you'd talk to me as an equal please.

You guys might find the following of some use, as might anyone else searching for a laptop for Linux. Has anyone used any of the companies on the list?

http://mcelrath.org/laptops.html