Comments on: The Mini 9 NetBook: Dell’s Hardware as a Service Experiment? http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/ Managed Services & Cloud Services Blog for VARs & MSPs Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:41:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joe Panettieri http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-45420 Joe Panettieri Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:32:34 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/#comment-45420 John: I made the leap to Ubuntu Linux on Dell desktop in mid-2007 for our home PC. My family never looked back. I'm still running Windows XP and Mac OS X (love my MacBook Pro). But Ubuntu has a firm home in our house now, too. John: I made the leap to Ubuntu Linux on Dell desktop in mid-2007 for our home PC. My family never looked back. I’m still running Windows XP and Mac OS X (love my MacBook Pro). But Ubuntu has a firm home in our house now, too.

]]> By: John http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-45418 John Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:55:49 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/#comment-45418 I'm a big fan of the fact that Linux is forcing competition but I'm also disappointed that everytime I try it I end up so frustrated that I head back to Windows. Perhaps the future will hold better experiences though. I'll keep giving it a shot every so often as time permits. I’m a big fan of the fact that Linux is forcing competition but I’m also disappointed that everytime I try it I end up so frustrated that I head back to Windows. Perhaps the future will hold better experiences though. I’ll keep giving it a shot every so often as time permits.

]]> By: Dustin http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-26810 Dustin Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:54:16 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/#comment-26810 Thanks for the thoughts, I agree wholeheartedly. Competition is the key, now if we can just get some more competition in the ISP market we'll be set! :) Baby steps is a good assessment, we just need to make sure those steps are in the right direction. While I think HaaS or even SaaS seems to work well, the contract is really the key in how valuable it is. Look at Google, they offer their products and services for free (ad supported) that for the most part seem to do what users want, with no penalty for walking away when you're finished with the service. If HaaS turns into phone contracts, with limitations left and right, high prices and fees for everything imaginable, then it is a terrible system. Users can get stuck in these situations if all the providers take these baby steps in the wrong direction. Thanks for the thoughts, I agree wholeheartedly. Competition is the key, now if we can just get some more competition in the ISP market we’ll be set! :) Baby steps is a good assessment, we just need to make sure those steps are in the right direction.

While I think HaaS or even SaaS seems to work well, the contract is really the key in how valuable it is. Look at Google, they offer their products and services for free (ad supported) that for the most part seem to do what users want, with no penalty for walking away when you’re finished with the service.

If HaaS turns into phone contracts, with limitations left and right, high prices and fees for everything imaginable, then it is a terrible system. Users can get stuck in these situations if all the providers take these baby steps in the wrong direction.

]]> By: Joe Panettieri http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-26782 Joe Panettieri Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:52:08 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/#comment-26782 Dustin: The world needs to take baby steps. In 1995, when Windows 95 was the rage, no PC vendors were willing to break ranks from Microsoft. In 2007, when Vista launched, Dell and others found the courage to break ranks and introduce some Ubuntu Linux systems. The world isn't perfect. Apple is so darn innovative but so closed. But there is one great thing about the current computing options: Freedom of choice. Linux. Apple. Microsoft. Soon, Google Android. And the list goes on. You may not like closed systems. And I understand why. But at least we are seeing competition in the market. A decade ago, that wasn't true. Dustin: The world needs to take baby steps. In 1995, when Windows 95 was the rage, no PC vendors were willing to break ranks from Microsoft. In 2007, when Vista launched, Dell and others found the courage to break ranks and introduce some Ubuntu Linux systems.

The world isn’t perfect. Apple is so darn innovative but so closed. But there is one great thing about the current computing options: Freedom of choice. Linux. Apple. Microsoft. Soon, Google Android. And the list goes on.

You may not like closed systems. And I understand why. But at least we are seeing competition in the market. A decade ago, that wasn’t true.

]]> By: Dustin http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-26780 Dustin Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:14:07 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/#comment-26780 GPLv3 is an indication of how the FSF feels about it, with the special tivoization clause or whatever they call it. It will be a perpetual arms race of finding new ways to lock things down, and then revise things to free them again. Sadly, the only way to reliably get what you want is to spend the big bucks. As it is, you're paying hundreds of dollars for a phone that is locked down, with expensive monthly contracts that are tied to the phone. When people spend a lot of effort trying to "jailbreak" products, it is clear that customers are not satisfied. Ultimately, ask the RIAA how much of a pain it is to fight your own customers when you only offer products that people feel are unfair. I'm not advocating piracy or jailbreaking, I only point to their existence as evidence that lock in is temporarily good for businesses, but ultimately bad for all parties involved. A $100 netbook with Ubuntu and no lock in will end up gaining enough market share that it won't matter how free a HaaS netbook is, the contract will make it less valuable. The provider that provides a better, cheaper service for those products will become the next Google / Microsoft industry giant. The best way to do business is to give your customers a good deal, that's what makes a free market so practical. GPLv3 is an indication of how the FSF feels about it, with the special tivoization clause or whatever they call it. It will be a perpetual arms race of finding new ways to lock things down, and then revise things to free them again.

Sadly, the only way to reliably get what you want is to spend the big bucks. As it is, you’re paying hundreds of dollars for a phone that is locked down, with expensive monthly contracts that are tied to the phone.

When people spend a lot of effort trying to “jailbreak” products, it is clear that customers are not satisfied. Ultimately, ask the RIAA how much of a pain it is to fight your own customers when you only offer products that people feel are unfair.

I’m not advocating piracy or jailbreaking, I only point to their existence as evidence that lock in is temporarily good for businesses, but ultimately bad for all parties involved.

A $100 netbook with Ubuntu and no lock in will end up gaining enough market share that it won’t matter how free a HaaS netbook is, the contract will make it less valuable.

The provider that provides a better, cheaper service for those products will become the next Google / Microsoft industry giant.

The best way to do business is to give your customers a good deal, that’s what makes a free market so practical.

]]> By: Joe Panettieri http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-26774 Joe Panettieri Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:57:18 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/#comment-26774 Matt: Google Android is built on open source but will have a back-end App Store... The worlds of open and closed-source will continue to blend. Matt: Google Android is built on open source but will have a back-end App Store… The worlds of open and closed-source will continue to blend.

]]> By: Matt http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-26771 Matt Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:14:38 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/#comment-26771 One wonders how free software providers would react to software lock down on top of their products. It may completely remove certain players from the market and push others forward. I couldn't imagine the FSF playing nicely with that concept at all. One wonders how free software providers would react to software lock down on top of their products. It may completely remove certain players from the market and push others forward. I couldn’t imagine the FSF playing nicely with that concept at all.

]]> By: Dustin http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-26764 Dustin Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:16:04 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/#comment-26764 I can not believe you think vendor lock in is great. The ability to use the things that you own is fantastic. I understand that part of the point of this post is that in the future you tend not to own things, they become part of a contract. However, there are plenty of things that could improve cell phone functionality, and some of those customizations or features are disallowed. If technology is truly going to move forward, it needs to be what the user wants, not the corporation selling it. Otherwise we will be paying 80 bucks a month in the future for an appliance that only has access to email and Facebook. What a step backwards in my opinion. I can not believe you think vendor lock in is great. The ability to use the things that you own is fantastic. I understand that part of the point of this post is that in the future you tend not to own things, they become part of a contract.

However, there are plenty of things that could improve cell phone functionality, and some of those customizations or features are disallowed.

If technology is truly going to move forward, it needs to be what the user wants, not the corporation selling it. Otherwise we will be paying 80 bucks a month in the future for an appliance that only has access to email and Facebook. What a step backwards in my opinion.

]]> By: Ty Miles http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-26761 Ty Miles Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:39:04 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/#comment-26761 I think netbooks will become devices like the iPhone. You will buy it, the OS will be locked down, you will have an app store and you will use it just like the iPhone. (Besides the phone calls) I think this will be great! It will allow for more security (I will be out of a job though) people will not just be able to install software willy nilly. I can't wait till the day when using a PC and or a laptop is as easy as using any other device like a clock or a dvd player. I think netbooks will become devices like the iPhone. You will buy it, the OS will be locked down, you will have an app store and you will use it just like the iPhone. (Besides the phone calls)

I think this will be great! It will allow for more security (I will be out of a job though) people will not just be able to install software willy nilly.

I can’t wait till the day when using a PC and or a laptop is as easy as using any other device like a clock or a dvd player.

]]> By: Mike Cooch http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-26755 Mike Cooch Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:10:10 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/2008/09/09/the-mini-9-netbook-dells-hardware-as-a-service-experiment/#comment-26755 Agreed. I think Untangle is a perfect example of this. We aren't using them yet, but their model is a home run for service providers and customers. Mike www.smbitpros.com www.everonit.com Agreed. I think Untangle is a perfect example of this. We aren’t using them yet, but their model is a home run for service providers and customers.

Mike
http://www.smbitpros.com
http://www.everonit.com

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