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September 8th, 2009

Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux, Mac

Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 10:04 am

Categories: Linux, Microsoft, Windows 7

Tags: Best Buy Co. Inc., Microsoft Corp., Training, Microsoft Training Material, Linux, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows 7, Operating Systems, UNIX, Open Source

New unearthed Microsoft training materials for Best Buy employees shows them why Windows 7 is better than Linux (update: and Mac OS X!).

The full manual, which is posted on Overlock.net boards, instructs employees how they can:

  • “Explain how Windows 7 can provide a richer and more engaging experience than Linux”
  • “Discuss the specific benefits of running Windows 7 on a netbook”
  • Explain that it’s easier to learn because they already have Windows installed
  • Tell customers that Linux is not easy to update and upgrade
  • Explain that Windows is safer than Linux

…among other things.

Besides the completely unfair comparison in the slides, is there any reason why Microsoft should feel it needs to defend Windows against Linux?

Do any Linux users actually shop (and need help) at Best Buy?


Andrew NuscaAndrew J. Nusca is an associate editor for ZDNet and SmartPlanet. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.

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  • Most Recent of 229 Talkback(s)
And why do you suppose EULAs are written that way?
To discourage the user from reading them, perhaps. And it works, doesn't it?

That's the point.... (Read the rest)
Posted by: LeonBA Posted on: 10/16/09 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
Just how many Linux machines are there at Best Buy?  Letophoro | 09/08/09
Right!  Kromaethius | 09/08/09
Actually, Linux forced MS to support netbooks with XP, and, drop the price  DonnieBoy | 09/08/09
It does not show that at all  GuidingLight | 09/08/09
Microsoft fights back  jorjitop | 09/08/09
What do you mean?  Ole Man | 09/08/09
No  JMGM | 09/08/09
Microsoft didn't even invent FUD  darkonc | 09/09/09
Microsoft fights back  ator1940 | 09/09/09
Microsoft is queen of FUD!.  softwareFlunky | 09/09/09
Funny, my last personal copy of XP cost...  914four | 09/09/09
He's talking about pirated versions.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
It's not about personal copies  Roc Riz | 09/10/09
Usual 35....  cosuna | 09/09/09
Yes it does.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Ha ha... It's funny because it's not true  awasson@... | 09/09/09
You have a point...  aharper@... | 09/09/09
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!  His_Shadow | 09/09/09
Lol, this whole thing is FUD  Li1t | 09/10/09
Worried about crap? LOLOLOLOLOL....That's a funny one...  transposeIT | 09/08/09
Average Joe reading ZDNet? :P  TedKraan | 09/09/09
LOL  horus9339@... | 09/11/09
Wow, I think you've hit all the hot spots..  awasson@... | 09/09/09
Linux Zealots at ZDNet  williamacole@... | 09/09/09
Full point!  aharper@... | 09/09/09
Oh yeah!  williamacole@... | 09/09/09
IE8? Good?  Li1t | 09/10/09
Quick, somebody get him his ritalin.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Rigth?  marcovj | 09/09/09
Wrong....  cosuna | 09/09/09
Interesting  tracy anne | 09/09/09
Linux & Open Source is Everywhere You Are! grin  i2fun@... | 09/11/09
Re: Just how many...  UserLand | 09/08/09
System76 is a good independent OEM.  JT82 | 09/08/09
ZaReason is another  tracy anne | 09/09/09
ASUS eee  jdieter@... | 09/09/09
I agree  914four | 09/10/09
Try asking how you get the cost of windows back  Roc Riz | 09/10/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  spartan2276 | 09/08/09
I Seriously Doubt That  Kromaethius | 09/08/09
Doubt?  deefburger | 09/09/09
Cool idea!  williamacole@... | 09/09/09
But which Windows?  cosuna | 09/09/09
Office?  aharper@... | 09/09/09
If it's a web service..  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Skewed Numbers, Lies! haha  i2fun@... | 09/11/09
If I'm at Best Buy and I come across that...  Grayson Peddie | 09/08/09
Ay yi yi  flipicaneze | 09/09/09
I apologize for not responding to this sooner  Michael Kelly | 09/08/09
Yes, this IS funny. happy  jackdeth@... | 09/09/09
Yes, these post ARE funny. happy  jaredo | 09/09/09
Snicker...  aharper@... | 09/09/09
Personally  fairportfan | 09/09/09
Re:  AzuMao | 09/09/09
So do I, not counting myself  tracy anne | 09/09/09
Had the same issue...  Dave32265 | 09/10/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  znetlol | 09/08/09
Thank you microsoft  JMGM | 09/08/09
No doubt!!  jackdeth@... | 09/09/09
Linux has never been just for techies since 2000  tracy anne | 09/09/09
This is the path of all truth  williamacole@... | 09/09/09
Would that be like FOSS and the evils of  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/08/09
Good point  Michael Kelly | 09/08/09
I have to  Viva la crank dodo | 09/08/09
Last time I checked..  AzuMao | 09/09/09
And it's still not Free, it just doesn't cost money.  tracy anne | 09/09/09
"It will also be more difficult..to attach compatible add-ons to the sale"  Zogg | 09/08/09
Because they don't carry boxed Linux software  Michael Kelly | 09/08/09
But they did used to  Erroneous | 09/08/09
Yes, all my USB devices have worked under Linux.  Zogg | 09/08/09
Attach compatible addons to the sale?  aharper@... | 09/09/09
Could this give the open source community  JM1981 | 09/08/09
Uncompetitive business practices?  GuidingLight | 09/08/09
Because..  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Learning curve is not an issue  darkonc | 09/09/09
I hope they sue Ballmer's a-s-s off.  bendib | 09/09/09
Probably not.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Why does it matter  Richard Flude | 09/08/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  The Rifleman | 09/08/09
Anybody that asks advise of a BestBuy salesman  terry flores | 09/08/09
I wouldn't go that far, but...  aharper@... | 09/09/09
Tech Savvy Retail ...DUH  monei011 | 09/10/09
I recall...  fairportfan | 09/09/09
Well, with all the lies media including Zdnet is flaunting against MS...  transposeIT | 09/08/09
There are far more lies...  zkiwi | 09/08/09
happy  jaredo | 09/09/09
Absolutely....  awasson@... | 09/09/09
Irie, Ignorant crap from any OS camp diminishes the whole.  invmgr@... | 09/10/09
Accurate?  TedKraan | 09/09/09
Ah, but...  fairportfan | 09/09/09
You don't even need Cedega.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
I agree wholeheartedly.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
The view from a man in both camps.  CPPDEV | 09/08/09
Virtualization  davidr69 | 09/09/09
Drones  Capital7 | 09/09/09
Virtualization  davidr69 | 09/09/09
This is not...  fairportfan | 09/09/09
Because  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Wrong, the saleperson SHOULD know this  davidr69 | 09/10/09
That's what I've done  williamacole@... | 09/09/09
Coming from a guy that WORKS at BestBuy  Capital7 | 09/09/09
Please learn to use paragraphs!  Heatlesssun | 09/09/09
Seriously?  Capital7 | 09/09/09
lol  jaredo | 09/09/09
Your post is MUCH harder to read with no paragraphs!  Heatlesssun | 09/09/09
The point was that a massive block of text is hard to read  brendan@... | 09/09/09
If you thought THAT was a diatribe.. try reading the Vista EULA! Good luck!  AzuMao | 09/09/09
And why do you suppose EULAs are written that way?  LeonBA | 10/16/09
Seriously.  fairportfan | 09/09/09
Wow fanboy much  awasson@... | 09/09/09
No - just someone...  fairportfan | 09/09/09
Shush, paragratard.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
AbsolutelyRight you are  chuck_gregory@... | 09/09/09
And you're kind of wrong  Heatlesssun | 09/09/09
He means the OS.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Thumbs up!  ximhot | 09/09/09
Does your employer sell keyboards?  aharper@... | 09/09/09
Best Buy sells keyboards, but....  tmsbrdrs | 09/15/09
Mister Paragraph...  fairportfan | 09/09/09
For all you clowns that got way too hung up on format... A mulligan.  Capital7 | 09/10/09
MS' "Get the Facts" campaign and false advertizing  hawkeyeaz1 | 09/09/09
Why?  jaredo | 09/09/09
The best way to lie...  fairportfan | 09/09/09
What are you talking about?  AzuMao | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  guyrcook | 09/09/09
No Support for all these Viruses in Linux  myrealname | 09/09/09
No support for anything!  Heatlesssun | 09/09/09
Weird, considering that it supports a few thousand of it's own  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Linux doesn't support most viruses  frd050101@... | 09/09/09
Or Games, Office automation tools, developer tools, imaging tools, etc..  Heatlesssun | 09/09/09
Nah, those work fine. Unless you mean the trojan you downloaded from BT.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Funny...  Dave32265 | 09/10/09
Oh, now you've gone and done it...  awasson@... | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  giscoord@... | 09/09/09
All you're doing is trying to justify conartistry.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
More confirmation of just how lost Microsoft is  schmandel@... | 09/09/09
And when will Linux get a decent sound system?  Heatlesssun | 09/09/09
It won't  Baer | 09/09/09
I think you two, along with MS, need to get your facts straight....  Rezinunts | 09/09/09
See that's the problem...  awasson@... | 09/09/09
No way.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Except for . . .  sporkfighter | 09/09/09
Have NO idea what you are talking about...  aharper@... | 09/09/09
In the past.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Good By ZDNET  russhouck | 09/09/09
Finally  jaredo | 09/09/09
why would Best Buy do this anyway?  ca1ic0cat | 09/09/09
Jack pot!!...  JCitizen | 09/09/09
Not BestBuy...  fairportfan | 09/09/09
yeah, I read the story  ca1ic0cat | 09/10/09
Because they get paid to feed them this garbage.  AzuMao | 09/10/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  dthomaswhite | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  Tiquor | 09/09/09
I don't know about ALL games.. but it plays WoW, CoD4, Spore, and C&C3 fine  AzuMao | 09/09/09
My Ubuntu netbooks instill happiness  binstock@... | 09/09/09
Ubuntu Linux  mike.morales@... | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  gatewoodj@... | 09/09/09
It's not more friendly  AzuMao | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  lawrence@... | 09/09/09
No, he should have used the word "lied", as in said things obviously false.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  mpnc | 09/09/09
And let a newbie do it...  JCitizen | 09/09/09
That'll never happen...  aharper@... | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  LBean | 09/09/09
On that "DuelBoot"....  JCitizen | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  whohearer | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  jaschiel | 09/09/09
The other side thats not being told  dajncsu | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  jurgen.manycolored@... | 09/09/09
As if.....  flipicaneze | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  chrisl317 | 09/09/09
Oh? And you think you'd get help then?  JCitizen | 09/09/09
Yep, Kinda like a big game.  aharper@... | 09/09/09
F'tards  preacherx | 09/09/09
Hey! Its capitalism!!!...  JCitizen | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  jjjjbbbb | 09/09/09
N'kay. Houd'you like it?..(nt)  JCitizen | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  mike.morales@... | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  jerryb@... | 09/09/09
I think you misunderstand  Spleenhunter | 09/09/09
Understood.  aharper@... | 09/09/09
"Figures don't lie..."  fairportfan | 09/09/09
Um, yes it is.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  rMatey | 09/09/09
The Big Lie  drednot57 | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  thermoid | 09/09/09
Go hawk yourself.  AzuMao | 09/09/09
Yes, for many reasons not mentioned...  mikifinaz1@... | 09/09/09
True, but you forgot to mention...  JCitizen | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  sporkfighter | 09/09/09
Well... When facts fail, FUD flourishes.  aharper@... | 09/09/09
EEexcellent!! And posting your specs..  JCitizen | 09/09/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats  NickNaym | 09/09/09
Okay Microsoft Marketing, sharpen your pencils...  aharper@... | 09/09/09
Divide and conquer!...  JCitizen | 09/09/09
Screw that!  AzuMao | 09/09/09
I have shifted to Ubuntu altogether.  ash_sids | 09/10/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  hopped | 09/10/09
RE: The original question  techrepublic@... | 09/10/09
http://mrmarkeh.com/linux_win.png, do I say more?  markh789 | 09/10/09
That image is funny  ash_sids | 09/10/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  Aboleyn | 09/10/09
Microsoft sells lies and is running scared!  as901 | 09/10/09
Why this Material Exists...  TBone2k | 09/10/09
Ya.. don't want to lose customers to superior products! No sirree, bob!  AzuMao | 09/10/09
I don't buy much of anything from Worst-Buy  nevthaman | 09/10/09
But it's consistent in always being atrocious.  AzuMao | 09/10/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  dcolbert@... | 09/10/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  gammaworld@... | 09/10/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  dcolbert@... | 09/10/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  dcolbert@... | 09/10/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  Computer_User_1024 | 09/10/09
Hahahaha  smitsc05 | 09/10/09
Thats about all I buy from Best Buy.  clareJ | 09/10/09
Marketing to non-experts  wellduh | 09/10/09
Shell programming? Uber-expert? Maybe in the 90s. But now..  AzuMao | 09/10/09
Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Lin  mrdt | 09/10/09
Most average joe users don't know what an OS is  gdgtgrl | 09/10/09
M$ are inventive...  horus9339@... | 09/11/09
Would be Linux users @ BestBuy  gmureddu@... | 09/12/09
If you want to run your old proprietary Windows stuff, use WINE..  AzuMao | 09/12/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  History500 | 09/12/09
It's ALL about the retailer MAXIMIZING PROFIT.  usr001 | 09/13/09
Easy  AzuMao | 09/13/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  dbcurtis@... | 09/18/09
Microsoft needs to be proactive...  LongTimeSoftwareDeveloper | 09/20/09
And how long do your favorite apps...  JCitizen | 09/22/09
Um, dude..  AzuMao | 10/08/09
RE: Microsoft training materials teach Best Buy employees how Windows beats Linux  mcsystemsgb | 10/08/09

What do you think?

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