I've been MS free for over a decade and my parents and brothers for about 3 years. Debian and then Ubuntu.

Had this page included some illustrative video about what comes preinstalled with each system in a little walkthrough this A or B page may have been more fair. They could also include a primer to cloud services. I think grannies might consider Ubuntu if they saw how well it suits their needs.

I think the "new user" point makes sense coming from Dell. They sell software and would like to offer consumers the gratification of buying something that will work on their new computer. I think this works both ways. The consumer wants to buy Office, an awesome CPU-munching anti-spyware app (who doesn't), and a handful of games.

Dell customers who take Ubuntu home will be left holding their discs in their hands. I remember (and worked) at CompUSA when it was possible to buy CorelOffice and Loki games off the shelf. Those days have passed and with todays generation of console, Flash, mobile, and HTML based games ... and OpenOffice, who needs them. People would happily keep their $100-$500 Office dollars if they knew about Google Apps.

I still have the worst luck picking mid-consumer grade printers off the shelf that work under Linux without hitting the net first. I thought all Brothers were safe and I bought my mom the one that wasn't - now it is a coaster.

I think any programmer - not just "open source" programmers would benefit from the Ubuntu choice. Did they really have to spotlight the Games menu?

And kids shouldn't be exposed to Sesame Street's bleeping Count: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AXPnH0C9UA

But, I hope they've worked out the icing problem.

Sorry - Last night I watched Ironman for the first time.

Everyone left FreeBSD for Linux over the bell lawsuit.

They restrict apps that duplicate functionality found in the stock Apple apps. Nobody can release another web browser, etc. At least through ITMS. It purplera1ned all over my 3gs 2 nights ago, and I'm very happy with the results.

I'm sure the drag related tech isn't the only useful stuff they found in the plans. They're probably using them to supe up their own rigs, as well as get a better understanding of OUR drone's radar footprint, etc.

..or he makes sure the cops aren't involved by shooting/stabbing you asap.

Yeah, I had so many friends that would sleep their laptops instead of shutting the down without knowing it, and they'd always be asking WhyTF their laptops were dead. Great lolz.

...but they don't allow arbitrary code execution. They only run the game rom. Apple is worried that people can install a C64 emulator and use it an another JB vector, etc.

Dude, just jailbreak, already. How can you be a /. member and resist the urge to pwn your phone?

Jailbreaking doesn't void anything. I bought a 3G 2 weeks before the 'new model' was 'leaked', and broke it within an hour. Then 2 days before my 30 day 'tryout' was over, I backed it all up, restored it to default non-jailbroken firmware, and returned it 'because it sucked'. Then I went back to the store to preorder the day the 3GS was announced.

My 3GS will be here in a few days, and it gets broken immediately as well. You're missing out on so much good stuff.

You could prevent the lock screen from showing private sms and call data, tethering works over usb or ad-hoc wifi, springjumps+iblank rocks. my home screen icons all jumped to pages of categories laid out how I wanted them, different keyboard layouts (iTypeFastR, BB Storm, etc), being able to install themes/ringtones, BossPrefs, Folders to hide pron! (or password lists, etc.), Docs, NES, SNES4iPhone. I was 1/2 done with Link to The Past on my iPhone when I had to take it back. :(