Re: [cobalt-users] does cobalt talk to each other?

[Kris Dahl <kris@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Point 2:
> 
> Selling a OS restore CD as separate product is a bad idea from a
> PR POV. I'd rather have the $99 built into the price of the product
> to have the piece of mind that if the OS, through my fault or not,
> got totally hosed that I would have the means of restoring the machine
> to factory condition without waiting for a CD to arrive that I have to
> order. In the eyes of a lot of new Cobalt consumers, even though the Cobalt
> products are called
> "appliances" they really are just computers similar to the PC's on
> our desktops. HP, Compaq, etc all include an OS or a restore CD of the
> machines software with the price of the system. Why should it be different
> for
> Cobalt products? Is it an GNU issue?

Definitely not a GNU issue.  I am not really sure what the Cobalt Restore
CD's issues with being distributed is.  Probably, the first main issue is
that it isn't like running a restore CD on a 'normal server'.  It requires
some additional equipment (100Mb nic, and a PC, as well as a bootable IDE
CD-ROM).  Typically the VAR would have all of these in its tech department,
but might not be at the site.  Second, you can cause problems if you select
the wrong software to install.  I think they don't want to run out and
absorb additional support costs for supporting the restore CD.  I think the
cost isn't there for a profit reason, but a cost to Cobalt reason.  They
don't want people running around reformatting those things unnecessarily.
You can order the CD at any time, and I suggest that if you have multiple
machines that you are supporting, that you should purchase one.  If not,
(and I would suggest this for everyone), I would really suggest that you
purchase from an authorized True Blue Reseller with on-staff systems
engineers and the ability to support the Cobalt products.

-k