selfthinker

The following conversation took place in a 3 store in East Ham on 5 November 2008, while I was buying a mobile broadband dongle.

me:

Does this dongle also work with Linux?

sales girl:

Linux? Is that a special programme?

me:

No, it’s an operating system.

sales girl:

…
(blank stare)

me:

… like Windows or Mac OS.

sales girl:

Oh, like HP or Dell!?

me:

Ehm, no. Like Windows XP — only different …

sales girl:

(turns to a senior sales man)
Does this work with Windows Linux?

sales man:

(uncertain, at least he seems to have heard of it)
Linux is a very heavy programme …
(indicating the sheer vastness of it with his hands: about one metre)

sales man:

Could be … If it doesn’t work with Linux, install Windows XP.

me:

…
(unbelieving blank stare)

sales man:

It only costs about 50 pounds …