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 …