My point is that you’re hardly going to find a Genius Bar, Geek Desk or keener computer dude (and who may be manufacturer-qualified to fix things) at Wal-Mart if (or when) your computer upchucks or you want to upgrade elements of the device.

Devices like the Cloudbook and eeePC are largely being marketed to new (and here I mean Brand New) computer users – largely using OSs that are just now going mainstream out of the Geek Community. These users need to have a competent support team behind them – and that includes at the retail level. And Wal-Mart’s hiring practices hardly encourages tech-saavy ‘Associates’.

Meanwhile, online resources that may help the new user (like the forums at eeeuser.com) are only useful if the computer is functioning well enough to get there or the user knows about it….

My first computer was a TRS-80 bought at Radio Shack. They may not have known a lot about computing at the time, but it was their product and they were just geeky enough to help if an issue/question came up.

Sorry, but Wal-Mart, CostCo, et al best suited to bulk buys of toilet paper and the occasional emergency pair of socks.

Now what was your point again?

BTW, sorry guys. I should have checked in here first. I posted about the Cloud being on WM.com at app 8:20PM Sat. You apparenty knew it a day earlier and I could have simply linked back to you. Sheesh.

Then I’ll go to my local computer store for a quart of milk, a toaster and a pair of socks.

cheers