Hi, gang,

I was just at www.google.com/linux looking for some games I could download
so that I could run them either online or offline. Going to Google/Linux
should tell you what Operating System I use. Of course, I got many links
based on my keywords on the left and quite a few paid links on the right.
Just out of curiosity, I checked out all the links on the right on all the
Google/Linux pages I checked (about 3 dozen or so). Of all the
downloadable software on the right, all was for Windows, not Linux, with
the exception of one game written in Java. (Java programs can be run on
ANY Java enabled system, regardless of its OS.)

I see two problems with this pratice that at least border on deceptive:

1) It tends to deceive the Google/Linux user that the things offered have
to do with Linux, rather than Windows. After all, if I went to a Windows
page, I would not expect to find something for Linux. Why should I find
something for Windows on a Linux page? If I was on a Mac page, why should
there be Linux software? If I was on a Windows page, why should there be
Mac software? So, on a Linux page, why is there Windows software?

2) It deceives the advertisers by putting their ads in places where the
people who are interested enough in the ad to click on it only find out
they cannot use it because it is for another Operating System, thereby
causeing the advertisers to waste their advertising nibet. Frankly, Google
should, first, hang their heads in shame and, second, refund the money
they charged to the advertisers for putting their ads in places where they
would get a hugely disproportionate number of people who are not
interested because they are advertising for the wrong OS.

By the way, this is one of the few times I have any sympathy for
advertisers, whom I normally view with disdain.

Google, get a life!

--
Andy Rugg - The Cheerful Pickle