Generally the interested groups have spent a lot of time blowing hot air
on this topic. So I think it's time to put our money where our mouth is.
We have a number of committed, competent Linux (and BSD and ...) folk in
our groups. And we must know some folk from computer stores. Perhaps the
big guys are (or think they are) contractually constrained -- possibly
illegally. But there are smaller retailers that could and should be
offering Linux, particularly on desktops. There may also be end-of-run
laptops (as Joseph noted) that become available.
Here is the suggestion:
- If we believe things should be available, then let some of us start
the ball rolling with "The Linux Suppliers". That is, try to establish a
joint venture or add-on service with local shops to allow them to offer
machines with linux set up and running. To give extra cachet (MCR was
talking of delivery issues), the deal could be that the technician
delivers and sets up and ensures things working. Truly "ready to go".
- There may be contacts in the School of Management, such as the
Entrepreneurs Club and some of the strategy, marketing and other profs.
who might be interested. I am willing to find contacts if there are
"players".
- We need some investment:
- sweat equity of those on front line (see below)
- backers for initial investment in registering a name, advertising
etc. I suspect an investment of about $10000 is likely sufficient for
startup, and am willing to put up $1000 if there is sufficient interest.
The structuring of financing would need to be worked out. However, it
could probably wait until some retail collaborators are on side.
- Recognize that "investors" may be highly interested but not
willing or able to be involved in day-to-day operations. That will fall
to 1-3 folk willing to be on the line. And at least one of those had
better be a good administrator.
Has the time come? Responses? (And I recognize that public servants who
buy stuff for the government may be unable to participate. Moral support
or helpful comments still welcome.)
John Nash
Joseph wrote:
Somebody on this thread made the point that civil servants who have
diffulty finding open source suppliers in their personal lives are less
likely to include it in options at the office.
From this list http://tuxmobil.org/reseller.html I located "The Linux
Store" http://www.thelinuxstore.ca/ which sells an "Ubuntu/Fedora Laptop
- CEL 1.5, 256M, 40G, DVD-RW 14" for $635.
Then I checked out the laptops at Staples, and they had an Acer Aspire
3630 at $749 with CEL 370, 512M and 60G and an Aspire 55002 at $697 with
Pentium M375A 512M and 60G. Both come with factory-installed WinXP.
If a consumer would just blow away the WinXP to install ubuntu or
whatever, I wonder what's the approach for a little company like The
Linux Store to try capture the laptop sale? I want firms like theirs to
be able to compete in this space. But it's hard to be competitive.
One of the problems someone aleady mentioned on this list is that MS
pays hardware companies and retailers to say "xxx recommends WinXP". If
that amount comes close to the bulk costs of the factory-installed
licenses, the manufacturers/retailers actually get WinXP for free, which
enables MS tp keeps mind-share. In fact, since The Linux Store has
manual work to do to install ubuntu (versus factory install of WinXP)
the ubuntu set-up costs more.
If consumers knew that lots of other excellent free software comes
bundled with a distro, they might see the up-front price advantage, but
most consumers STILL seem to think that all you get with a Linux distro
is the Terminal interface.
Since these laptops were on the "liquidation sale" list, Staples was
also offering it's 3-year extended warranty (walk-in replacement) at $21
instead of the usual hundred something.
So we went to Staples in Hull yesterday. We asked if we could try out
the latest ubuntu bootable CD on one of the Acers on the shelf. The
first guy said no. So I kind of laughed, and asked for the Manager. The
Manager came, and I explained that we can't buy the laptop unless we can
test to see if it will operate with Linux. He said okay -- though he was
just a little impatient with us. When we re-booted, it turned out the
BIOS was set to read from the hard drive before the CD/DVD drive. He was
nice enought to reset this. Then ubuntu started up fine. We then looked
at another Acer. This one was "in the box", so on first boot-up, we had
to step through all the winXP set-up process. Then we had to reset the
BIOS on this one too. Then, ubuntu started up just fine. By this time,
the fellas at Staples had become a little more interested in Linux,
since we had time to talk. The Manager said that he thinks that Staples
is paid to restrict sales to Windows, and that MS could and would sue
Staples if it included distibution of open source distros. (Lothar and
Bill, you might want to check into that, and if so, you ought to send a
note the the Competition Bureau.)
Result: Even though it required some confident, polite, insistence by
the consumer (BTW - further to a discussion at yesterdays's gaggle, THAT
is "the organization of consumption"), the staff at Staples were quite
accommodating. Some earlier experience at Future Shop was nowhere as
accommodating. From what we read, the Acers generally are okay with
Linux, and with 14 days to return it (which we'll do if bits gets
complicated after the ubuntu install) and a 3-year extended walk-in
hardware warranty, my daughter bought her Acer laptop at Staples. It's
not the latest latest, but more than adequate for her needs (Pentium M
735, 1.75GHz, 512 RAM, 60G HD, Writable DVD, built-in wireless and 14"
screen). Including tax, and including 3-year coverage, the total came
to just over $800. Nice.
We'll set it up as dual-boot (because of the risk that some of the orgs
she has to interact with make it a hassle to blow away the Windows).
All in all, this anecdote suggests that the "consumer experience" still
has several barriers, but they are NOT technical. All the points that
might have dissuaded a less insistent and confident consumer were,
literally, "non-technical barriers to trade".
joseph
Joseph wrote:
Here's a long list of firms that sell linux-tested laptops...
http://tuxmobil.org/reseller.html
On the tuxmobile list I found a place in Toronto specialized in
Linux-tested machines -- here is their basic laptop at less than $700:
http://www.thelinuxstore.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1147
BTW, keep this in mind...
http://www.powernotebooks.com/articles/index.php?action=fullnews&id=17
joseph
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John C. Nash, School of Management, University of Ottawa,
Vanier Hall 451, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier Private,
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"Practical Forecasting for Managers" web site is at
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