[ubuntu-uk] BBC Vista Coverage

[alan c]

Llywelyn Owen wrote:
> If a shop sells a desktop Linux PCs they'll lose a lot of the after
> sales market, no AV/firewall/security sales, no office productivity
> sales, no OS upgrade sales, you may not even go back for a new PC as
> often let alone for some of their peripheral devices which may not
> have drivers. Same with magazines such as Computer Shopper - only lip
> service to OSS since they would lose even more advertisers and free
> hard/software to test.

it would certainly be a different business model yes. Modern cars are 
reliable, so what happened to all the local repair garages? (My first 
car was built in 1939, it needed love and magic).

The overwhelming momentum in the retail side is one central reason why 
it is so hard to get the word across. It is also easy for some to 
collude with OS monopolistic practices.

 From the consumer's point of view, it is usual to expect that 'If it 
is advertised, it exists'. People expect significant retail and 
advertising activity, for product credibility.

Significantly I got 'retail withdrawal' symptoms for a long time after 
I began using Linux! No joke, very disorienting. I am not rich and do 
not spend much anyway, but initially I felt uncomfortable until I 
bought a retail suse box even though I had also downloaded.

> My biggest fear is of Linux/FOSS being promoted unintentionally by a
> celebrity user (think Twiggy and the Mini) and our community bring
> unprepared for the cries for help.

LOL
A really nice dream!   :-)
-- 
alan cocks
Kubuntu user#10391