[CoLoCo] Canonical To Start Offering Commercial Software Via Aptitude

[Ryan Taylor]

In thinking about this "issue", I have to consider why I switched to Ubuntu
in the first place....

My Windows98 machine was crashing all the time (more blue-screen vs.
desktop), and bottom line I was fed up with Microsoft.  I couldn't afford an
upgrade to XP, Mac's were WAY out of my price range; so I started looking
for alternatives.

I ran across Ubuntu, and decided to take a chance.  At that time I had
little to no concept of FOSS...and to be honest, the fact Ubuntu was free
had me worried...There is a lot of crap software floating around the
internet that is free, and I was slightly concerned that I was formatting my
hard-drive for something similar.  In the end it was the community (the
forums in particular), that assured me to give it a try.

But I'll be honest, I don't think the majority of PC users would take that
chance.  People are resistant to change, there is a little bit of comfort
most consumers have in paying for something (if you had $1000 dollars, no
mechanical experience, would you buy the used car that listed for $700 or
the one for $5).

That said, as much as I love supporting and using FOSS, I strongly doubt the
majority of people using Windows gives a damn about FOSS philosophy and its
benefits.  They want to turn on their machine and they want it to work, this
is especially true in industry and government, where Microsoft has its
strongest hold.

I'm rambling, but it comes down to most people will likely switch to Ubuntu
NOT because of its FOSS philosophy, but because they are fed up with
Windows/Microsoft/Whatever.  If Canonical has the opportunity (by having
proprietary free/non-free software that people are used to) to make a the
transition to Ubuntu better for some people, I think it's absolutely
wonderful!

Once they are using Ubuntu, then the user will likely see and experience
FOSS and its benefits first hand...

Bottom line for me is that I think it will help people try Ubuntu out, that,
regardless of reason, is a good thing.

my 2 cents...






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