You'll know desktop Linux has broken the Microsoft monopoly when you
walk into your local computer store and see a Linux aisle crammed full
of desktop and laptop computers ready for your shopping cart. That's
our vision at Lindows. Today there are about 1,000 stores in North
America, many in Mexico, that stock at least one pre-installed desktop
Linux computer. It's not easy getting retailers to carry Linux
computers. They naturally have questions about how they can train their
sales people, whether consumers will buy them, and how solid is the
support. In
addition, Microsoft uses their massive economic power to discourage
retailers from selling competing products. For example CompUSA, the largest retailer of Microsoft
Office, gets hundreds of millions of dollars in marketing subsidies
from Microsoft. CompUSA knows that stocking Linux computers will make
Microsoft very unhappy and that could translate into fewer marketing
dollars to them, which would dramatically affect their profitability.
This leaves an opportunity for smaller vendors to fill the demand for
Linux computers.
Mark and David Silverman are two brothers who are doing a thriving
online business selling computers called sub300.com.
(In their native
Canadian dollars, it's sub500.com but they do a large
percentage of their
business to Americans and so they name their store in U.S. dollars as
well.)
They have remarkably low prices and one reason is because they've
chosen not to sell any Microsoft products but instead focus on
Linspire. I recently bought several desktops and a laptop computer from
them for
my friends and family. They're one of the 350+ builders who have signed up online which gives
them digital access to software
they can use to test and ship Linspire pre-configured computers. It's
cost-effective, immediate and there are no audit demands or long
term
contracts which they would be required to enter into with Microsoft.
Recently, the Silverman brothers have decided to open the
first Linux-only retail store in
Toronto, Canada. Sub500 will open its doors at 2930 Dufferin Street Saturday, June 26th,
2004 to serve the Ontario area
demand for Linux products. They'll be
stocking desktop computers from $299 to $979cdn and laptop
models available from $1,111 to $1,444cdn. Shoppers can walk in, try
the computers, speak with passionate knowledgeable Linux people and go
home with an affordable computer. They will also have a complete line
of Linspire software products on display. There have been other
retailers to carry a Linux computer or two, but none that I know of
have dedicated their entire inventory to Linux software and computers.
I believe the Sub500 Linux store may have much greater impact than
simply satisfying demand in Toronto for Linux. Every tech trend starts
at the grass roots level and moves up the eco-system like a row of
dominos tumbling over. The first PCs weren't owned by big business, but
by hobbyists. The first Linux servers snuck in the back door of ISPs
and were installed by geeks. New technologies are rarely championed by big
corporations first, but follow a natural progression. They start with
early adopters, then move to home and small business, then to
medium-size businesses and finally to large enterprises and
government institutions. It would be terrific if CompUSA starts selling Linux
computers, but they likely won't start doing that until competitive pressures
compel them to. This will happen when other retailers start taking their
business and begin satisfying customer demand for Linux computers. I believe it will start with
independant retailers like Sub500, then move to the regional chains,
then the nationwide chains, then to mass retailers. At Lindows, we hope the sound you
just heard was the first domino toppled over in Toronto, Canada.
--
Michael
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Please
visit support.linspire.com
to answers questions you may have about
Linspire.
About Linspire
Linspire is an affordable
Linux-based operating system, designed specifically for desktop and
laptop computers in
homes, schools and businesses. Linspire uses proprietary CNR technology
that allows the installation, updating and
management of hundreds of software programs usually with just one
click. The
Linspire operating system is also offered in Spanish (linspire.com/espanol)
and Japanese (www.linspire.com/livedoor).
Those who are interested in becoming authorized resellers of Linspire
should visit www.linspire.com/reseller,
or www.linspire.com/builder
if interested in selling computers pre-loaded with Linspire.
mm120
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