ZDNet: Can Linux cross the channel?; How to make money with Linux? Answer may be near or VAR

“We can see that the market for Linux-related services is
growing — what’s at issue is who stands to reap these rewards.
One of the greatest income opportunities for Linux lies in “the
channel”. Comprised of middle-tier companies that exist between
vendors and end users, these value added resellers (VARs) stand to
make even more money than the major distributors.”

“…while most of the major vendors are chasing the big
customers, they’re ignoring other opportunities to make money.
Who’s looking after the needs of small to medium-sized businesses?
Folks seem to forget that this is how Unix got its foothold in
the days when VAX/VMS was king, maturing within the small and
mid-sized business market while preparing to take on the
enterprise. And so it shall be, I believe, with Linux.”

“The Linux world has not come to grips with the task of
assembling a market-savvy and aggressive field of Linux-friendly
VARs and system integrators. Speaking as someone who’s been
involved with Unix and Linux VARs for more than a decade, I believe
that there are plenty of opportunities for VARs and major service
vendors to fill this gap.”

“Of course, VARs need some Linux smarts in order to realize
these results. They need access to higher level support when they
come across issues beyond their knowledge and experience. But the
current offerings of most Linux-based support vendors go horribly
wrong in that they target the end user, directly competing with the
VARs who are more in tune with those end users.”

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