[ Thanks to Brian
Ashe for this link. ]
“After my expose piece on Microsoft last week, I promised one
reader that I wouldn’t write about Microsoft again for awhile.
Unfortunately, I think I have to break my promise and here’s why:
As I’ve written about previously, the real key to desktop Linux
gaining momentum is to get retailers to sell computers with Linux
preinstalled. Sure, some people are smart enough to download
software from our web servers then burn a CD and install it, but
the majority of people want to buy a computer, plug it in and have
it ready to go. Getting Linux computers onto store shelves sounds
easy–what store wouldn’t want to stock computers for $200-300? (I
just bought a computer for $249 and upgraded the RAM from 128MBs to
256MBs for 30 bucks and it is a solid little performer!) Consumers
really want affordable computers and any retailer who stocks them
sells large quantities of them. It seems like it would be an easy
decision, right?“There’s one additional dynamic that comes into the
equation–Microsoft’s money to discourage retailers who start
selling large numbers of LindowsOS computers. Microsoft routinely
offers financial inducements to computer companies to not carry
LindowsOS computers. With $40 billion in the bank, it’s an easy
decision for them to use a few million dollars to block Lindows.com
from major retailers. Every month that Microsoft keeps their
monopoly position, it is another billion or so in profit. You’ve
probably heard rumors of such behavior in the past and maybe you’re
skeptical because the tales are, not surprisingly, light on facts.
So allow me to give you the facts from one such retailer to
convince you…”