[Cialug] Desktop Linux

[Matthew Nuzum]

On Thu, Jun 11, 2009 at 12:11 PM, Todd Walton<tdwalton at gmail.com> wrote:
> First, browser-based computing has not helped Linux to become
> user-friendly.  If it's helped anything, it's been to make the
> user-friendliness of the operating system a moot point.

I don't disagree with your point one bit, but the fact that more and
more people are using the web browser as not only their main, but in
many cases their only desktop application has allowed people to choose
which desktop OS they want. The OS for many is just a set of drivers
that sit between their digital camera and flickr.

An interesting side note, the other day (actually, longer than that,
maybe a month or two ago) I got a little bit upset because a
salesperson at Best Buy was telling a customer they should not
consider buying a Linux based netbook that was $40 cheaper because it
didn't have Windows. His reasoning? They don't even sell antivirus
software for it!

That sounds laughable at first but it reveals some motivations or
views that are slowing Linux adoption. Best Buy and other consumer
electronics stores don't make much money on computer sales. Margin's
are tight. Instead, they profit when people buy add-ons like
warranties, cables and software. When you think about it this way,
Linux is a major threat to their profitability. They have a thriving
business built around the web NOT being the OS.

-- 
Matthew Nuzum
newz2000 on freenode, skype, linkedin, identi.ca and twitter