algeriatul team mailing list archive

[Faldegast <1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> On Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 23:21, Faldegast <1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > In 2007 the market for a software store was very immature. Now everyone
> > got one. There is Appstore, Android Market, Chrome Web Store, and
> > Microsofts specs for Windows 8 suggests they are planning one.
> 
> I think it is necessary to have a software store - for one reason:
> Just to make it easy to buy the commercial software one wants to use -
> and then of course the installation must be easy (which on Ubuntu in
> general already is). If it is hard for people to find, buy and install
> the software they want to use (and maybe don't know the name of the
> tool upfront), they might blame the OS for it.
I think thats one reason. Attracting the developers that currently does not target Ubuntu/Linux is another.

 
> That said, regarding making money with/for/from Ubuntu (I read in the
> news about the money perspective) I thought of the core advantage of
> Open Source Software: Pay for effort - for work.
> 
> Nobody thinks of paying a yearly license for having tubes in the wall
> - no - people pay the plumber when they need him/her for putting
> additional tubes or doing repair work. I think, it should be the same
> for software. The advantage of software is that it can be easier
> duplicated and easier offered than the tubes.
Actually they do. Its called insurance. You pay a monthly fee and if your tubes need to be repaired you are not hit with a overwhelming cost.
And thats quite similar to software support agreements. You pay a yearly fee and when you run into problems, you have someone that will fix it. There is a huge difference between FOSS business models and closed source business models. If i don't want commercial support, i can download and use the software. If i want commersial support I can buy RHEL subscriptions, as an example. The software however, is still free.

> In addition to a software store I think what should be introduced in
> the same easy way is something like pledgebank
> (http://www.pledgebank.com/) - a platform that allows to easily put
> money together for implementing feature x or asking for fixing the bug
> y. Let's say 20 companies are asking for the same thing that maybe
> costs - lets say - 10000 dollar to implement/fix, it would cost 500
> per company. And this payed for one developer working for
> approximately a month (assuming a country with high taxes).
Perhaps this should be integrated with Ubuntu brainstorm, and other sites where such pledges get more exposure?
There are also cofundos.org, and possibly other sites?

> Asking money for using Ubuntu in general (if it is only 10 Dollar, I
> read about such ideas a few days ago) is not a good idea IMHO. In
> Hungary for example Microsoft is asking a similar amount for student
> version of Windows+MSOffice (yes it is like drug-dealing in front of
> the schools...).

We already have such an offer for students. Its available for download at www.ubuntu.org. :)
I am talking about a commercial version with support, marketing and distribution. And more important, an OEM program. 

Actually i think Microsoft expect Students to buy a computer with an OEM
license and then get the student version, and actually pay more then
they have to.... and thats even more evil...

> DonationCoder (http://www.donationcoder.com/) also have several
> approaches for funding software development, from micro-donations up
> to custom-made software request handling through forums. I think, to
> build an "Ubuntu" for people seeking for programs to be written or
> bugs to be fixed, combined with a simple way of donation/payment,
> would be a big gain for Ubuntu. - Especially for companies with need
> to optimize their overall performance (and the computer is often an
> important tool for efficient administration in a company).
Actually i think that is great. But most users don't take time for this. They would rather buy a box and expect the source of that box to fund such development.

-- 
Microsoft has a majority market share
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu 4
dz, which is a direct subscriber.

Status in Club Distro: Confirmed
Status in Computer Science Ubuntu: Invalid
Status in EasyPeasy Overview: Invalid
Status in GNOME Screensaver: Won't Fix
Status in Ichthux - Linux for Christians: Invalid
Status in JAK LINUX: Invalid
Status in The Linux OS Project: In Progress
Status in The Metacity Window Manager: In Progress
Status in The OpenOffice.org Suite: In Progress
Status in Tabuntu: Invalid
Status in A simple player to online TV streaming: Invalid
Status in Tv-Player: New
Status in Ubuntu: In Progress
Status in “ubuntu-express” package in Ubuntu: Invalid
Status in The Jaunty Jackalope: Invalid
Status in “ubuntu-express” source package in Jaunty: Invalid
Status in Baltix GNU/Linux: Invalid
Status in “linux” package in Debian: In Progress
Status in Fluxbuntu: The Lightweight, Productive, Agile OS: Confirmed
Status in openSUSE: In Progress
Status in Tilix Linux: New

Bug description:
Microsoft has a majority market share in the new desktop PC marketplace.
This is a bug, which Ubuntu is designed to fix.

Non-free software is holding back innovation in the IT industry, restricting access to IT to a small part of the world's population and limiting the ability of software developers to reach their full potential, globally. This bug is widely evident in the PC industry.

Steps to repeat:

1. Visit a local PC store.

What happens:
2. Observe that a majority of PCs for sale have non-free software pre-installed.
3. Observe very few PCs with Ubuntu and free software pre-installed.

What should happen:
1. A majority of the PCs for sale should include only free software like Ubuntu.
2. Ubuntu should be marketed in a way such that its amazing features and benefits would be apparent and known by all.
3. The system shall become more and more user friendly as time passes.