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On 26/06/11 10:10, techservices wrote:
Hi Folks Well do we really have any evidence that shows there is some kind of cartel deal between MS and Retailers like PC World? Is that the OEM licensing agreement? if so question a is mute.
Not sure, I think PC World sell Microsoft boxed software because it sells.
PC World used to sell Boxed Linux sets but maybe that's not the same thing?
Maybe the people who used to buy boxed distros get the free ones these days. Years ago I bought a boxed SuSE Linux, but that was because it wasn't available free and I didn't have the ability to realisitically download a distro (I was on dialup back then) so it was the only way I could get Linux, plus it came with a whopping great manual.
These days Linux distros are easily available online, lots of people have broadband so they can download the distro in minutes to hours depending on their connection speed, and if they haven't there are quite a few magazines these days which provide Linux distros on the cover discs for a fraction of the cost of a retail boxed distro.
Probably also worth noting that some of the distros now update so often such as twice maybe 3 times a year that they may be left over with old boxed distros.
If you ask me, it would make more sense for them to hold stocks of Linux related books, such as maybe a book on the LTS release of Ubuntu which is at least valid for 3 years.
I think if they were to sell Linux distros then the only way they could do it without having old stock left over would be to have something like a Freedom toaster in every store where distros could be burnt while the customer waits and the distros could be kept up to date. But again the amount they'd probably realisticly be able to sell the discs for would probably not cover the cost of the kit anyway.
If you could give others a nudge in your networks about the survey that would really help get a broad subset of answers. I am hoping to catch up with Eddie Bleasdale to discuss the results. he has done a lot of work around the governments social inclusion strategies so the more responses I have the better this will look .
I can try and share it round my networks, but my networks are pretty much limited to the LUG mailing list and my friends on Facebook (the majority of which aren't interested in Linux.
Rob -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq