Marketing Linux

["Jeff Fellows" <Jtfellows@worldnet.att.net>]

While reading the posts about marketing Linux to business, it occurred to me
that everything radically changes now that the dollar cost of the MS OS on a
new computer is itemized.

<<<  Even that Microsoft toady of all toadies, Dell, is giving its customers
an option to purchase its computers with no operating system installed. This
knocks $100 off the purchase price of a Dell machine (and those are darned
good machines, so the offer is very tempting).   >>>
http://www.ncworldmag.com/ncw-06-1998/ncw-06-straypackets.html?0611

Now a business person is forced to determine which operating system is the
best value for each new computer purchased.  For example $300 for WinNT,
$100 for Windoze or $50 for Linux?

Previously the question of which OS to buy did not come up.  It appeared to
the purchaser that the MS OS was free.  Although in economic terms rather
than free the OS was bundled illegally with the computer cost.  Computer
OEM's were illegally prevented by MS from unbundling the OS and computer for
sale.

MS will also not be able to give away their OS for free or at a reduced cost
in an attempt to ruin the OS market for Linux, in today's legal environment.
This is what MS did with the obvious illegal economic dumping of MSIE
against Netscape.  Economic dumping is roughly defined as selling under cost
to build market share, where cost is the total of the cost of production
plus profit and administration costs.

Itemizing the cost of the OS when purchasing a new computer changes the
relative cost and value of MS OS, versus Linux.  Previously it cost $50 to
add Linux to a computer, but now it will save you money to add Linux to a
computer.  Because of this change which OS's purchased will change, which
will them change which OS platforms are developed for and ported to.

Will there be Westlaw and / or other proprietary software for Linux in 1999?
You bet your bucks, especially when one considers the MS OS in 1999 will
reportedly be NT.  Then the choice in OS's for a new computer will suddenly
be NT for $300 or Linux for $50, while Windoze is reportedly being phased
out.

Now add in the economic changes that are coming up with Intel hitting the
courts of justice, and suddenly what platforms are being developed for or
ported to, at what price points, and the OS choices are blown wide open.

The idea that Linux might be installed in half of the new computers bought
in 2001 is suddenly plausible.

Put your order in now for the $350 Chinese made portable pc server /
workstation.  Deduct $50 if you would like that without Linux installed ;-)
Comes with a foldable stretchable flat screen display  ;-)

Enjoy,
Jeff