| wIndependence Day Essay: The Libertari Plan |
by Greg Smith (August 8, 2002)
Despite the progress Linux and Open source software have made over the past decade, the latest surveys of software usage show Microsoft's monopoly more entrenched than ever, holding a near 95% share of operating systems, browsers, and office suites.
I have been running Linux on my home computer for more than a year now. When properly installed and configured Linux blows away any Microsoft Windows OS with a plethora of superior features:- Desktops in KDE and workspaces in Gnome have no parallel in Windows outside of kludgey commercial 3rd party add-on applications.
- There is a configurable grace period before requiring the input of a password to clear the xscreensaver. So simple, so useful, so absent on Windows.
- The multitude of dazzling screen savers available free and bundled with xscreensaver (and to a lesser extent KDE) put Windows to shame. Even Pipes which they both share is better on Linux. Sure it's just eye candy, but desktop users love eye candy!
- Being able to securely lock your desktop with the click of a mouse button -- long a part of *nix, never part of Windows.
- The profusion of games, toys, and applets bundled free with most Linux distros again puts Windows to shame. If only Windows users knew how much they were missing.
- The abundance of free applications available for Linux. You may get a special deal for a bundled app or two with Windows, but you can be sure you'll be paying for upgrades forever thereafter. And many of these Linux apps, such as Galeon, offer features far more advanced than their Microsoft counterparts.
- Windows doesn't come close to the configurability of behavior and appearance (choices of desktops, window frames, backgrounds, etc.) available to the Linux users.
So why hasn't Linux taken the world by storm and put Microsoft out of business? Because the disadvantages for the average consumer are even greater than the advantages:- To be of any value, Linux must be properly installed and configured. The typical PC consumer has neither the time nor inclination to deal with these issues.
- In addition to buying a copy of Linux, you have to buy either a blank PC or a PC with Windows already on it. In either case you're forced to pay royalties to Microsoft (the infamous Microsoft tax).
- The hardware and peripherals on the PC may or may not be well-suited to Linux. Only a Linux guru who spends lots of time testing and reading can tell you if any particular piece of hardware will have problems -- and often even the guru won't know.
- Add-on devices (e.g., drives, cards, MP3 players, etc.) may or may not have drivers available for Linux and usually have little or no support. You, the Linux user, are on your own when it comes to installing after-market hardware.
- There is a general ignorance of Linux among the general public. They may have heard of it, but they know very little about how to use a Linux system or the software on it. They've never had a chance to try it out, to play with it, or to compare it to their Windows user experience.
- Even if a typical consumer wanted to buy a Linux PC, there are no trusted retail outlets known to the general public where one can buy a Linux PC.
- Installing new software for Linux often involves manually downloading files, dealing with configuration and dependency problems and compiling with make -- operations a typical PC user doesn't care to grapple with.
These are some pretty daunting obstacles for Linux to overcome. But all of these obstacles could be eliminated at once if the right organization were to initiate the right business plan. I propose the founding of, Libertari, a corporation to market pre-installed, pre-configured Linux hardware systems to consumers and businesses. While the Libertari corporation would provide the product, advertising, promotion and on-line sales, the real strength of the plan would be its franchise operations.
Retail franchises would be offered for sale to Linux enthusiasts in each of the 250 largest metropolitan markets in the US. Each franchise store would serve as a Showroom, Service Center, Training Center, and Business Consulting Center. They would also host weekly Libertari User Group Meetings. They would ultimately become the thriving centers of the Linux communities in each market.
This plan can be described briefly with eight simple points:- Libertari could pre-install its PC models with Linux, the Gnome and KDE desktops, OpenOffice, Evolution, Galeon, Mozilla, Ogle, Limewire and a host of other free software packages & their plug-ins in an optimum default configuration, so that the typical new user can immediately begin enjoying the Linux experience.
- Libertari could carefully select all hardware to assure that it is in perfect harmony with the Linux installed on their PCs. The Linux kernel could be specifically compiled and 'tuned' to the hardware on which it would run, guaranteeing optimal performance.
- Libertari could set up systems for home, business, gamers, and software development bristling with peripherals and pre-loaded software. Home systems could be set up to do video editing, CD ripping and burning, TV Capture, and DVD playing. Business systems could be ready-made to do POS, payroll, inventory and accounting. Developer systems could come with Firebird, Apache, Tomcat, Java, PostgresSQL and many other packages already installed and set up.
- Libertari could customize its own update agent, so users who've bought a Libertari Linux system could keep all the software on their system updated free with the click of a mouse. It would also allow users to easily install new software as it became available without having to worry about configuration issues or dependencies. Business customers would be particularly taken with the lack of licensing hassles.
- Libertari Retail Showrooms could demonstrate these loaded Linux computers to the public in their showrooms. For the first time, the general public would have physical access to well configured, fully loaded Linux PCs and knowledgeable sales personnel.
- Libertari Service Centers could offer specialized Libertari PC service as well as hardware peripherals. Only Libertari-certified hardware and peripherals would be sold through Libertari's web site and Service Centers.
- Libertari Training Centers could host classes for every aspect of Linux and free software: KDE classes, Gnome classes, OpenOffice classes, programming, networking, server setup, etc. On-site training could be offered as an option to large business customers.
- Libertari Consulting Centers could customize Linux systems for their large business customers. Libertari Consultants could aid in Windows-to-Linux migration, setting up web sites and servers, and custom programming.
Well that's the plan. Any takers?
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Please note: The opinions expressed in this essay are those of the writer, not of the management or staff of DesktopLinux.com.
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