If a vested interest is the issue, charge the user $300.00 for the distro and put the money back into projects / marketing / support to improve Linux. Redhat already does this, but it's market is directed toward SERVERS and not consumers. The best way to sway the end-user is to show them the goods. Set-up a system and show them what it can do. -- Robert F. Chapman
Their is some validity in charging for it to make it more accepted. If you pay for something, you know there will be support behind it (the degree of support is arguable for each scenario, but that's not the point). People want to know that the drivers they need, the plugins they need, the updates they need, whatever, is being looked after by a company so they don't have to hunt for stuff. And they want all this to happen within one or two mouse clicks. And they are prepared to pay for it. Like RedHat, Suse offers that. So don't discount recommending a paid distro that comes with more corporate support if that's what the end user wants and not be bothered with going it alone or with other like minded individuals via listservs and such. Not everybody shares our interests, our aptitudes, our patience, and our committment to OSS. They just want somethings that works and are prepared to pay for it. We all have aspects of our lives where that applies. We could all learn plumbing, electrical work, mechanical work, carpentry, etc. But most will rather pay to have someone more experienced take care of that for us. Just give us the finished product and a phone number that I can call if there is a problem with the work. That describes a large percentage of end users. Otherwise more would have switched to Linux by now. Jacques B.
