On Sunday 31 Oct 2010 14:24:08 Anthony Papillion wrote:
On 10/30/2010 7:54 PM, Michel Gagnon wrote:
<snip>
Which makes me wondering something. I know there is lots of
Redmond money involved in it, but would it be possible to
convince the major manufacturers to install the latest version
of LibreOffice alongside the other software and crapware they
include in their new computers? They typically "give" a working
version of Microsoft Works (no time limit, but a limited
software), as well as a trial version of Microsoft office (a
very good software that won't work after 60 days). I am sure
that an installation of LibreOffice (a very good software that
will work all the time) alongside that would help a lot to
penetrate the market.
Hi Michael,
I'm not sure this would be possible right now. Microsoft doesn't
only make it easy and "rational" for the OEM's to put MSO on
their systems but they actively campaign against having
competing software on the system. I've even heard that
Microsoft often has it as part of their agreement with OEM's
that they will not have pre-install competing software. I don't
know how prevalent it is but I was told this by someone in the
executive suite of at least one major OEM whom I trust.
What I *could* see happening, and where I think OOo missed the
boat, is boxed sales. I still believe their is room for us on
store shelves. For example, I was at Walmart the other night and
checked the software isle out. There was Microsoft Office and
that was it. I know there is one other that Walmart carries that
I can't remember the name of but it doesn't hardly sell at all
because of compatibility issues I've been told.
I think LibO should work to get on store shelves. Keep the open
source ideal but use the money from boxed sales to fund the
foundation and future development. Definitely a HARD path to
travel but one I think is totally doable if we work hard enough
and do a few other things.
I agree completely with this, however what needs to happen is to
make it profitable to distributors. This is other leg of the
type of business model that Ian is talking about.
A distributor wholesales the software with a support package.
This support package is backed up by helpdesk staff who have been
through the INGOTs programme. The distributor purchases the
media from a Foundation approved supplier (OpenSLX do this for
the OpenSUSE boxed set for Novell), a portion of that wholesale
price goes to the Foundation. Included in the boxed set is a
manual as well to add value, OOoAuthors "Getting Started Manuals"
for instance then OOoAuthors could be funded as well.
As soon as you assign a value as well as add value then the
retailer can add margin and in one swoop you get rid of the
biggest barrier to retail sales.
Same thing applies to OEM, they sell a machine with LibO
preinstalled with media and Manual. On a DVD you lose the
download size issue, so clipart templates, application manuals
and extensions could be made available as well, packaged with a
good installer with various platform versions on board and
translations to suit local markets. That has value and he can
sell to suit. Either bare-bones download install, (no support
other than the normal and no extras) or the DVD with extras at a
fair price.
People will ask "So if we're paying for it, what's the difference
to MSO", the answer:
"Free upgrades forever"