OSNews

Re: Point #1 & #2: "True. Linspire believes that the consumer should set standards, not big business. We believe open source is about what the people want, not what Novell and Red Hat want."

What people want is standards. This is why LSB (Linux Standards Base) certification of Linux software, especially a Linux distribution is important to both enterprise and private sectors of the global market. Think of the LSB and FSG (Free Standards Group) being the united nations for Linux developers. They all work together on a common goal to make their Linux software more attractive and useful to consumers while following standards. This applies to whether your target is the desktop, workstation or server. For those here that are not aware what LSB certification is and how it is important not only to developers but also consumers please see the following links:

http://www.linuxbase.org/index.php

http://www.freestandards.org/

Re: Point #3: "We believe some people want and appreciate paying for services that make their life easier. That's why they buy bottled water, hamburgers at McDonalds, pay to have their hair cut, their food grown, and their clothes sewn...all things that anyone can do for free if they have the skill and free time. Linspire believes Linux should be available to EVERYONE, not just the technical wizards. People who work on cars for a living never understand why someone would pay Jiffy Lube $30 to change the oil in their car either."

True people will pay for things that will make their life easier. Though when it's typically known that when a consumer is shown that they can get that same ease of use with another competitors product at lower cost or even for free then the consumer is more likely to side with the competitor's product. Something for your company to consider since Linspire seems more like consumer lock in that cost consumers more in the long run than providing freedom and low cost.

Re: Point #4:"FUD. We use GPL/GNU software, so of course our EULA incorporates that fully."

Just because Linspire includes some open source software does not imply it's license is any less restrictive than that of Microsoft. Anyone who would like to know more about Linspire's EULA (End User License Agreement) and the GNU/GPL can see the links here:

Linspire EULA: http://www.linspire.com/lindows_products_OSEULA.php

GNU/GPL: http://www.gnu.org/

Re: Point #5:"FUD. Linspire is dedicated to desktop computing, not servers, and installs on more desktop computers than Red Hat or Novell. We have a giant QA lab to prove it if you'd like to come for a visit."

Linspire listed processors: Total 4 and they are AMD Athlon XP 2000+, AMD Athlon XP 2500+, Intel Celeron 2.0 GHz, Intel P4 2.4B GHz. Found here http://www.linspire.com/linspire_hardware_compatibility.php

Novell and Red Hat processors: All AMD and Intel processors including support for workstation/server class with multiple processor configurations.

I could go into other hardware such as graphics cards but I think the readers can tell Novell and Red Hat beat your list of supported hardware. As for the tour I'll pass, thanks anyway.

Re: Point #6:"Mondo FUD here. When it comes to DESKTOP computing, no one can beat Linspire's OEM and distribution channel. Linspire has over 350 OEM's that sell computers pre-loaded with Linspire. There are very few places you can walk into and buy a Red Hat or Novell desktop/laptop computer. There are over 1,000 retail locations in North and South America that you can walk into and purchase a Linspire computer (Fry's, Micro Center, PC Club, Electra, etc.) as well as many on-line retailers (WalMart.com, Staples.com, etc.)."

There's a great deal of difference between purchasing a computer from say IBM with SuSE Linux or RHEL installed compared to purchasing a low end cheap machine at Walmart. For one IBM and others like them offer support services that Walmart and others like them cannot. That's something the consumer is concerned with.

Re: Point #7:"FUD. We offer 24/7 world class support."

I said Linspire support offerings are a poor comparison to what Novell and Red Hat currently offer consumers. Not that Linspire doesn't offer any support to the consumer. Take it as being constructive criticism.

Re: Point #8:"FUD. Someone sounds like Ballmer now. =)"

Actually no and it's this consumers opinion Linspire does not offer good TCO when compared to other distributions. Novell's SuSE Linux Professional for example comes with approx 4000 open source applications which costs a consumer less than purchasing a membership to Linspire's CNR Warehouse. Also the distribution is maintained for a minimum 2 years after release date. I could go into the other support offerings Novell and Red Hat offer but I'm sure readers can find that out for themselves on the respective developer sites.

Re: Point #9:"Novell and Red Hat have excellent SERVER and ENTERPRISE products, but when it comes to DESKTOP computing, Linspire's focus shows."

When it comes to online video tutorials about using a distribution then yes Linspire is good at that and also for offering an easy to use desktop Linux distribution. Though lets clarify for consumers it's not the only easy to use distribution for the desktop. I could say the same for SuSE Linux Professional, Mandrake Linux and others. My point originally was that where Debian distributions are lacking is with certain commercial developers, especially in the entertainment industry where Novell and Red Hat are more dominant. As for readers who are confused by my term of "highend software" it was targeted towards developers such as Alias, Softimage, SideFX, Apple (ie: Shake), Discreet, IFX, etc. No where have I heard or seen a Debian distribution being used in a studio. Reason why I don't believe Linspire will be huge in the market is because as you pointed out in your response Linspire is targeting the desktop user and not workstations or servers. So schools, governments, corporations, studios, etc may as well not look at Linspire as a solution if that is what your company is trying to avoid.