Slashdot Mirror
Using Computer Stores to Spread Open Source?
DigitalRaptor asks: "I live in a small city with about 4 or 5 computer stores, most of whom I know personally. None of these stores offer Open Source software on the computers they sell (Firefox, Thunderbird, OpenOffice, etc), and none of them have anything in place to educate their customers about spyware and viruses. I'd like to approach them with all of the relevant information in a presentable format. I think this would be a great way to spread OSS and to help the average consumer at the same time. Is there a project out there for this purpose that local advocates could use to approach computer stores in their town?"
They make money cleaning spyware and viruses off computers. Why would they educate their users about them?
Why would the stores listen to you or care? Honestly, Slashdotters (admittedly, like most people) have no clue what it takes to run a successful business. Independent computer stores have been hit very hard by the fact that geeks have no loyalty, and shop mainly at big box stores, and generic online merchants (tiger direct, etc). The *only* way that the few remaining independent computer stores, which are already probably struggling, will even begin to listen is if you have a way for them to improve their bottom line. Bottom line.
Ideals about "Freedom" don't really matter to people if you can't pay rent. You'd do well to remember that before you started preaching to them about how they should run their business.
I work in a computer store, but the position of management (and it's been similar at a lot of stores I've visited or worked for) is that they don't want to push/give OpenOffice because they don't make money on it. In the retail market, it seems like value-added services don't matter anymore...if there isn't a profit to be made, it won't be touched.
Same goes with programs like AVG, Spybot, etc...we use the utilities in the service department as part of our spyware/virus cleaning services, but that's as far as it goes.
Trust me, I'd love to load our systems with Firefox, Thunderbird, OpenOffice, etc., but the retail culture here doesn't allow it!
I haven't heard of any computer store do such... yet. Maybe like with everything, it takes someone to start it. So go and talk with them. Maybe it could end up like at my work .. doing tech nites about stuff like wireless networking or security or encryption for the people to learn more about them after work hours, enjoying the company of the other geek work mates and company sponsored pizzas.
:)
Maybe if one computer store would have such evenings, they could get some money back of it (parts, peripherals.. selling at low cost burned OpenOffice etc softwares) - and as well get a very nice mouth to mouth advertising by the people who would enjoy it.
I think that if you were on the Mozilla project, and said, I contributed to this fine software, I was wondering if you'd like to carry it in your store, that that would be a swaying argument.
I think that if you were a consumer, purchasing computer equipment, and asked if they had the item, and you said you'd like to buy it, then they would probably listen.
If you said "my goodness, it appears that you're not carrying open source software... I don't want any today, but I think that you should carry it," that you'll sound pushy, no matter what you do, and that you're more likely to drive store owners away from this.
Seriously, did you change faiths last time someone came around your neighborhood asking you to do so?
And how exactly are stores supposed to make money from this? This whole article is ridiculous. Indepdent computer stores are already pinching pennies to compete with the big box stores, and the online merchants. Why would a store replace one of their last remaining revenue streams with a non-revenue stream? Computer stores aren't going to stay alive selling beige boxes with $10 markus. It ain't gonna happen, and I think that most know, which is my no store (that will be in business in the near future) would consider touching Free Software.
If you charge consumers the price of packaging, then that is what they will feel it is worth.
Toss in a manual or something, make the box a little heavier, charge the printing cost, and you get a bit of free advertisement as well (and heck, you know that people might buy the box just to get the manual).
Now, toss in a bit on top for the Mozilla project, the FSF, the Apache Foundation, or whoever is selling the software, and you have something that is eye catching and benefits us all.
It's funny how people reject a cheap or free product as crap, but you know that they do.
Most people coming into a retail store are not ubergeeks. To a basic user, packaging sells stuff. Once they buy something, it has to be easy to use and install.
To expand Linux into this market, everything needs to pass the grandmother test. If she doesn't read a manual, san she install it and make it work with less than 15 minutes of phone support?
As experienced users, we often forget that most people have much better things to do with their time than learn how to make a user hostile computer work.
So, who is going to support these additional software packages? Who is going to be responsible for the software if/when it breaks, or if/when Firefox leads to a virus infecting the computer?
Geeks often forget that a major part of the computer industry is support.
Do you actually expect Office Max, or some mom 'n pop computer store to directly support third party apps? 'Cause that is what would happen... At least, when you have a licensed copy of MS office, and it goes whacko, you can call up MS and demand that they fix it. Can the same be said of the OSS that you listed?
What, do you expect these retailers to tell their customers, "tough nookie, we're not going to support it.. and there is no 1-800 number to call for help, either. We suggest you find the correct forum and post a request for help." ??
I'm sorry.. maybe I'm just pescimistic, but... GET REAL. A major computer manufacturer, like IBM, may have the resources to full support an OSS app that they themselves did not code (or code much of), but expecting a small retailer to be responsible for some random OSS app? Yeah.. right.
Sorry, bud.. but you need to join the real world. Until Mozilla actually turns FF into a retail (or at least OEM) package and fully supports it as such, expecting some little retailer to be offering it is just looney.
/dev/random
You might consider approaching your local community college instead. A lot of them offer community ed classes for cheap or free to help out the community. You could pitch your ideas and maybe they will help you get the word out.
I do several at the school in my town. They advertise the class and provide the computers to teach it on, and all I have to worry about is teaching.
Maybe you could take the flyers for the class to your local computer stores to post.
Stores, as opposed to mailorder, justify their markup by offering customer service. Choose open-source software based on superior support, including less demand for support, and the store can offer better customer service by plugging customers into that community. Where the OSS is free, it can still be priced, by charging for support offered. Even if that support is just training for new members of the community, like reading documentation, visiting websites, filing bug reports, and upgrading.
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make install -not war