Fighting for a PC package with a preinstalled free OS
Posted by _protect the innocent_ at 2007-01-28 02:46 AM

A fundamental problem faced by free software is the fact that an average computer user merely wants to go to the shop and buy a computer which he/she can just plug in, turn on, and use. People want it to "just work". They don't want the hassle of installing GNU/Linux, and of finding or building a computer which doesn't come with commercial software. Until such people can easily buy a computer package with only free software installed, they won't even consider the use of free software.

I think we need to think about how we can overcome this issue. There are several options that spring to mind, but none of them really seem all that realistic. However, I think it's important to think about them all the same. I hope that lots of people can get together to discuss it, and hopefully come up with a good solution or plan of action.

Firstly, someone could try making their own company to make a computer package which comes with and fully supports free software. However, I don't think this is really practical. Huge issues would be faced trying to assemble such a package. It would be far more expensive to produce, and therefore would cost far more for the consumer than the alternatives. On the other hand, where there's a will (and a bit of money) there's a way.

The other option I've thought about is persuading one of the existing companies to make a computer package along these lines. It probably wouldn't be in their best interests, but everything's worth a try! I think it would be worthwhile to petition a prominent computer manufacturer which has been reasonably friendly to free software, encouraging it to produce a computer which contains only free-software-friendly hardware and which has a pre-installed GNU/Linux operating system. If this package was made widely available, it would make a world of a difference. The average consumer, who cares little about the ethics of computing and freedom, might suddenly be prepared to use free software - or could even do so unknowingly. I would certainly buy such a package instead of the alternatives because I'd know that the hardware would more likely be compatible with free software I use, and because no money would be ending up in Microsoft's enormous pocket.

If such computers were available to the masses at a similar or lower price than the alternatives I think it would be a great step in the spread of free software and a big bite into the corporate software giants.

So what does everyone else think? Is it worth petitioning a computer manufacturer, and if so which one? Could the FSF coordinate this? Has anything remotely along these lines been talked about or put into action in the past? I suppose it has certainly been talked about somewhere, but the fact that I can't go to a computer shop here in New Zealand (where I live) and buy a computer with GNU/Linux installed means that it ultimately didn't happen (or at least didn't succeed).

Even if it can't be done in the short run, this should be an ultimate goal. It's all very well making people aware of free software and its advantages, but most people won't make the change unless they can do it easily.