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Linux May Give Away Netbooks In Risky Marketing Move
By: Staff Writer
Expert Author
2009-07-01
Want a free netbook? Who could refuse? Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation was speaking to a group of Chinese industry leaders, when he discussed the potential of mobile providers selling netbooks for low prices, but receiving a subsidy through users purchasing programs for their machines. It's a similar marketing move to what cell phone carriers do when you sign up for a contract; they give you a free (or drastically reduced) device, as long as you purchase a subscription.
Will the same trick work for netbooks and apps? Maybe so. Linux, for one, is eager to find out. The plan goes something like this. Mobile companies start handing out free netbooks. The netbooks are pre-installed with the operating system, Linux. As users begin to use the netbooks, they realize the need to buy programs for their machine, so they begin downloading (for a price, of course) programs. So, as you've heard many times, "nothing in life is truly free." The same goes for the Linux netbook. You eventually pay for it in the apps that you will hopefully download.
Zemlin's prophesy was nonetheless astounding: "In less than a year, I predict that the new cost of a netbook will be zero." The plan is not without potential problems, but at least someone sounds optimistic. Zemlin's optimism may stem from the fact that the plan would make Zemlin's company very successful.
Some of those potential problems lie at the foundation of his idea: Linux. As an operating system, Linux does not enjoy widespread popularity among the masses. With generous estimates at 3% and realistic estimates at >1%, the percentage of computer users working on a Linux machine is, need we say it, low. So, while the idea sounds like a good one, Zemlin's cheer notwithstanding, it does have a few hurdles.
About the Author:
Staff writer for the ientry network
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