[ale] Open Source Apps

[Sigmascape1 at cs.com]

Hi everyone!

I'd like to get some response from everyone about a subject that I think is very important. Currently, major pc hardware vendors provide the consumer few options outside of Windows. When designing your dream pc on the HP-Compaq store, forget Mandrake Linux 9.2 as an option, you have Windows... Home or Professional. Although that may change in the future, one thing that can change today, if we want it, and that is pushing these manufacturers to offer open source application option to their offerings. Most consumers, when looking for a new pc, have no real option in terms of 'productivity suite' other than either MS Office XYZ or MS Works... expensive or not-so-expensive. How many consumers would like to save any where from $50 to $300 on a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation suite? I think a lot of them, maybe most of them. The problem is that most consumers don't know that there are other options that are literally free. Wouldn't it be cool if we could decide to have, at no cost, OpenOffice.org 1.1 preloaded on a new Sony Vaio?! There are many open source apps available for Windows that these manufacturers could offer, and they could save themselves money and the consumer/business person money. I know I am going to hear about "What about MS going off the deep end?" but that should not be an issue. I believe we need a campaign that pushes for the Dells and HPs of the world to give us choices, not just cheap and expensive, but free and open.

What do you guys think???

Thank you,

Mitch Featherston