Down to the bare knuckles…

cut the blarney, raw competition.

FOSS projects can build products that deliver value to the user on par with, or better then, closed commercial – old school – businesses!

First time I heard a remark with the above sentiment I was doubtful….and I went along my merry way in life.

At some point round or about five years ago, hearing it again (and not the second time) I took a bit more notice. Actually a good bit more notice.

What got me to stop and consider? Ubuntu and OpenOffice.org

The first because it installed and ran on my PC, easy.

The second because it installed and ran on my PC easy, twice :>)

hmmm – actually that isn’t exactly correct – Ubuntu installed easily and ran acceptably on a friends PC.

OpenOffice.org installed easily and ran acceptably on my PC under Windows and Ubuntu, allowing me to help my friend transition from Microsoft Office to OpenOffice.org in her daily computer usage needs.

She, was happy and I was happy that she was happy.

Well, it seems that a lot of folks are starting to feel the same – a recent estimate put 13% of Windows PC users as having OpenOffice.org, and even the, IMO, conservative OO.o PR Chief has claimed 10% of computer desktops overall.

Nothing however speaks to the successes of the FOSS projects, large and small, then the reactions of the predominant commercial player.

Whether in speeches to their resellers or this latest marketing campaign –

TEN BUCKS - if your employer has a site license..

they say one thing….the US market is in play.

Drew