BB selling Ubuntu for only $19.99!

grimm003 · Jul 8, 2008

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...buntu&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1211587312374

Great news! For less than $20, I won't have to download a 750MB file and waste a blank CD. I wonder how much Geek Squad will charge for them to install it for me, too

Seriously, though, at first I was almost outraged, but it could actually be beneficial. I extremely dislike best buy, and I really wish it was almost any other company doing this and getting the profits, but maybe now more people will make a switch over to Linux if the option is right in their face. The way I see it is the more people that use Linux, or OS X for that matter, the more competition out there and better products then. Especially with Linux, because some companies don't realize how many people use it and therefor don't bother releasing any drivers or support. What do you guys think about this?

JamesXP · Jul 8, 2008

I thought it broke the GPL selling 'free' products for profit anyway?

illuminati11_13 · Jul 8, 2008

This isn't the first Linux I've seen at Best Buy. I know I've seen boxed sets of SuSE and Linspire. Though, this is the first I've heard of any 'free' distros being offered there. I'll bet you anything that Canonical is getting a share in the profits.

Advantages I can see for consumers: You don't have to know how to download and burn an ISO, (I remember that was a barrier the first time I tries Linux.) It's a boxed set so it probably comes with instructions for new users. And, I'll bet anything that it comes with a support deal with Canonical (which is probably where the cost comes in,) which would make it perfect for Linux neophytes.

I can't see anything bad coming out of this. Hopefully it will speed to other stores.

illuminati11_13 · Jul 8, 2008

JamesXP said:
I thought it broke the GPL selling 'free' products for profit anyway?

The GPL doesn't forbid the selling of software. RMS is quite clear about it on the GNU homepage. What it does do is stipulate that you provide the source code and not forbid the person you sell it to from making copies and giving them away in nearly any fashion he desires.

This kind of makes it difficult to sell

gsrcrxsi · Jul 8, 2008

you guys do that BB is a retailer right? they dont produce anything. they are buying it from the publisher and then reselling it. its not like they have Geek Squad guys DLing it from the internet, then boxing them up and selling them.

illuminati11_13 · Jul 8, 2008

gsrcrxsi said:
you guys do that BB is a retailer right? they dont produce anything. they are buying it from the publisher and then reselling it. its not like they have Geek Squad guys DLing it from the internet, then boxing them up and selling them.

LOL, I don't think that crossed my mind for a moment.

MRD · Jul 8, 2008

It's perfectly legal to sell GPL'd software. However, people can copy it and give it to their friends. Thus, you have no control over it. You can offer support with it, which is a good incentive to buy it for some.

The Ubuntu one is particularly funny because you can go to the site and request as many Ubuntu install CD's as you like and they send them to you. They even pay the shipping. Also, there is no paid support either way.

When I started with Linux, I bought a few distros (Red Hat maybe twice, and Mandrake once). It helped get me started on Linux. It taught me to hate rpm's. Now of course, I never buy Linux, I just download ISO's.

grimm003 · Jul 8, 2008

While it is perfectly legal, it is a scummy practice as in my opinion, you are trying to fool your customers

rainless · Jul 8, 2008

gsrcrxsi said:
you guys do that BB is a retailer right? they dont produce anything. they are buying it from the publisher and then reselling it. its not like they have Geek Squad guys DLing it from the internet, then boxing them up and selling them.

Oh riiiiiiiggggggght! Best Buy's an actual STORE of some sort...

..thanks for clearing that up! :welcome:

gsrcrxsi · Jul 8, 2008

grimm003 said:
While it is perfectly legal, it is a scummy practice as in my opinion, you are trying to fool your customers

how, if they are offering more than the free version does? (support/help/documentation)

rainless said:
Oh riiiiiiiggggggght! Best Buy's an actual STORE of some sort...

..thanks for clearing that up!

im not sure i quite catch your sarcasm. it IS a store, lol

grimm003 · Jul 8, 2008

gsrcrxsi said:
how, if they are offering more than the free version does? (support/help/documentation)

I did not see any of those three things ever mentioned in the description on their webpage. I could see documentation not being listed, but help and support, if they offered it they would definitely put it up on the description. It does come with a nice box, though, that's kind of neat.

Enablingwolf · Jul 8, 2008

I see it as ok long as they are recouping cost to distribute the media. Now if they are selling the same discs the Ubuntu gives/sends out for free.. Well Canonical should get a cut. If they as in Valusoft is printing them up for selling. It is ok.. Twenty bucks is a little steep though, but not out of the ordinary for that store.

gsrcrxsi · Jul 8, 2008

windows comes with support, its not listed...
linksys routers come with support, its not listed...

and as others have said. they are allowed to sell it for whatever they want. they just cant restrict users from redistributing it for free.

atomic ferret · Jul 8, 2008

When I first saw this I was taken aback. I thought "What a scam!", but now I see that it might actually be good for Ubuntu to get some publicity, even if it is at Best Buy.

MRD · Jul 9, 2008

In the end it's a good thing. Many people are more comfortable putting an OS on their machine that they bought at BB than one they downloaded. It doesn't really make sense, but more exposure is more exposure.

gsrcrxsi · Jul 9, 2008

i think its online only (although it doesnt say so on the site), ive never seen it at the B&M store.

rainless · Jul 9, 2008

gsrcrxsi said:
how, if they are offering more than the free version does? (support/help/documentation)

im not sure i quite catch your sarcasm. it IS a store, lol

funnyperson1 · Jul 9, 2008

This is good for Linux, even at $20, its exposure to a market that might not otherwise be aware of Linux or how to install it. If I tell an average Windows users to download an 8.04 Gutsy Gibbon ISO, burn it to a CD (as an image, not a file), and google for help if you run into any issues, that might be intimidating enough that they won't try it.

On the other hand if for $20 they get a nice cd and instruction manual they might buy it for an old computer thats acting funny or their kids machine. Maybe they are paying for "free" software, but at least they'd be using it.

MRD · Jul 9, 2008

"Free software" never had anything to do with price. It's about freedom. It happens to be that freedom includes the right to distribute it as you like, hence making it effectively without cost. However, that is not the main point, but rather an ancillary consequence.

If you translate "free software" into Spanish, for example, you say "software libre", not "software gratuito". Libre refers to freedom (same root as liberty) while gratuito refers to price/money. Unfortunately, in English, they use the same word, which continues to lead to confusion.

Freeware is different, and refers to price. Freeware, while it does not cost anything, may not be free software, in the sense that the source code may not be available and that the creator may not allow changes to be made/distributed.

asusradeon · Jul 9, 2008

grimm003 said:
While it is perfectly legal, it is a scummy practice as in my opinion, you are trying to fool your customers

I agree..

BB selling Ubuntu for only $19.99!

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