Hi, On Sun, 2005-05-22 at 22:47 +0530, Jaybrata Bhattacharyya wrote: > Indranil Das Gupta wrote: > > On Sat, 2005-05-21 at 22:43 +0530, Jaybrata Bhattacharyya wrote: > >> > >>a bad news :( > > > > > > Why? > > > > -indra. > > > > > because different people have different notions about "what is good and > what's bad".
I don't think you got me in the first place. Of course, you are right! The ideograph used by the Chinese to depict the word "danger" also represents "opportunity". Selling Linux distro CDs at cut-rate as a sustainable business model has not worked anywhere in the world. Generally speaking most standard Linux distros are presently a 4 CD set affair (of course with Debian its a larger set). At the cost-point which outfits like LinuxBazar sell CDs it probably makes a set of Linux CDs costlier than a set of pirated Windows s/w coming on a single CD (with an integrated installer and serial keys). I simply don't buy the broadband argument for the simple reason that bb in india is still far too expensive. On the DataOne service the maximum subscription is happening at the Rs 500/month level. Now that has a 1 GB transfer cap, which fall abt 1 GB short if you want to download the FC4 Beta. Sure, the transfer cap won't be in place till 31st June. But then new releases are going to happen post-31st June. So, post-31st June, at present costs, the cost of d/ling a 4 CD set on a DataOne 500 plan works out around Rs. 1.25/MB compared to the Rs. 0.125/MB if bought from an outfit like LinuxBazar. That is a straight 10X factor. If anything, broadband connectivity is going to immensely help those users who wish to keep up with the cutting edge stuff. But their numbers across India can be counted. So, what is the real threat to such CD burn-n-distribute businesses? I would point to the DVD issues of Linux For You (LFY) and PCQuest, which has been carrying the latest releases and KDE / GNOME / OpenOffice / Kernel updates. With the price of DVD-ROM drives coming down to 2K+ level, the magazine CD/DVDs at Rs 125/- have upped the ante much more than broadband. As the Chinese say, in every danger there lurks an opportunity. I would say much opportunity. cheers, -indra -- Indranil Das Gupta L2C2 Technologies -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Phone : (0)-98300-20971 Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED] WWW : http://www.l2c2.org -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- L2C2 : Innovations for India -- To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the body "unsubscribe ilug-cal" and an empty subject line. FAQ: http://www.ilug-cal.org/node.php?id=3
