| Why Lindows.com? |
Dec. 13, 2001
Michael Robertson, CEO of Lindows.com, today issued the following statement on the motivations behind Lindows.com in the form of an email blast called "Michael's Minutes" . . .
Why Lindows.com?
Many of you have taken the time to write me about my new venture Lindows.com, and I've tried my best to personally respond. The most common question asked is, "Why are you doing Lindows.com ?" The answer is straightforward -- the world needs it, the technology industry needs it, computer owners need it. What is 'it' you ask? Choice. Putting another choice on the shelf for consumers is the ultimate tonic for high prices, restrictive licenses and intrusive security measures. The power to choose means consumers will be in the drivers seat and not beholden to the policies of one company.
Where there isn't choice consumers are treated to a mix of high prices, poor service and a lack of innovation. Imagine if there were only one company that produced gasoline and they had just one gas station in your town. How much do you think the gasoline would cost? Under what hours would the station operate? That's exactly the situation we have today with computer operating software. New OS pricing structures mean consumers are paying much more for their OS software while prices for virtually every other piece of PC hardware and software drops.
In times like this, it's important to think back on what an operating system does. It is the software that allows you to interface with your computer. This means primarily creating and managing files and folders and installing and running software. In spite of the rhetoric you might have heard, it's not something that radically changes every two years. This is not to say that it's not a complex undertaking. When Lindows.com ships LindowsOS, the product will have more than 10 million lines of code. When you divide the costs over a large number of customers the price should be reasonable and become more affordable as the sales numbers reach the millions.
Our goal at Lindows.com is to build an affordable, easy-to-use, highly compatible operating system. We're not the first to attempt such an undertaking, but a few features make our approach unique and compelling. The first is our Windows Compatibility Module, which means that software written for Windows computers will run on LindowsOS, which is a Linux-based operating system. To understand the importance of this, it's essential to understand that because of the way most software is written, it will function only on one operating system. For example, Windowssoftware will not run on a Linux operating system and vice versa.
Up until the advent of LindowsOS, making the decision to switch operating systems meant abandoning all of your software and repurchasing new software. Not only is this expensive, it's virtually impossible for many people. Sometimes there isn't equivalent software and even if there is, learning a new piece of software takes time and effort which is better spent on productive work. Moreover, there's almost always an issue with the inability to read historic documents or swap files with others who may not have made the switch. These problems vanish with LindowsOS because popular Windows software can be installed and run in the familiar fashion people expect without any speed degradation. LindowsOS owners get the best of both worlds because they can install and run both Linux and Windows software.
Another emphasis with LindowsOS is making it easy to install and maintain. Setting up a LindowsOS computer takes just a couple of mouse clicks with no need to install a new drive, reformat or partition a hard drive, backup data or other technical tasks which require valuable time and computer expertise.
Adding software takes just a couple of mouse clicks. Hundreds of software titles can be purchased (if required), downloaded and installed with just a few clicks, making the entire process completely digital. The end result is a quick and efficient method of software delivery. (When you think about it -- isn't it crazy that we're still selling and delivering software in cardboard boxes?)
These unique features, along with a budget-friendly license, per person rather than per computer, ensures that LindowsOS will be a great value for anyone looking for a modern, compatible choice for their computer. No doubt, we have a big job ahead to deliver on these promises. We are truly thankful for those of you that have offered to help Lindows.com succeed. We'll be sending email to those on our mailing list telling you how you can lend us a hand and get the first look at LindowsOS. Don't hesitate to send me your comments and feedback.
Michael Robertson
CEO of Lindows.com
To comment on Michael's Minutes, email comments@lindows.com
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