I must apologize... 10087

This is a wrong view, IMO, rapskat. Every product does have an equal opportunity to compete if there is no law or such restricting it's distribution. There are no laws that prevent distribution of OSS software and everyone has equal access to distribution channels. The problem comes from OSS not having any money to use to pay for advertising. If a prospective user never hears of the OSS product, he is certainly never going to use it. Sales promotion is the way that most commercial products are exposed to public view. It is not unfair that people who perform this sales promotion are unwilling to work for nothing. They have to earn a living to feed their families.

Part of the distribution process for OS platform products such as Windows are the OEMs who bundle the platform software with their hardware so that their customers have a functional package. They think that is the way to sell high volume products and most would agree that they are right. They don't sell any more or any less whether the customer expectation is for Windows or for linux as long as everyone is doing the same thing. There is no reason for the OEMs to switch except for an incrementally lower cost of platform software, i.e. the so-called MS "tax". If they all got together and agreed, they could switch to linux and keep their sales at a status quo, but there would be some substantial costs in making the change since they would still have to provide initial support for their customers.

Microsoft has had a history of continued evolution of the Windows platform as well, with new versions of Windows coming out every few years and creating a sort of obsolescence for previous models of computer that used a previous version. Like it or not, that is a driver for the sales engine and the OEMs do not ignore it. It is easy to understand the Microsoft motivation that keeps their motor running; MS is out to get the money. OSS motivations are not so clear. Some say that the developers are infinitely benevolent and will continue forever, but I believe that notion doesn't inspire so much confidence in someone depending on that developement to bring them continuing revenue.

So the OSS problem is in consumer education. If a large number of people found out about it and believed it and had confidence in it, the distribution system would react to fill that want, but it is not going to do so until the demand is created and that is a sales job that has to be done by OSS. It is not "unfair" that MS only promotes their own products. They started on a virtual shoestring and have had 25 years or so to grow their business and establish their brands. You cannot displace that investment for free (as in beer).