I was listening to Twit this morning while they were discussing Apple Stores and why people go into them. All of the speakers on Twit said people go to Apples Stores because they get to play with the computers and talk to knowledgeable people. While this is true, but I think the main reason is that Apple computers are different from what most people are used to. They get to break away from Windows and try something new. Then if they like it, they can purchase it right there. I don’t think its the fact that the computers are there to use, but more the fact that the computers are different.
This also got me thinking, what if there was a Linux Shop. A place with computers set up running different kinds of distributions, showing off Open Office, InkSkape, The Gimp, and many other open source programs. It would be just like an Apple Store, but for open source. Computers could be sold at a cheap price because of the free operating systems. The employees could answer Linux questions, and help new comers. I think this sounds like a good idea, but not a good business idea. Maybe something Makers Local could do.