What Ubuntu Can Take Away From The Raspberry Revolution

[Linuxratty]

Interesting insights here...Is he on the mark or way off base?



Canonical, if it’s listening, should take cues from this success story and try to come up with its own affordable computer. Maybe not a $25 device, even a fully-functional $100 single-board computer will sell like hot pancakes instead of banking on the bloating and competitive TV, mobile, and tablet market.
http://techlaze.com/2012/03/what-ubuntu-can-take-away-from-the-raspberry-revolution/

[Sonsum]

I think Ubuntu is going after the high end consumer market, rather than this.

If Ubuntu turns into a company that makes cheap and not very powerful computers, they will be known as the company that makes the cheap computers, not a company that makes a good OS.

I believe Ubuntu is emulating the design software, not hardware approach that Microsoft originally did. Through that, Microsoft has achieved massive market share and corporate support. In my opinion, Ubuntu wants the same.

[sffvba[e0rt]

Apples and oranges.


404

[JDShu]

The raspberry pi appeals mainly to techies and isn't really Canonical's target audience. So I kind of disagree with the premise. That said, I agree that Canonical's latest projects don't seem very interesting.

To use an old cliche, Canonical needs to stop the Microsoft strategy of throwing projects against the wall and seeing what sticks. Canonical is not Microsoft - they can't afford it. They should focus on creating *one* awesome (profitable) product that can appeal to the masses.

[Smilax]

Ii heard they where getting 700 orders a second for the RasPi

so i think it's appeal is more than just tech types

[JDShu]

Ii heard they where getting 700 orders a second for the RasPi

so i think it's appeal is more than just tech types

I'd say that it's very plausible that most of those 700 orders every second are tech types. It's not like we're a rare breed :P

Maybe later when they sell it with a cover, we'll see how many "normal people" get it. Even then they seem to want to sell it with a clear case, which would look pretty scary imo.

[Sonsum]

I don't think I would buy a Ubuntu cheap-computer. The only reason the RasPi is appealing to me is that it is pretty powerful for how much you pay. I would probably use it for a way to play my digital movies on my old television with only composite and cable inputs.

But I wouldn't pay $100 for a Ubuntu box. That's just too much. There it crosses into a different market - not quite hobby-ist and not a suitable computer replacement. A market that makes it tough to sell.

[Jay Car]

I'd say that it's very plausible that most of those 700 orders every second are tech types. It's not like we're a rare breed :P

Maybe later when they sell it with a cover, we'll see how many "normal people" get it. Even then they seem to want to sell it with a clear case, which would look pretty scary imo.

My youngest son is getting a Thing-o-matic from Makerbot hoping to create some clever little cases for the raspberry pi. He really wants to make robots with it too. We'll be getting some for the grandkids as well.

The Cotton Candy
(https://www.pcworld.com/article/244278/meet_cotton_candy_the_dualcore_android_usb_device. html) looks interesting too, would love to get one when it's available.

The only sad part of having these fun learning-tools and gadgets is that, sooner or later, some jackass-monopoly-patent-troll will probably try to sue them into oblivion. Seems like there's always someone trying to ruin the fun.