Linux-related storefront?

[Lockhart, Charles]

I don't know, sounds tough.  I worked in a 100% mac store in Seattle for a
few months, and our customers were FLAKY and INSANE.  My experience with the
average linux user doesn't seem to indicate that they're going to be easier
to deal with in a business sense.  One of the things that made the mac store
work was they also did a lot of contract systems engineering as well,
setting up and maintaining the networks of several businesses, some of them
pretty big.
  
On the other hand, if you do open a store, can I put my order for a vi mug
in now ;?)

I will say this though, I personally would love to find a decent vendor here
in Hawaii that will support their products even moderately.  I recently had
to buy a new workstation for, uh, work, and wanted to buy locally.  I
couldn't even get anybody to respond to my requests for quotes.  I emailed a
few places what I wanted, never heard from them, finally called them up, "oh
yeah, we got your email, we'll get back to you when somebody feels like it."
So now I have a nice new Dell box, runs good, but has a really crappily
constructed case.  I ordered it, took 1 week to get here.  Still haven't
heard from the people I requested quotes from.

-Charles, Voodoo Priest

> -----Original Message-----
> From: joel [mailto:jijoel at lava.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 1:21 PM
> To: Linux & Unix Advocates & Users
> Subject: [luau] Linux-related storefront?
> 
> 
> Hey, folks,
> 
> I'm examining the possibility of opening up a small store to 
> support and 
> promote Linux and Free Software locally. I'm interested in 
> your opinions as 
> to the feasibility of this concept, and your ideas about 
> products and/or 
> services you might be interested in having available in town. 
> 
> Do you think the Linux/Free Software community on Oahu is 
> large enough to 
> support a small storefront? (this would probably require 
> gross sales of at 
> least $4,000-5,000/month)
> 
> Would you, personally, visit a local Linux store? (or do you 
> do all of your 
> shopping on-line, have no interest in Linux related stuff, etc.?)
> 
> What types of things might you be interested in seeing?
> 
> boxed distributions?
> Linux-related books, magazines, or videos?
> commercial Linux software? (Loki games, etc.)
> t-shirts, hats, mugs, mouse-pads, frisbees, Tux dolls, or 
> other such stuff?
> Linux compatible hardware (with installation instructions... or maybe 
> installed in the store)?
> related toys & stuff? (like Lego Mindstorm sets, IBM's Linux 
> watches, or 
> Linux PDAs...)
> something else?
> 
> --Joel
> jijoel at lava.net
> 
> btw, please feel free to respond to my personal e-mail 
> address if you're 
> feeling shy about posting to the group. I'm very curious about the 
> possibility of this.
> 
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