Jim says:

This should expand the uses for the ipod beyond what Apple had planned. Being backed by the Linux infrastructure, the ipod will be accepted by industrial users as a tool instead of just a toy. Apple never planned for people to walk into computer stores and plug their ipods into display computers and copy software off of the hard drives. This is one way the device has been used. Retailers never took steps to secure against this sort of thing. Virtual shoplifting can be done with key chain flash drives also which work with Windows or a Mac. Kids are walking out of electronics stores with a grand worth of software wearing ear buds. By having Windows running on all those display PC’s, it is fairly easy to pirate Microsoft products with a ipod or flash drive. Perhaps this is a good distribution method. Retailers could have display Linux PC’s and just sell the hardware. They might sell more ipods and should make PC’s less expensive. Cheaper PC’s would drive sales volume like the next release of Windows did in the past. You might even have some money left over for a new digital camera. Ca-ching, another sale. Open source software should expand the selection of hardware, bring down hardware prices and make current offerings more useful as digital tools. Today, companies are marketing toys running overpriced software that limits hardware functionality. People should not need or want to steal software to have the latest technology on their mobile or home computers. Traditional retailers should reap the rewards of less expensive open systems that benefits the consumers. If they don’t, the online retailers will kill the traditional electronic retail stores who survive by innovation. Happy computing all.