This gem comes from the comments section of Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols’s recent Computer World article about Linux netbooks being sold at Toys’r'Us:

There is NO profit in Open Source Software
Submitted by Anonymous on July 4, 2009 – 12:40 P.M.

Hey, business idiots, these guys sell boxes. They don’t sell service. They sell boxes that have hardware. They sell boxes that have an OS. They sell boxes that contain software.

If they sell hardware with Windows, they can charge whatever they want for the OS and make a pretty good profit.

If they sell a box with Linux, they are specifically forbidden by the GPL to make any profit on the sale. Read the license.

You specifically said, “I never pay for software or operating systems.” Why should they even bother sell to you? You specifically eliminate their highest sales margine products and ability to make money. They sell to the crowd that allows them to make money, and that isn’t you.

Challange here:

Go create a business based on Linux and see how long you last. Bet it never even gets off the ground.

Best part is that you’ll blame Microsoft for your failure.