Thank for for the link. I really didn't gather any more information from it than from the previous two articles, but you did as I asked.
There's an awful lot of supposition in this article, just as in the two previous articles for which you provided links. Don't get me wrong, as I have nothing against Linux, but rather I don't believe the case has been made that porting Trainz or any other game to that platform would be a winning venture for any company.
Linux users are a generous lot. Could it be that they get most of their software for free meaning there’s spare cash to buy games and donate to charity at the same time?
Could it be that they are so desperate for games for their platform, that they are willing to pay more to obtain them? Linux users may just be a desperate lot. The author assumes too much.
The stats are clear, though. On average Linux users have paid $11.63 for the bundle where as Windows users paid just $3.80. Mac users fall in the middle and averaged $6.61. Overall, the average is $4.78 per purchase.
So this is proof of what exactly? Why should Windows users pay more for a bunch of obscure titles (save Minecraft) when they may already have them installed? Perhaps the Windows users are the generous lot, buying titles they already have access to just to contribute to a charity. Mac and Linux users have less access to titles, so certainly I would expect both groups to pay more.
Although Windows users may be willing to spend less, they make up for that in their numbers. The majority of bundle sales are for Windows, with the total sales now past $1 million showing just how much cash can be raised for charity with a decent set of games on offer.
Yes numbers! An author only writes the book once, it's the number of sales he is concerned with. Increased sales by numbers widens your potential customer base for new and future offerings as well. Even though Linux users were willing to pay more for this charity bundle, they still averaged ONLY $11.63 each. Where's the $50.00 and up that most games sell for now days? Again, I believe this speaks to desperation more than anything else. Linux users paid about $260,000.00 out of the total so far, is this enough money to meet payroll and support and distribution and still earn a profit? I do not know, but on the surface I would guess "no". Trainz is a niche game as it is, and I trust N3V to have the research and marketing skills to know whether it would be a good investment or not. Profit is the motive behind all business, and as soon as the numbers click, they will likely take the appropriate steps. They are not in business to further the success of Linux, nor are they gunning for it's failure, they simply will not waste time or resources until there is a profit to be made.
You mentioned charity, I would rather call it a temporary loan. Help Linux now and be rewarded in the future. And the reason for this?
Investment in a future market is N3V's ball of yarn to unravel. I tend to believe they are aware, and as it is not profitable yet, they have decided not to pursue the issue.
Microsoft is a monopoly. Now, what they want is what they get. Valve's main reason for move is the 30% fee they must pay Microsoft for selling their software through them.
This illustrates my point nicely. Now we know what Steam's beef is with Microsoft, and the profit motive is clearly that 30% they don't want to lose.
Not everyone is willing to pay Microsoft for Windows, not everyone wants Windows. One size do not have to fit all.
That's true, but then each person that decides not to use Windows will have to take the good with the bad. N3V isn't in business to further some rebel's cause. If Linux users are disappointed that they won't port the game, then they are free to vote with their money.
Microsoft and Apple are bad companies - they sue others for their Patents and they benefit from actual patent system more than others. Microsoft has more money from Google Android than from their own Windows Phone system. Apple on the other hand banns Android devices to be sold, though they had apparently copied Sony and created Iphone 4 design (snip). But it is partially a problem of today's patent system.
Bad companies? Nonsense until proven in a court of law. Again, if you or anyone else wants to not give profits to any company...whether it be ChikFil A, Walmart or Microsoft, then by all means do not! That's capitalism in action.
There would be absolutely nothing bad about having Linux as a alternative. (snip) Linux has a potential but needs help.
You're right; there would be nothing "bad", however most companies that sell goods or services for profit will not be motivated until there is something "good" about it, and by "good", I mean "Profitable". It is not in N3V's mission statement to help struggling OS platforms, of that I am certain.
Someone from N3V can step in here and explain that they are developing a port for Linux, and I would not retract anything I've written, I'd simply surmise that they have done research I'm not aware of and have decided they could wring a profit out of such a decision. If they posted that they were doing so although there would be no profit for them as a result, but that they were sensitive to the plight of Linux users and are trying to help the OS by doing so.... well... then I would fall out of my chair!
