Under $500 machines in a design studio?

[eclipse]

Hi all,

Opinion -- Sometimes, several unrelated changes come to a head at the same time, with a result no one could have predicted. The PC market is at such a tipping point right now and the result will be millions of Linux-powered PCs in users' hands.

This article basically sees an exponential uptake of ultra-cheap Linux based computers with free OS, free OpenOffice, free GIMP (Photoshop for beginners), free Scribus (Quark / InDesign beginners), free Blender (3d animation), free everything.

It's the start of a social and business revolution away from Microsoft, led by the sheer economics of what can now be achieved because of....

Four trends: user-friendly Linux desktops, useful under-$500 laptops and desktops, near-universal broadband, and business-ready Internet office applications. Put them together and you have a revolution.

So here's the deal: How long before all these new Linux/Ubuntu users demand and participate in GIMP and Scribus upgrades? How long before various businesses morph into GIMP and Scribus supporters for advertising rights & Kudos? How long before Gimp and Scribus pick accelerate an exponential growth tangent that eventually.... becomes an option for serious designers? How long before the next Graphic design computer costs less than $500

[chaosbunny]

Hard to say how long exactly, but I believe this will come sooner or later. I think it will take open source software at least 5-10 years to be equal to adobes design suite though. What no one knows is if adobe is going to sit still on its more or less monopol status in the design software area, or if they will see this coming and do something against it.

[Blue Velvet]

This is virtually identical to a similar thread you started some time ago. Give it up; it's a pipe-dream and leave the job of designing to designers.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=225439