[Arm-netbook] business strategy

[Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton]

On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 3:23 PM, Michelle Konzack
<linux4michelle at tamay-dogan.net> wrote:
> Hello Luke,
>
> while reading your mail, unfortunately this problem is well known to me.

 yehhs... the unfortunate thing is that the distro they've got is
actually damn good.  if we have to walk away from chitech (or, as is
more likely, a competitor produces an alternative before they've
finished working in isolation to fix the software problems) that
software alone is worthwhile pursuing.

> I try to get infos about manufacturing our own Netbook or TablePC  which
> we can individualy configured.

 excellent!

> If I assume a quantity of 100.000 pcs (required minimum), the  costs  of
> material to build the PCB + Display is arround 44 Euro (~58 US$).
>
> The machines to build the PCB, the  Printer, Placer  and  Reflow-Station
> cost arround 270.000 Euro (~360.000 US$) one time.
>
> Now I am ongoung to find a manufacturer for a Milling-Machine suitable
> to make the forms for the Plastic Mulding-Machine.
>
> Maby I am crazy, but I like to know, whether it is possibel to beat  the
> chinese manufacturers...  In theory it IS POSSIBEL!

 :)

> Note:   I was already talking to my bank about this project and they are
>        a little bit picky...  It seems I have to contact Berkley.

 probably "barclay's".  http://www.barklays.co.uk

 i'd recommend the "cooperative bank", i think their ethics fit
better. http://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/

>        I know the make financement for new enterprises and I am talking
>        about a whole infrastructure in the size of arround 4-6mio Euro.

 ok, thinking of strategy: what would make a bank interested to
invest?  how are you going to make money?

 * from dual-licensing of hardware designs
 * from software expertise and consultancy
 * from GPL violations (!)

 this latter comes from people taking the designs _without_ asking,
and, because of the dual-licensing aspect of the hardware designs, it
can be PROVEN that there was substantial financial loss.  it's also
important to mention that because of the use of free software
licenses, the Software Freedom Law Centre and the FSF will back any
case, thus mitigating legal costs.

 to ensure that there is a case, it is important to obtain a
"copyright registration certificate" for the designs, in the united
states.  everywhere else in the world this is not necessary, but a
U.S. company can violate copyright and you DO NOT GET ANY COMPENSATION
WITHOUT A COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE.

 also, the corporate charter i believe should be based on professor
yunus's "social business".  the U.K.'s "Social Club" articles of
incorporation are the closest to this that i've seen.   the basis of
these articles of incorporation are that profit maximisation is NOT
the absolute be-all and end-all, thus allowing you the freedom to
"re-plough" the profits _back_ into expanding the company.

 that kind of thing fits better with the ethos and it's the kind of
thing that the cooperative bank would understand.

 l.