Michael Robertson yesterday published his latest "Michael's Minute" over at the Linspire site, and as usual it's full of innovation and provocation. Plus it launches a new site, www.linushootout.com.

"When I started Lindows about 2 1/2 years ago," he writes, "many people told me I was crazy."

"First they mentioned how challenging it is to compete with Microsoft," he continues, "and second they mentioned how Linux was too difficult to use for the desktop."

Robertson goes on to explain that his first Linux experience personally was with Mandrake, which he found to be "much more complex than necessary."

"I felt that with some work though, it could become a solid desktop product. Much has changed over the last few years and there's been great competition between a few of the Linux companies. I liken it to playing football with your cousins. Sure you want to win, but whoever wins, it's still a family victory."

This notion has given Robertson an idea. Every Linux fan, he reckons, should be interested in seeing how well the Linux leaders compare, so they can assess how quickly the desktop products are maturing. So with that in mind, he and his company have created so something they're calling Linux Shootout.

Here's how it works, according to Robertson himself:

"For just $29.95 you get digital access to 3 popular Linux products, downloadable from high speed servers. It includes everything you need to install Linspire, Fedora and Mandrake on your desktop or laptop computer. If you want the physical CDs, so they'll be on your bookshelf whenever you need them, you can pay $39.95 and get 8 CDs shipped to you, as well as get digital access to over 4 gigabytes of quality Linux products.

We want to encourage side-by-side comparisons of the latest Linux products, so we've bundled 3 leaders including the latest Linspire into one package for the first time. After you've downloaded or received the CDs, the "shootout" really begins. We've made a checklist of some of the more critical features we think are essential for mainstream desktop usage. Take a look at the chart that we put together. You can use your mouse to reveal our results of how the the products compare. But we encourage you to buy a copy of your own bundle for less than 30 bucks and perform your own assessment."

"No one Linux product will satisfy everyone - choice is a good thing," Robertson adds. 

The emphasis on Linspire, he explains, is ease of use - "making Linux quick and easy to install and use. Plus we want to give people the easiest way to install the great software that is released for Linux on a weekly basis." 

"Other products," he continues, "may have a different focus. That doesn't mean they aren't great products, just that their focus may be different. Every new Linux computer helps the Linux desktop industry - regardless of what company's product you choose."

No one can deny Robertson's eye and ear for a good new idea. And who can believe, in an age when 63 million domain names have been registered, or one for every 100 people on earth, that no one ever thought before of registering www.linuxshootout.com!? 

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