Linux Distributions and LiveCDs are very powerful useful way to reach the end users/consumers.
Major Players in Distros
Fedora Core
Debian
LiveCD
Knoppix based on Debian
It would be nice if we can have a kiosk where you can go and ask for an assortment of open source programs and they cut a cd for free or minimal charge.
For example here are the combinations I would be interested
1. Have a really really light system - just kernel
2. Have a system for developer (tool chains, IDE)
3. Server config
4. Video Editing
5. Music editing (lilyPond)
6. Engineering application
7. Games
8. Routers
Basically, as a customer, I want to walk up to the booth, click (touch screen would be cool) select all (while the size bar shows me where I am - say burn... Go over to the counter - pay and get the CD/DVD with what ever professional label/disk jacket.
Give a mechanism to select from different tree type categories.
Give option to select individual components by name
Give option to select a specific older version - if that's what the user wants
Give option to read about the package as needed
Can we compare this with today's Wallgreen's print your photos from memory chip?
Give option to get some contents like Images, Music, Movie, Text, Docs...
Provide not just GPL - allow other licenses
May be we can loop commercial non-open software to giving their software like this as well - what the heck - they want money - don't they?