Here's a place to buy them https://shipit.ubuntu.com/
- They're cheap for the campus bookstore to buy (like $0.05 each if you buy in bulk), and their maximum-profit (i.e. number sold * price is the maximum possible) sale price is like $3 (my guess) so that's a nice markup profit
- Many IIT students use Ubuntu therefore there is a possible market (personal experience speaking, here)
- Downloading the .iso and making your own boot disc takes like two hours and is boring
- IIT students might buy them, use them, and gain actual skills (important, no?)
- It looks good when the parents tour
- Expand into different versions of Linux, like BSD, OpenSuse, RedHat, etc for optimum possible value to IIT students
- Would make IIT-ACM's job easier (local supply and proof of demand- also increases demand via exposure, i.e. if they're $3 and ACM gives them away for $0, students gain value from ACM)
There are probably other reasons. And some of my reasons might be crap. But I do think that it would be a good idea.