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FFH5
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join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

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FFH5

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Wal-Mart selling $199 Linux PC w/o monitor

»news.yahoo.com/s/ap/2007 ··· mputer_4
Linux, the free operating system that's a perpetual underdog in the desktop market, is showing up in computers in Wal-Mart stores this week for the first time.

About 600 Wal-Mart stores will carry the $199 Linux-powered "Green gPC" made by Everex of Taiwan, Wal-Mart said. It was available online on Wednesday.

A comparable Everex PC that comes with Windows Vista Home Basic and more memory costs $99 more, or $298, partly because the manufacturer has to pay Microsoft Corp. for a software license. Both computers come with keyboard, mouse, and speakers, but no monitor.

The variant of Linux on the gPC is called gOS and is derived from the popular Ubuntu variant. It's heavily oriented toward Google's Web sites and online applications, like YouTube, Gmail and the company's word processing program, all of which can be used only when the computer is connected to a broadband line.

The gPC has a low-end processor from VIA Technologies, plus 512 megabytes of internal memory, an 80-gigabyte hard drive and a combination DVD drive and CD burner.
Here is the link to the Wal-Mart page with all the specifications for this computer.
»www.walmart.com/catalog/ ··· =7754614

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

Greg_Z

Premium Member

I do need a new Intranet Server, and for that cost, I may get two. Since it is a perfect spec for something to use for that purpose.

shdesigns
Powered By Infinite Improbabilty Drive
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join:2000-12-01
Stone Mountain, GA
(Software) pfSense
ARRIS SB6121

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For clients, I put together a PC that does a VPN connection to my server. Would be a cheap way to make the VPN box.

Makes it easy to access their LAN for version control. Since the box makes an outgoing TCP/IP connection, it does not need special work in their firewall.

Hmm.......;)
salahx
join:2001-12-03
Saint Louis, MO

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Well, that really not THAT great a price, just looking at the hardware. Here's a similar Windows machine: »www.walmart.com/catalog/ ··· =5673669 . Note that the Windows machine includes a monitor and a CD-burner.

Software wise, the Linux machine is the better deal - the customer does not need to purchase a security scanner or buy any additional software. Plus it has a lot more functionality - Windows Vista Home Basic is seriously stripped down feature-wise (but not bloat-wise).

If someone's replacing an old Windows 9x/ME machine; or they just need a computer for e-mail, web browsing, and homework, yeah, this would be a good machine (Vista would require the buyer to re-learn everything ANYWAY)

jdong
Eat A Beaver, Save A Tree.
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join:2002-07-09
Rochester, MI

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»blog.nixternal.com/2007. ··· inux-pc/

Richard Johnson, a Ubuntu (Kubuntu) developer, has posted a remark about this system. He is markedly unimpressed with it, so YMMV?
witmer1
Premium Member
join:2002-09-23
Llewellyn, PA

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I agree with the piece from Richard Johnson. If a piece of hardware is not recognized by the OS that ships on a system, that is completely unacceptable. The Linux community is trying to convert people, but this move would piss owners off, and drive them away from Linux, and over a dial-up modem. How sad.

I am interested in testing "gOS" in a VirtualBox. I've been watching the site throughout the day. Most of the day the message was the site was to open at "9 am" this morning? What time zone?

The site now reads opening at midnight, November 1. That would have been last night in my opinion, but I will check back. If they can't launch their site, with 10 people, how can they support a large consumer base?
witmer1

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Wow, this gets better....

Apparently the site is being developed today, throughout the day. The download area is open at »thinkgos.com/downloads.html. They are recommending only developers download the OS, as it is still under development.

So, they are putting an OS that is still in testing phase on shelves in the largest department store chain. This is worse than the Lindows/Linspire push. At lease Lindows/Linspire was in a better position than this.
Just Basics
join:2003-06-08
Painter, VA

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I read the link for the blog posted above and it claims it comes with an unsupported modem.

However, if you read the item description it says nothing about a modem but does say it has a serial port which would work for me.

jdong
Eat A Beaver, Save A Tree.
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Rochester, MI

jdong

Premium Member

said by Just Basics:

I read the link for the blog posted above and it claims it comes with an unsupported modem.

However, if you read the item description it says nothing about a modem but does say it has a serial port which would work for me.
They did not mention the modem, as it is unsupported.