Wal-Mart gets busy with linux

[Texrat]

Ruh-roh:

NEW YORK (AP) -- Linux, the free operating system that's a perpetual underdog in the desktop market, will get another chance this holiday season at Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
The chain was taking orders online Wednesday for a computer called the "Green gPC" that is made by Everex of Taiwan, costs $199 and runs Linux. It will be available in about 600 stores, as well as online, Wal-Mart said.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071031/wal_mart_linux_computer.html?.v=2

[belder]

I saw on the Wal-Mart site that they were selling Dells with an option of Vista or Ubuntu. I guess this is the next step. I'm glad to see it. Eventually all of my computers will be Linux. I'm not going past Windows 2000. :) Ubuntu is good and it works.

[rs-px]

I wish they wouldn't keep offering Linux as a cheaper-than-Windows option.

[barry99705]

I wish they wouldn't keep offering Linux as a cheaper-than-Windows option.

You want them to charge more??

[Texrat]

Man, I remember when Everex was king of PCs. Anyone else? I used to drool over their specs...

[dkwatts]

What will the price be for the Green gLAPTOP?

[RioT]

Didn't they already try this with "Lindows"?

[rs-px]

Didn't they already try this with "Lindows"?

There were a few earnest efforts to get Linux onto PCs at Walmart (and other stores), and IIRC Lindows was one of the deals offered. These were still budget PCs but sold as an alternative to Windows, rather than just a bargain-basement choice.

Nowadays I'm sure we should be glad that Linux is being sold anywhere, but it does appear always to be chosen because manufacturer wants to sell a budget unit and therefore can't afford a Windows license (ie the Asus Eee).

Dell excepted, of course, because they responded to customer demand, and there have even been complaints that their notebooks/desktops cost more than the Windows equivalents. Nokia excepted too because they wanted an open platform :)

I wonder why retailers don't consider using one of the desktop BSDs? They're getting pretty good nowadays, especially on the driver front.

[gsagers]

I saw this on Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/31/everexs-199-green-pc-attention-ignorant-wal-mart-shoppers/)this morning, and saw a funny bit in their article on it.

Everex markets this as "green" rather than "underpowered" for obvious reasons, but packages the tiny bit of electronics (mini-itx motherboard & HD, no CD) in a mid-tower case with two drive bays, etc. The reason: "Research indicates that Wal-Mart shoppers equate the size of the system to its capability". Gotta love the waste there!

[maxinflixion]

Everex markets this as "green" rather than "underpowered" for obvious reasons, but packages the tiny bit of electronics (mini-itx motherboard & HD, no CD) in a mid-tower case with two drive bays, etc. The reason: "Research indicates that Wal-Mart shoppers equate the size of the system to its capability". Gotta love the waste there!

I caught that article as well. With this philosophy, I am surprised they stopped at mid-tower. This is so backward. The whole thing can fit in a shoebox, but we're going to put it in a refrigerator so Johnny Methlab will know he's getting his money's worth.

Logic tells me that the people buying these PC's have LESS living space than someone willing to spend MORE MONEY on a Small Form Factor system.

[luca]

The real reason is probably that a standard mini tower case is much cheaper than a small one tailored to the mini-itx motherboard.