well this is good for linux
because walmart is a mainstream distribution unparalleled in popularity with the families and people that shop there
because its cheap
gos could be the boom in linux that fanboys have been predicting for years because while the customer may not know what linux is... the shopper will still experience the power of it of course in a cheap setting

atomic1fire

@D Wiz:
That's what I'm wondering too.

2-7offsuit

This wouldn't work as a DVR (after changing the OS), would it ? Aside from the big case and small hard drive, I can't find any information about an AGP or PCI-E slot. Anyone have more information on this?

D Wiz

@backbaydk: This is based on ubuntu. I don't think anyone is going to be running tar or gzip or make unless they know what they're doing and want to.

Charles Duffy

Bah. Buy it, put Ubuntu on it. 'nuff said.

y0himba

PS/ It seems to use webrunner to do most of it'sweb tools.. which is exactly how i've got my XP system set up. (and how lots of cutting edge delepoments like google gears and adobe flex are moving. )

I'd imagine most PCs will be ike this in a few years. (but more polished)

soul_grind

You can connect to ipods with almoast any music software. I use MediaMonkey on my PC, not itunes.

The BEST media player is Amarok, which is only available on Linux. Beats itunes or any other PC system. Whether it would run on this is another matter.

From the screenshots this looks great. A simple, innovative, intuitive UI? Surely not.

Windows' UI is frickin terrible. They keep making incrememtal changes, but it just makes things more complex. OSX and Linux are a little better, but they still stick too close to the windows model.
this looks like something that might actually be quick and fun to use!

soul_grind

Maybe I'm missing something, but their "About" page ([www.thinkgos.com]) says "play movies, music, and connect to iPods"

You can't run iTunes on this OS, right? How can you connect to an iPod without iTunes?

My 11 year old nephew calls his $30 mp3 player, in fact, ANY mp3 player an iPod. Was their site written by an 11-year-old?

JohnOB1

I'm a macsnot, I'll fess up front. I'm also a wanna-be geek: I know JUST enough to reaalllly hose a linux system.

I've got Gutsy versions of Ubuntu and Xubuntu, Damn Small (4.0) and, now, gOS running on VMware partitions on my macbook. I've also just put DSL4 on an ancient fujitsu. I'm awaiting delivery (WHOOO!) of my new eee pc lappie for the kitchen or whatnot.

I have got to say, do not piss on gOS until you've dallied with it. I just spent a very pleasurable 30 minutes with it and it's wonderful.

Yes, there will be kinks. "Run > ls " did exactly nothing. BUT, I loved the quicksilver-type suggestions based on what I'd typed. It'd be nice if you weren't looking at a blank box, devoid of ANY help before you got those suggestions, but I quibble.

The interface is snappy. Every preference pane shows in a default 'basic' mode with a nice 'advanced' button on the bottom if you really wanna mess up the system. But 'Cancel' is easy to find and I bet I'd have to work hard to render this OS really terminally messed up.

I like this. A lot. I am not a massive google fan, but adding apps via synaptec was-- well.. a snap (gotta have HTOP and abiword!).

Provided the hardware isn't a mess of realllly cheap (in the bad sense) components, this will be a real hit. And, with a bigger hard drive, would serve as a great multimedia server and/or backupserver for just about anyone's home.

I'm sold.

gyffes

@BACKDOORANGEL - Yes, the theme is nice, acually that is what I liked most. I have to admit that it is a very simple OS. Really, not for me, but it has potential in the future for non-techy users once they get the bugs worked out...

Shane

People keep dropping the "picking up a new OS" as if that's the market for this OS. personally I see this for older people or people that HAVEN'T used a computer before. There ARE still people like that. My grandmother for example is interested in using a computer, but has never been able to understand how, regardless of the times I've tried to teach her. For 200 dollars she can get an okay computer and an OS that is easy to use. It seems like a solution to me. Worse coems to worse I load up mintUbuntu on it and set it up super easy for her. All she needs to do is use the internet and check email, if that. The best thing is that even if she doesn't take to it, 200 dollars is hardly much to lose.

-emory-

@bts3685: One would guess that Google might have a business deal with gOS, the same way Google pays Mozilla for integrating its search box into Firefox's default startup page. There's a Q and A with gOS's founder, David Liu, here, where he mentions they have an agreement with Google to include its search bar on the desktop.

I'm posting this from the gOS live CD, and it's got all the apps on it you'd expect from an Ubuntu CD, including OpenOffice.org, so it's curious that they're pushing Google's web apps instead.

Once upon a time, Fry's Electronics sold a PC with Lindows (now Linspire) pre-installed, for $150 (not a bad little box for the price). The salesman there told me that most people who bought them nuked Lindows and installed Windows. Plus the motherboard driver CD that came with it was Windows-only.

eco2geek

i have a co-worker who returned a pc he recently bought because it had vista on it and he was lost. i would think it wouldn't be a whole lot different than xp.

$200 for a pc? not bad. but i already have an xp disc, and can put together a pretty mean machine for $200.

i totally see this taking off. but i see this as more of a low income college student market. those students are quick enough to pick up a new os, and as long as it helps complete papers, its better than going to the library.

but i like others want to hear from someone who is using it.

INconsumer

@Shane: wow, it actually doesn't look too bad for someone who knows nothing.

I think the best thing to come out of this OS though is that theme.
I really really want that theme.

BackDoorAngel

Some screenshots here:

[www.hackosis.com]

Shane

So everyone has an opinion, but did anyone actually try it? that's what interest me.

twopeak

I can't imagine that a Linux PC is ready for the unwashed masses.

Can anyone imagine walking your parents through how to untar and ungzip an application and install it? For that matter what if they have to "make"? LOL!

Computers are getting harder to use for people like this, not easier. What is truly needed for people like my parents is a computer that provides IN YOUR FACE step-by-step instructions for EVERYTHING and a dead simple interface with 3 or 4 giant icons to mash like - EMAIL, INTERNET, PHOTOS, DOCUMENTS, etc.

Oh, and a built in - always on - vnc server so I can fix everything remotely when they inevitable screw it all up. ;)

backbaydk

My parents would definitely buy and enjoy this. ('Cept I bought them a Windows machine last year.)

Nick Douglas

I see the perfect market for this as being the grandmas* and grandpas* of the world. People who only need a machine for light word processing, emails, pictures, music, etc. All they want is a machine where you click and it does. If the GUI is simple and straight forward it doesn't matter if it's slightly different from Windows. (I know many people who barely know the user interface in Windows as it is.)

*In the classical sense, not the grandmas and grandpas who read lifehacker.

quail

I actually just saw this VIA motherboard and processor the other day that comes with gOS:

[www.clubit.com]

Same processor that is in the one at walmart.

OmegaRed59

The other good thing about the boxes is that underneath the mid-tower case is some nice Mini-ITX parts. I'm sure a lot of people that could put that cheap hardware to good use in a Car PC.

Check out Wired's take on it:
[blog.wired.com]

pjnofrills

guess what, people - some of the working poor read Lifehacker. a spanking-new $200 computer with Linux pre-installed and pre-configured sounds pretty darned good to me.

rhodius

This system would be perfect for my brother in law, all he ever does with his system is send a few emails and maybe type a letter of two. He is in his mid 50's. Anything else would be over kill. I also wonder how many of these are going to end up being MythTV boxes.

Rj

rjflyn

It's pretty simple, if they find that they want/need windows, they can get it for $100 extra. They offer basically the same machine with Windows installed for $100 more. I don't see a problem here. I think it's a great product for the masses that will get them 99% of what they want/need on a computer.

jalopwill

"This will be a huge failure. I work at a computer store, people don't want to learn how to use a new computer, they don't like change."

You make it sound like everyone has the money for a $700+ computer and already uses Windows. Leave the store for a while, meet new people, and you'll find plenty of people who don't. I think most of the buyers will be those who don't have a computer and thus have rarely, if ever, used Windows at all. For them, it's not a change to begin with. I live in a small town, and believe me, there are still lots of folks out there who don't have a computer -- and many of them have money, but just don't want to "blow it" on expensive computers since they're not the nerdy type.

Nevertheless, I predict that this will mostly be a niche market. Besides those who don't already have computers, it'll cater to people who don't have the money to spend on more expensive machines (learning a new OS is a small price to pay to get a computer that cheap) and, somewhat later, those who've seen these in action or learned about them and decide that a low-powered, cheap computer like this is all they need. Not everyone is a gamer or a geek who wants a powerful computer that can run Vista with ease. The fact that it won't run the same software that Wal-Mart sells won't be much of a problem, I think; they'll just return it and know better than to buy any again. Once they're online, they'll learn about the software out there that they can use. If this goes anywhere, there might well be web sites that spring up just for them to do that.

mistshadow2k4

The supplied OS is irrelevant. Most of these machines will have a pirated copy of XP running on them the day after they're sold.

Counterglow

@Swizzler121: This is what makes me sad, because it's so true.

My ex-girlfriend (and even when we were still dating) would NOT switch over to gaim (now Pidgin) or Firefox. Simply because she "hated change" I explained that it took you to the same internet, the same chats and had roughly the same interface. Yet it was more secure and better served your purposes and she still wouldn't do it.

I don't know if there's something to be said about practicality vs. familiarity, but I really think that's somewhere around the root of the problem.

MIKEAWESOME

If this operating system is aimed at the less techie shoppers.... then... quite frqankly thats stupid... If you My mum has enough trouble trying to learn the difference between A Windows / mac... dont even get me started on linux...
Although it is fantastic for geeks and developers.... Its not great for learning...

As This new systems primary role is for the internet... Many users will be confused...
"what do you mean i cant download and run it...?"
"Well madam its software for a windows pc"
"so.. what software can i use? what about that one.."
"nope"
"thatone?"
"no madam, you can only run the programs that come with it..."

The best thing you could do would be to by the 200$ pc, and install Ubuntu or XP.

an8kid

also, i'm curious as to how Google feels about this. they are VERY protective of their name (talk to any Google staffmember- they shrink in horror if you use the word "google" as a verb, or use the word "googler", "googling", etc.) and seeing some two-bit underdeveloped distro (honestly, what sort of project has a site THAT simple? and NO DOCUMENTATION?! no FAQ?? they're trying to attract END-USERS here!) use their word left and right with only some mild disclaimer at the bottom of the index's page...

anyone keen with Google bloggers' RSS? i'm really curious how Google feels about this.
i mean honestly, i can see Google making an OS themselves (hell, it's the next logical step for their dev team to make) but i feel that they'd think this project would hurt their branding.

anyone else?

bts3685

@Schmee:
i bet they're actually calculators with an embedded linux system.

and i also bet they advertise them as "Y2K-compliant".

really, $50 is too low for a machine. case alone is $5-10. SUPER low-end mobo (686 possibly 586, not 486 or lower) is $20-30. plus the cost of the power supply, the PROCESSOR...there's no way it can be done $50 with a profit unless it's way outdated equipment they get donated to them or something.

i blame marketing. you probably say to them "do you want windows or linux?"

wrong. try instead "are you familiar with linux? it's cheaper than windows- free, actually- and much more secure. why spend money for a riskier OS? also, if you're using a computer for only web-surfing, reading e-mail, typing up word documents, listening to music, watching movies, etc. then we have a deal for you! $50 for a computer that can do all that!"

bts3685

@Swizzler121: I am intrigued by this $50 linux box with support. Please do share.

Schmee

Great idea, but doubtful of it's success. Although I am a huge fan/user of open source products including my OS, most others are not. The best analogy I have ever heard that I could relate to came from my friend into photography, he said "I love all the settings and adjustments I can do, you just want point-and-click" this was true.As much as I love to take pictures, the details of photography do not appeal to me and to most a computer is like a point and click camera, they just want it to work.

Linux rocks and some of the ubuntu/xandros/linspire distros have made it easier to attract new users, but there are still many issues with compatibility to overcome. This is why I never buy from companies like ATI who do no justice to open source. My most effective weapon to influence this battle is my money as a consumer and therefore MS, Apple(itunes), and ATI will never get my money, and hopefully yours.

That is the perfect lead-in as to why as a consumer I choose not to support Walmart either, but that is an entirely different post.

The best question on the gOS forum was the user who asked for a support number for linux...too funny.

roadrage

t

monkeyboy

@Swizzler121:

Did you have a typo? How are you selling a Ubuntu system for $50? Is it an old, used 486 PC??

monkeyboy

I would rather have gOS than Vista personally; on that same note though if Vista has as many issues as it does, why not give Linux a try?

My college is reverting all the new Dell's back to XP from Vista because of issues. SWIZZLER121 I think it is interesting you work @ a shop that sells machines with Ubuntu, I have been working at a local PC shop for 3 years and we won't support Linux OS's.

beloved.openhand

@SCHMEE
"Does anyone else find it odd that Wal-mart is pushing an open source based OS?"

Actually, its one of the things that Wal-mart has done in a while that makes any sense at all. As a giant corporation that has to post profits in order to exist, it makes a lot of sense to cut down the prices by eliminating license fees and selling home-grown products. Its the same with dell, because the realized they could make a lot more money by selling computers that are $100-$200 less and still make a profit because they don't need to pay Microsoft.

So yeah, unfortunately, they're not into Open Source because of its ideals but because it increases their profits. But I feel that the more Linux is out in the wild, the better it is for Open Source community in general.

PyroRaver

It costs more than leopard but comes with a computer.

jackquack

Consumers also identify something by names. Even though Meebo supports all the major chat providers people will want to use Yahoo messenger and MSN Messenger. That's why Firefox has had problems taking the pc majority, the majority only knows IE and doesn't want to change to something new. For some reason the common end user isn't appealed to different products that work the same way. It took years for people to buy other brands except the name brand items, only when name brand prices go too crazy did they discover off brand was basically the same. So basically Linux and in some cases Mac is an off brand, and they just have to wait until M$ jacks up their price to "King of the World" status. By then linux will almost parallel windows in preformance and ease of use, and hopefully entertainment(games). But until then let big business try to encourage these ideas in to the minds of clueless consumers.

Swizzler121

i think we need to keep in mind that the walmart shopper probably is not so techy and even not privy to sites like lifehacker or know about ubuntu.

The pc makers for this must be assuming that the true walmart shopper just wants a cheap pc that can do the following:

-browse the web
-view pics
-play songs
-play videos
-get no viruses

I think they'll actually be successful in targeting that market.

I AGREE WITH THAT: Untill....they buy Buck Hunter III and it doesn't work on their fancy Walmart gOS system.

gedeyenite

I agree with Sizzler121, I think this will surely confuse the uneducated pc users that are used to buying a computer and having the familiar windows os always there. The average user wants a cheap pc and everything laid out for them. It should be interesting to sit back and watch. :)

landonmiller

I too could see potential in using it for a media server. Does anyone know how to go about finding a smaller case for it? I mean, how can you tell what fits?

2-7offsuit

Meh, rather have straight Gutsy Gibbon on my machine. The computer looks like a great idea though. Kudos to Everex and Wal-Mart. If Sam Walton can't throw down a solid PC on the cheap, I don't know who can....

vaelor

I'm too in love with my machines to get one, but I think this is kind of brilliant. I like the future of web-based apps, and although I dislike Walmart, their commitment to the product will at least give it a fighting chance and some recognition.

I can see this being the kind of thing that shows up in a lot of schools and publicly accessible places, not to mention it probably would've been less of a pain than trying to show my grandmother how to install and use a half-dozen Windows programs.

Yeah, it'll be a shock for gamers, and I think MATHMONKEY's right about the case. But still...

o3fingers

This will be a huge failure. I work at a computer store, people don't want to learn how to use a new computer, they don't like change. We've been selling $50 ubuntu systems to customers with free tech support and they still don't get it. We give them guides and they don't read them, the common end user has no will to learn about anything other than windows.

Swizzler121

Finally open source software finds its niche!

Funny that these will be right next to the Dells on the shelf already at Walmart. I wonder how many people will buy this because the green-colored desktop matches the WinXP Home edition box, and then stop at the games aisle to get a game to go along with their new computer, then be unable to use either one and return them both.

pdok

I'm downloading it right now also. I think its got a market. We on lifehacker might not be it.
But ill give it a try.

Gautch

This is a great idea. I'm d/l-ing right now to try it out under parallels. Other sources I've read talk about the lower power, smaller components being used in the box, but that WalMart have decided to use a larger chassis, claiming it has a higher perceived value to their shoppers. Put these components in a tiny box, at this price, and it's a winner.

mathmonkey

Does anyone else find it odd that Wal-mart is pushing an open source based OS?

Honestly if I can add HD's and video out to their $200 box, it might be worth it for a minimalist server/media box.

Schmee

@AN8KID: $200 for the whole computer, including the OS. Can't get a Mac for that cheap.

One of the students at the college where I work mentioned that she was going to pick one up. $200 for a computer is a great deal for a broke college student.

xcorvis

i think we need to keep in mind that the walmart shopper probably is not so techy and even not privy to sites like lifehacker or know about ubuntu.

The pc makers for this must be assuming that the true walmart shopper just wants a cheap pc that can do the following:

-browse the web
-view pics
-play songs
-play videos
-get no viruses

I think they'll actually be successful in targeting that market.

qrius

It's free isn't it? I'd rather just run the regular Ubuntu though.

Theres something about running the "Wal-Mart OS" that makes your rig less cool too :/

shibathedog

I don't think the Operating System is what costs $199... it's the entire computer from Walmart with this OS on it.

Pterror

sooo... basically... Its more expensive than Leopard...
doesn't look as good.... cant run anything that windows does... And you need to buy it from walmart...
Why wouldn't you want it???

an8kid

it has one of the barest sites i have seen / not seen for a while!
only available via bitorrent at the moment.

neal whitehouse piper | whiper

i was thinking about it.. but decided against it cause the free online version doesn't have DVD playback or MP3 codecs

wescrock

I was thinking about it.. but.. no go.

wescrock

I just pulled up Walmart.com. The specs for the PC in question can be found here: [www.walmart.com]

It's a relatively respectible system 80gb HD, 512Mb ram, 1.5Ghz VIA C7-D Processor. I am not a real fan of the VIA equipment (anyone renember the terribly named VIA GRA motherboard?), but it's good for entry level, and reliable overall.

englishman

@Swizzler121: Linux does match windows for performance and ease of use. The problem is its not what people are used to. I'll be very interested to see how this works.

I am concerned about the games thing, but then there are good linux games available - just not the type that joe teenager is going to want to play. But... Joe Teenagers parents would be probably happy to see this restriction to only serious school apps:)

I have a 17yr old girl who users linux hapily, and barely knows she's using it except the taskbar is in a different place.

englishman

I just checked out walmart.com also and they do have a gPC with Windows Vista for $298

[www.walmart.com]

damnflanders

I'm curious and too lazy to read all the prior comments, but do WalMart sell Linux compatible applications off the shelf?
I'm based in the UK.

xenobyte72

Without intending to plug it, waiting for the Eee PC from Acer might be better. I've seen one in person, and it does play sound on a small Linux installation. And I _do_ mean small, since it doesn't have a hard drive, only 4, 8 or 16 GB of flash RAM, although you can run an external HDD off one of the four USB 2.0 slots. Unusually, there is a VGA cable port for an external screen (the internal is 800x480 or 800x600). The keyboard is small, but it does work if you stick to two finger typing.

I would wait to buy one, though, since the promised $199 price tag was a lure. Right now, they're going for $299-399, but come the new year, they should be lower.

KJones

For that kind of pricing, I would make some nice file servers out of them.

Papa Midnight

Am I missing something here or isn't the key influencer here the fact the the largest retailer in the world is pushing an OS other than Windows? Microsoft should be quaking in their boots after releasing Vista and opening the door to new options because of the overwhelming disgust of Vista. Many comments have suggested that people using PC's don't like change...true enough, but what about Vista? Ubuntu has more in common with XP from a GUI standpoint than Vista does. I have several corporate clients who simply refuse to use Vista and are seriously considering OpenOffice because of how different the new UI is in Office2007. They simply do not want to have to retrain their people.

Regardless of whether you love Wal-Mart or not, use open source software or not; even if this fails for Walm-Mart, it will be huge for the open source OS world. The kicker is that most of the people who buy one, won't even realize that they are participating in a revolution.

As for Ubuntu and its kin, if my 6, 8 and 10 year olds can use it I think the rest of us can too ;)

esanthony

I tried it out earlier today and I have already found a problem.

Java, flash, shockwave, etc. are not preinstalled and the firefox autoinstall is not working.

So that means a manual install is necessary.

That will stop so many users in their tracks.

lunchmoney

Idk if I would personally use a box like this but it would definitely be an option for lets say, my parents that don't need much in the way of features, just to be able to get online and check email and play some flash-based games or something idk.
One of the best things is that the UI is extremely simple, I mean like the less icons the better.
Another is you don't really have to worry about them getting viruses or spyware/spam with *nix. Same goes for the demographic of Walmart. The more we can do to help those peoples computers not become zombies and part of a botnet the better we all will be in the long run anyways. Right? lol
I think it's a good deal.

chuckreynolds

If I needed a desktop computer - I'd pick this system up without a second thought. $200 is a great price. The only thing missing is a video card in order to forego the performance hit associated with shared memory.

There's some confusion as to whether a DVD/CD drive is included. Some sites are saying no (including a comment above re: no DVD support), but Walmart has it listed with a drive with CD-RW support (specs section) even though the image clearly shows NO DVD/CD drive:
[www.walmart.com]

The CPU uses about 20 watts - which is a pretty nice additional feature.

[www.via.com.tw]
"maximum thermal design power (TDP) of around 20 watts at 1.8GHz, the VIA C7-D processor has only minimal active cooling requirements"

The system might do a little better if [www.thinkgos.com] was actually ready to deliver info. There are a ton of Linux distros that would love to be sitting on Walmart shelves - the gOS team is missing a great opportunity here.

randombytes

sub300.com has been selling under $300 linux pcs for a good number of years now.

flybycommenter

None of them are going to end up being MythTV boxes. I bet changing out/installing hardware on this thing would be next to impossible. You would probably destroy all of the little plastic connections doing something like that. It looks to me like they were going for the I-want-a-mac-but-i-can't-afford-it-market. Mac users aren't terrible big on changing out parts either. I could see getting something like this for my grandmother though... She never learned Windows, so starting out fresh, just telling her to click on the Mail icon at the bottom would be a good way to get her on the internet. And I think that ultimately many of you are thinking too small. Those who would buy a 200 dollar PC for more than geeky play might be able to learn gOS because it may be the first thing computer they have ever really learned. If there is a market for this thing, WalMart can find it.

dragonlor20

well this should be interesting. I just found out that the computer is made by Everex. I'm using an Everex computer right now that costs 3 times what the walmart one costs and i'm not very happy; it's only three months old and already pieces have fallen off. Overall, it's just a bad computer. So my guess is this walmart version isn't going to be very good. I do respect their support of open-source software, though.

startswithone1

I have a couple (probably dumb) questions: Can I load WordPress on it and an SQL database? And will it ever come in a really small form factor, like a laptop? It would be nice to be able to blog off line (on a plane) and then post when on-line.

muteDonkey

I downloaded gOS to give it a spin and was pleasantly surprised. It has a really simple interface which I think will appeal to new users. It gives links to popular sites like Wikipedia, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, etc.. as if they were desktop apps. This is technologically simple, but from a user interface perspective may appeal to the new user who is used to seeing applications as desktop links. To them a Word Processor is a link in their desktop, not a website. Thus, giving links to Gmail and Google Docs as if they were desktop apps, might actually appeal to the new user. Just like my mom still thinks the monitor is the computer becasue it is the ting she interacts with, maybe this desktop helps users make the bridge between online apps and desktop apps. It might be a simple and clean enough interface to actually bring users to a Linux-based desktop.

bumbledragon

I just loaded it on an old Gateway laptop. The boot / install were as painless as Ubuntu (to be expected) and it installed fairly quickly. The OS looks nice and seems to be stable and quick. All the web app icons are a little gimmicky, but they may not seem that way to a common-level user.

I must say I appreciate the modified feel of the interface. My main systems are macs, so it's nice to see a bit of OSX flavor mixed in.

The system uses "shelves" which are basically customizable docks similar to what is found in OSX. They can be positioned anywhere and can take any type of "shortcut." It's a nice change to the what I feel is Ubuntu's bland look.

roomforpanic

@an8kid: Please read the article. You are paying for a headless machine, not the operating system. Ubuntu is free (as in beer).

For the price of the OLPC computer, you can get a machine that is three times as powerful with an optical drive (meaning you can load another operating system if you so desired).

The article states that 5% of people buying machines from Walmart are generally first time PC owners - what better way to inexpensively introduce them to the 21st century than with a machine that utilizes web applications and an open source operating system? Better yet, what a (relatively) inexpensive gift for kid on Christmas?

sbelyea

@an8kid:

I bought Leopard yesterday for ~$1500 dollars. You have to buy the hardware to run it. That isn't the OS cost, it's the hardware cost.

atbnet

I think the tie-ins with Google, Gmail, etc. is key. Everyone knows about Google and is familiar with their apps. Anything that spreads Linux is a bonus if you ask me and no one has better distribution than good old Wally World.

brianfike

This PC has ubuntu installed, just with the Enlightenment desktop. Has web apps and such preinstalled for ease of use to a new user. However, this pc still uses Ubunutu repos. For the price, outdoes any windows machine in performance. My opinion, good buy for a new linux user.

squiggie

Who said this is not for the LH crowd: I'm seriously considering getting one to use as a small ftp/http/svn server.
With an extra hard drive (but is there room for more), some more memory, and maybe a different distro.

@backbaydk: believe it or not, installing, uninstalling and upgrading software with ubuntu is actually easier than Windows. Look for 'synaptic', or try it out.

nicoco

@muteDonkey:
wordpress? check.
SQL? check. (both should be in the repos if it uses standard ubuntu repos)

small form factor? i doubt it. but it IS mini-itx and uses 20w so it'd be fairly easy to hack it into a DIY (but ugly-as-sin, unless you've done this sort of thing before) laptop. if you're looking for a cheap laptop, the OLPC ([laptop.org]) is probably better- $200 gets you a pretty decent functional laptop AND gets another one to a kid that could really use one but can't afford it.

not dumb questions at all! it's definitely a good idea to turn it into a blogging machine (which is what you had in mind, i'm guessing).

bts3685

just some clarification for non-linux users
(this is going to be rather lengthy) :

when you install software in windows (and yeah, macs), you download an installer/binary from the project's website (or torrent it, or run it from CD, whatever). you then run that file which usually installs the software (sometimes it's a standalone binary or "executable").

with linux, you have something called "repositories"- these are servers or clusters of servers hosting software (both binaries AND source code, usually)- it is also possible to put repositories on CD/DVD/local server (although HIGHLY not recommended due to slower access to updates, decreased security, etc.).
when you want to install something, you use an interface (called a "packaging tool") either with or without a GUI front end (in ubuntu and DEB-based distros, aptitude/apt-get is the frontend to repository access and synaptic is one of the GUI frontends to aptitude). usually in repositories, there are THOUSANDS upon thousands of software, libraries ("dll files" for you windows users), etc. ALL which have been rigorously tested and tested again for security holes, memory leaks, etc. and then tested again, and so on so forth (and depending on which branch you choose- for example, stable vs. testing- you can have certain tradeoffs. more recent cutting-edge releases at the expense of stability, and vice versa).

(there are, of course, exceptions- sometimes a smalltime project isn't in repositories yet, or refuse to be included in repositories, etc. in this case, they usually have a pre-compiled binary you can run, an "installer"(which utilizes the distro's packaging tool), or the source code (and compiling from source is about as hard as unzipping a file as long as the makefile's configured correctly- and it usually is. if it isn't, there's ample documentation on compiling on the project's site).

what it all comes down to, in comparison for windows users, is this:
imagine your control panel listing not only what you DO have installed but what software you COULD install (as well as a checkbox and "apply" button to install it). no more going to google to find the software company's webpage to download the installer to only find out you're missing a certain library- SO! off to google again to download the dll you're missing, etc.

the advantages to this method are numerous- free software at one command/one select of a checkbox, a list you can scroll through/search through for software you need to accomplish a certain feat/goal (repositories are indexed, cross-referenced, etc.), AUTOMATIC UPDATING WITH ONE CLICK/COMMAND (both windows and mac lacks in this area), increased security (when you install from a repo, you KNOW the software is what it says it is and not some malevolent backdoor/trojan. that is why virii propogation has not occurred in linux- even though it is possible to write virii for linux that do VERY limited damage (due to the multi-user internals), it doesn't propagate because the only people who would GET virii are the ones who wouldn't be installing from source (aka "grandma and grandpa" users).

@backbaydk:
a couple things i have problems with regarding your assessment.
-you're making assumptions that they'll need to install from source- if a distro's repos are set up properly, they won't (unless they're hardcore geeks and do coding, penetration testing, database administration, reverse engineering, hardware reconfiguration... my parents don't do any of these. do yours? if it's THAT hard for them, you can always SSH in. or give them a bash script to run.
-which is harder? "Administration > System > Synaptic, select Firefox, select Apply" (ubuntu users, correct me if i'm wrong. doing it from memory) or "url:www.getfirefox.com, click Download, save installer (or run... but that takes forever) run installer, etc." i'd prefer the former. i think linux is MUCH more newbie-friendly.
-as for "step-by-step documentation for EVERYTHING"... it does not and will never exist. on ANY os. gnome and ubuntu have help documentation, just as windows does. openoffice has help documentation just as m$office does. however, and here's the problem, PROBLEMS WILL ARISE INEVITABLY. they will any OS, no matter what. the normal user, NO MATTER WHAT OPERATING SYSTEM, will have no clue what to do. this is where the service industry comes in- you pay for support. you can always find it free online, too.
-as for your always-on built-in VNC server, i have a couple problems with that.
1. vnc is a proven insecure protocol. nomachine or VNC over SSH tunneling would be better.
2. most distros have VNC installed out of the box, already. the service (the thing that lets people connect), however, usually isn't turned on by default. this is a security precaution, done intentionally, and is a trivial matter to turn on. same reason when you install windows, it doesn't have Remote Desktop turned on by default. security hazard.
3. if your parents (as in your model) have a NAT router (as they should), vnc WON'T work out of the box unless you're on their subnet. you'd still need to set up port forwarding. there are ways around this such as NAT repeaters, but that's a different subject.

any questions? anyone?

bts3685

@JohnOB1: No, it wasn't written by an 11 year old. My 11 year old sister knows how to google topics before posting opinions, are you 1ll?

iPod support can come through more than just iTunes, though apple would have you believe otherwise. I have an iPod (4g photo) and I've never used iTunes. Linux has a number of apps that can access iPods, such as Amarok and gtkpod. There is actually an iPod read/write library for linux, so theoretically any app can access and write to an iPod's music database.

jambarama

@jambarama:
what's the name of the library?
i'm curious if you could cp one ipod's library into another one's if you had 2 or more connected simultaneously...
also, i'm guessing it shows up as a serial device in /dev?

bts3685

if you hate walmart, you can build one yourself for about the same price.

Kris