Ubuntu based laptop to be sold locally.

[businessgeeks]

Hi, I recently had discussions with a business partner who produce unbranded laptops from abroad. He is actually looking into trying to get into the Philippine market but are looking into Ubuntu as an alternative to Windows.

We're trying to see if there is a sizeable market for it here in the philippines.

So I guess my question is. would you buy a laptop with ubuntu (lucid) pre-installed (ala system76?

Please let me know your thoughts.

[nerdtron]

Personally, when buying a laptop, i don't care about the OS pre-installed. I just buy the laptop with the highest specs that my budget will allow. I'm looking at the hardware, not the software bundled with it.

[echo2knight]

Yes. I do agree to nerdtron. The hardware comes first, the installed OS, I consider just an added bonus.

But, it would be great to find a laptop with lucid lynx preinstalled. I just hope that the price will be much cheaper, compared to other brands.

[sencen]

i think you should ask that too on another forum since most of us here would say that it would be a great idea.

everytime i would look at laptops on malls, i would always check the specs directly assuming that it would be pre-installed with windows, unless id buy mac.

anyway, for me, it really is a good idea if ubuntu would be pre-installed but give the customers to choose windows if theyd ask, we cant deny that windows is the known os locally (and monopolising the philippine market).

probably you can give them an offer they cant resist, that is, if it wont be too much. say give them a discount if theyd bundle it with ubuntu instead of windows, or require them to add a few cash to get a genuine windows os copy. :)

or give them an offer to try ubuntu first and if theyre not happy with it, they can always go back to your store to get their os changed. :P

[nerdtron]

Price is a major concern in the Philippine market. Make the laptops as cheap as possible, but with decent specs, and quality plus indicate that it runs and is fully compatible with Ubuntu.
Add a nice Linux or Ubuntu sticker on the laptop i will buy it! :)
People who want windows will surely remove (or dual boot) Ubuntu. Offer it as Ubuntu, but if they want windows, explain to them that they need to pay extra for it.

That's it, price and quality balance for the laptops. Since Ubuntu is pre-installed you can lower the price because they don't have to pay extra for the OS.

The price should be about 23000 Php - 29000 Php. Dude i'll buy it!

[Script Warlock]

ako bibili basta maganda ang specs...

[sencen]

there are actually unbranded laptops with can-do specs that are out in the market already and bundled with windows 7 starter. itś price ranges from 14,000Php and up. :)

[nerdtron]

there are actually unbranded laptops with can-do specs that are out in the market already and bundled with windows 7 starter. itś price ranges from 14,000Php and up. :)

san pwde bumili? Basta laptop ha, ayoko ng maliliit na netbooks

[kilosan]

people will buy it of course, depending on the price vs. hardware, this is what people compare in buying laptops.

majority here do not care about os when buying, they will just install pirated if they suit it. they are not even aware about the starter, how sucky starter is until they call it a demo and format it and install a pirated.

[nerdtron]

people will buy it of course, depending on the price vs. hardware, this is what people compare in buying laptops.

majority here do not care about os when buying, they will just install pirated if they suit it. they are not even aware about the starter, how sucky starter is until they call it a demo and format it and install a pirated.

some of my classmates buy original copies of windows. Others are contented on the pre-installed vista and win7 on their laptops. One of my classmater bought a laptop with FreeDOS on it. I helped him install Ubuntu on it until he have the budget to buy win7. Students have discounts on win7 right? ;)

[jsgotangco]

Specs matter of course, the execution environment depends on the end-user.

A few weeks ago, I bought a Samsung netbook for my wife. It had Windows 7 Starter (yuck) which is good for her use, but the bonus is that it is also bundled with Hyperspace Instant-On which is also Linux but my wife doesn't know at all because it provides her a usable computing environment in less than 20 seconds upon boot.

[Samhain13]

majority here do not care about os when buying...

When I was canvassing for a laptop, one of my requirements was that it should not have an OS installed. My reasons are 1) I don't want to pay the extra cost for Windows, which I will not use anyway, and 2) if the laptop came with Ubuntu (or any other Linux that has a DM), I'll be wiping it anyway to install and configure the thing for my own needs.

I ended up buying something that has FreeDOS on it. It didn't cost anything and it was gone the moment I double-clicked the install icon from the Hardy LiveCD.

Now, regarding the question in the OP:

I agree with the others who've said that this is probably not the right place to ask whether it's feasible to sell laptops with Ubuntu pre-installed; because many of us here like to play around with the OS and as such, don't mind installing it ourselves. I'm also under the impression that it's rare to find two or more users here who configure the OS in the same way.

However, this is not to say that the proposal isn't feasible at all. Again, this may not be the right place to ask whether it is or it isn't. :)

[confulity]

I think the main concern is will the generic laptop can have support (drivers) when it has Ubuntu installed on it? If it has 100% support to all of its drivers, no doubt about it may bibili nyan.

[frustphil]

IMHO, you should sell netbooks instead. That is if it's within the scope of your products. Then pre-install them with Unity which would be pretty/beutiful/slick/ and not to mention stable come October. In fact I am using it now on my desktop.. My reasoning is laptops are primarily for work/games, while netbooks are for the internet. In such case, you would sell more with the latter... Another reasoning is that, Canonical, Google, Nokia and Intel are pushing more on the netbook market.. and.. you know what that means..

But I could be wrong... Take it at your own risk :-)

[echo2knight]

By what brand are these laptops going to be marketed?

Are these laptops 100% supported/ compatible in Ubuntu Linux?

[Linuxforall]

How bout using Kahel OS which is an arch based OS but with total ease of install and use like Ubuntu, Kahel is made in Philippines so it would also be encouraging local Filipino Linux devs.

[loell]

How bout using Kahel OS which is an arch based OS but with total ease of install and use like Ubuntu, Kahel is made in Philippines so it would also be encouraging local Filipino Linux devs.

from the OP.

We're trying to see if there is a sizeable market for it here in the philippines.

From a distro stand point, I guess any will do.