New Linux Based Computer - But Not Marketed as Such?

[FredAllegrezza]

Hey Guys,
Telikin was developed on the TinyCore Linux. Our primary goal of using Linux was to avoid viruses, spyware, and malware. We also chose TinyCore to have an option of an embedded version in the future. I am not a Linux expert. Tim, Megan, Adam, Cliff and Carl work on the OS and back office systems. We also have an application team developoing the apps on Java.
We also selected TinyCore to have a platform that was easy for us to manage updates for the users. Our background was in cable where settop boxes have a lot of software but it is managed for the end users.

We agree that there are many tech savvy seniors. We built the computer for those that are not comfortable with computers. About 50% of our users have never used a copmputer before. We were not targeting tech savvy seniors. They have Windows and Mac as options.

We decided to include a number of applications so the end users would not need to load and manage application. In addition we know the apps and if when a customer calls in we know what they are using. I think of this more as an application system.

A big part of the business is support. We built in a remote management service for all computers so we can remotly show our users how to use applications.

The specs are on the web site.

As a value proposition telikin serves a niche market, included software applications and great support. We undertand it is not for everyone, but there are a number of happy users.

Hope this helps.

Fred Allegrezza CEO Telikin.

[Mr. Picklesworth]

Hey Guys,
Telikin was developed on the TinyCore Linux. Our primary goal of using Linux was to avoid viruses, spyware, and malware. We also chose TinyCore to have an option of an embedded version in the future. I am not a Linux expert. Tim, Megan, Adam, Cliff and Carl work on the OS and back office systems. We also have an application team developoing the apps on Java.
We also selected TinyCore to have a platform that was easy for us to manage updates for the users. Our background was in cable where settop boxes have a lot of software but it is managed for the end users.

We agree that there are many tech savvy seniors. We built the computer for those that are not comfortable with computers. About 50% of our users have never used a copmputer before. We were not targeting tech savvy seniors. They have Windows and Mac as options.

We decided to include a number of applications so the end users would not need to load and manage application. In addition we know the apps and if when a customer calls in we know what they are using. I think of this more as an application system.

A big part of the business is support. We built in a remote management service for all computers so we can remotly show our users how to use applications.

The specs are on the web site.

As a value proposition telikin serves a niche market, included software applications and great support. We undertand it is not for everyone, but there are a number of happy users.

Hope this helps.

Fred Allegrezza CEO Telikin.

Cool! Thanks for posting. I think this demonstrates one of my favourite things about free software: with so much working code in the open, it seems to be quite possible to focus on specific use cases and reach out to particular people, instead of products needing to be something for everyone :)

I'm really curious about this. Any hint about some of the software stack it's running on? Is it mostly a hand-made user interface running on Linux, or do you inherit any components / libraries from GNOME or some such?

Also, I would love to know what kind of accessibility features this has. I recently set up Ubuntu for an almost legally blind person, using really big text, GNOME Panel and a high contrast theme. Still on a small laptop, though, so it's kind of unpleasant. I wonder if this could be another option.

[NormanFLinux]

Sounds like Telikin is taking the open source Tiny Core Linux and integrating with its own proprietary GUI.

Its looks like a Linux take on Apple - a company that has produced the world's most beautiful - and expensive - UNIX operating system that runs on Apple-produced hardware.

Looks like this is what Telikin is trying to do with Linux - if they can create a beautiful and user-friendly interface with the power of open source UNIX, people won't care that its not Windows.

I don't know if we need an Apple clone but I wish them success!

[Swagman]

I think it's actually quite kewl the the CEO posted on here.

How did he find out it was being discussed here for example ?

btw.. I wish you success

[edit]

One thing that does grate me is the assumption that (all) oldsters are now a bit thick.

They invented/improved & built the computers the young uns now take for granted (and probably used a slide rule for their calculations)

[NUboon2Age]

An "Up & Comer"? I don't think so..
I don't like the simple, toy-like appearance of this one and it's too expensive for what you get. What justifies the price of $600? I couldn't find anything about being able to download apps, so what you see is what you get? No mention of memory or disk size. No mention of cd player or usb ports.

Well I looked deeper into it (like I bothered to watch some videos of it), and see its not "toy like" at all but simply an all-in-one PC from MSI running Tiny Core Linux with an all-in-one type app that covers everything many seniors (and folks who want more of a computer-as-appliance "computer for the rest of us" kinda thing) want. Perfect! It has a 320G hard disk and all the specs are generous. Well priced! Heck if you didn't like the software as is, I imagine one could figure out how to dual boot it with Ubuntu or other OSs. So I completely refute this negative attitude towards this clever machine. Sure its not Ubuntu or set up for a general computer user, but then that's not what its designed for.

[NUboon2Age]

Nope the company isn't talking about the OS, but a search on "telikin OS" revealed that there are flaws/bugs that telikin has acknowledge. So im seeing red flags.

Well I saw those reviews from last year too. I would think major bugs have been resolved by now. No major red flags