It's Official: Linux isn't just for geeks anymore

[DrOlaf]

If it's in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, it must be true:

Wal-Mart, Dell offers help breathe new life into Linux (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07331/836964-96.stm)

Still, I wonder how long it will be before it's possible to read a newspaper article about Linux that doesn't contain the word "geek"?

[boast]

awww :(

[crimesaucer]

I think that's totally cool. They should of included a nice cheap monitor.

I'm wondering if any linux distro could easily be installed. Xubuntu or Archlinux with xfce4 could work nicely.

[popch]

I think that's totally cool. They should of included a nice cheap monitor.

I'm wondering if any linux distro could easily be installed. Xubuntu or Archlinux with xfce4 could work nicely.

That particular machine has been written about in this forum several times; I think your very question has been answered as well. Search this forum for Wal-mart, Walmart and/or Everex.

[crimesaucer]

That particular machine has been written about in this forum several times; I think your very question has been answered as well. Search this forum for Wal-mart, Walmart and/or Everex.

Uhh... I've read about this "particular machine" on this forum ("several times"), and also on digg and every other Linux related news feed.

I have never read about a "successful" install of any other distro of Linux, and only unsuccessful attempts of installing Windows Xp.


... and who are you? The search police? Way to be rude for no reason.

Everything I've read about this machine (including the Wal Mart page, the gOS page, and other related articles), I haven't read one review from someone that bought one, and installed a different Linux distro like Arch or xubuntu.

[popch]

and who are you? The search police? Way to be rude for no reason. .

Sorry. Intended to be helpful. I rather thought I did remember someone reporting success with installing another distro on that box.

[crimesaucer]

Sorry. Intended to be helpful. I rather thought I did remember someone reporting success with installing another distro on that box.

First 100 posts on Google were all reviews with the basic default distro that claims to be a lighter weight version of Ubuntu using e17.

But no mention of any other distro installed yet, that will probably be the next months worth of articles on digg.

I'm sorry that I got upset when I guess I shouldn't of.

[p_quarles]

Just looked at the reviews page at walmart.com, and one guy mentions installing Win XP on it. That would indicate that the OS is replaceable.

I mean, unless something is seriously weird with the BIOS, you can install any distro (so long as it has the right architecture) on it. The fact that it was able to run Windows indicates that the CPU is i386 compatible.

[klange]

I mean, unless something is seriously weird with the BIOS, you can install any distro (so long as it has the right architecture) on it. The fact that it was able to run Windows indicates that the CPU is i386 compatible.
All VIA embedded processors are x86-capable, I've run Ubuntu on VIA EPIAs quite nicely, and this one is much faster than the one I used, so I'm sure it'll work with nearly any distro.

[crimesaucer]

Just looked at the reviews page at walmart.com, and one guy mentions installing Win XP on it. That would indicate that the OS is replaceable.

I mean, unless something is seriously weird with the BIOS, you can install any distro (so long as it has the right architecture) on it. The fact that it was able to run Windows indicates that the CPU is i386 compatible.

I read some more reviews from this page: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/allReviews.do?product_id=7754614

... and you can not install Windows Xp unless you get the upgrade. I did read through the reviews some more and finally found someone that did install Ubuntu successfully on it, and he said it worked good. Another person turned his into a home server which seemed like a good idea for the 80GB.

[p_quarles]

I read a review for this page: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/allReviews.do?product_id=7754614

... and you can not install Windows Xp unless you get the upgrade. I did read through the reviews some more and one person did install Ubuntu on it and said it worked good, and another turned his into a home server which seemed like a good idea for 80GB.
That's the page I read, too. The second reviewer says he installed XP, but that he couldn't (be bothered to try and) find a driver for the NIC. I think the upgrade just allows you install XP without voiding the warranty.

[crimesaucer]

That's the page I read, too. The second reviewer says he installed XP, but that he couldn't (be bothered to try and) find a driver for the NIC. I think the upgrade just allows you install XP without voiding the warranty.

I just read all 74 reviews, and only a few of them were bad, less than 5!

... and those were from people complaining about it not running Windows Xp or Windows programs.


I read only one Ubuntu install, and a few others mentioned installing other distros but hadn't done it yet. And the guy that mentioned usng it as a home server sounded interesting, I'm going to check that out.


For the most part, it sounded like people really liked it. Even beginners that knew nothing about Linux. Wait until they spend a year on it and figure out all of the really good programs and media/movie players, torrent clients, email apps, browsers like Epiphany, Swiftfox, Swiftweasel, Netscape...


I'm glad it's working for people so far.