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telic
January 17th, 2008, 03:02 PM
@Sears ...


Sears.com (http://tinyurl.com/ysmcmu) Sells $199 Linux PC

Linspire, Inc. announces that Sears is selling a $199 Linux PC, after $100 mail-in rebate in their online store running Linspire's Freespire 2.0 Ubuntu Linux based OS.

The hardware is put together by Mirus Innovations, a North America PC manufacturer.

So Sears is going directly against Wal-mart's Everex $199 PC (http://tinyurl.com/yuowqo).

Looking at the hardware specifications of the Everex PC and the Mirus PC two main differences jump out. The $199 Linux PC sold via Sears has a 1.6GHz Intel Celeron CPU with 1GB RAM, while the Everex PC runs a 1.5GHz VIA C7-D CPU with 512MB of RAM.

I assume Everex will soon step up their RAM to match the Sears Linux PC offer.

Press Release @ Linspire (http://www.linspire.com/lindows_news_pressreleases_archives.php?id=228)


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v373/TRexx/linuxlove_msdiss.gif

notwen
January 17th, 2008, 03:09 PM
Cool to see another major retailer seling a pre-installed Linux PC, although it is only online and not in-stores in front of customers. Not sure how many people knowingly go to the sears website looking to purchase a PC. I guess any availability of Linux PC options are better than none at all. =]

Balazs_noob
January 17th, 2008, 03:14 PM
too bad i don't live in the USA :)
very nice price...

xArv3nx
January 17th, 2008, 03:35 PM
Very nice for us Freespire users.

Why did they not choose to do Linspire? Probably would've made it more expensive.

Black Mage
January 17th, 2008, 03:42 PM
On these computers, I'm betting the most expensive part is the chasis.

tdrusk
January 17th, 2008, 03:43 PM
hmmm...

I like how they give you a gig of ram, but the processor appears to be pretty crappy (according to my research).

Johnsie
January 17th, 2008, 03:45 PM
Thats's a good price. For people not living in the US, I think Tescos are selling something similar. Obviously it'll be a wee bit more expensive in rip-off Britain.

maniacmusician
January 17th, 2008, 04:11 PM
hmmm...

I like how they give you a gig of ram, but the processor appears to be pretty crappy (according to my research).
Exactly. It's a joke; Celerons are complete crap. I used one for a couple of years, and the small amount of cache hinders your performance so much. It's something that can't be fixed by adding more RAM.

Linuxratty
January 17th, 2008, 04:15 PM
I'm guessing so.
Microsoft only gets a cut of the action with Linspire but are left out of the loop with freespire.

Bungo Pony
January 17th, 2008, 04:19 PM
Cool! A Linux PC war :)

I doubt you'll ever see anything like this in the Windows world

areteichi
January 17th, 2008, 04:43 PM
I bet what will often happen with these cheap computers is that people will buy them to they save money, and then install pirated Windows XP on them so that they don't lose the functionalities with which they are comfortable. At least if the manufacturers can simply provide the drivers to make their computers work with Windows, I'm positive that they can make more money. Nevertheless, these computers will still give people a chance to try out Linux for once so that will surely benefit the GNU/Linux community.

xArv3nx
January 17th, 2008, 05:24 PM
I run a P4 1.6 and it runs fine. As a matter of fact, I'm playing MapleStory on VMware now. -_-

Also, isn't a Celeron better than the gOS processor?

If so, it seems this is an overall better computer than gPC. Of course, this is being sold online and not at the stores.

Andrewie
January 17th, 2008, 05:25 PM
:lolflag: is this really news, EVERYONE sells Linux now. Even Microsoft sells Linux :guitar:

Dragonbite
January 17th, 2008, 07:09 PM
The only one that hasn't come to the game yet is Red Hat or Fedora!

Lenovo announced SLED,
Acer announced Ubuntu (I read it somewhere though I cannot find the link now),
Dell.. well you know

Sounds like Red Hat / Fedora is missing out on the party, unless they are working towards getting into HP's pants?

Æniad
January 17th, 2008, 07:13 PM
Very cool.

sanderella
January 17th, 2008, 08:22 PM
Thats's a good price. For people not living in the US, I think Tescos are selling something similar. Obviously it'll be a wee bit more expensive in rip-off Britain.

Yes, you're right: http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-6129.aspx
But I don't need one right now. :(

aysiu
January 17th, 2008, 09:03 PM
I bet what will often happen with these cheap computers is that people will buy them to they save money, and then install pirated Windows XP on them so that they don't lose the functionalities with which they are comfortable. At least if the manufacturers can simply provide the drivers to make their computers work with Windows, I'm positive that they can make more money. Nevertheless, these computers will still give people a chance to try out Linux for once so that will surely benefit the GNU/Linux community.
That may happen sometimes, particularly with the more Windows-savvy crowd. The average user, however, does not bother installing operating systems and will use whatever is put in front of her. If she does bother to install Windows from scratch, then she'll realize quickly how difficult Windows can be to install--it'd actually be a total reverse of what happens now (people buy Windows-preinstalled computers and try to install Linux on them and then think Linux is hard to install).

If you read reviews of Everex's gPC or Asus's EEE PC, you'll see that there's a mixed bag of the following demographics: People who were determined from the start to install Windows on the computer... they usually do not specify whether the copy is pirated or not. People who were initially intent on installing Windows but realized that the preinstalled OS was worth using and stuck with it. People who were already Linux afficionados and had every intention of using Linux in the first place (perhaps just replacing gOS/Xandros with something else) People who were given the computer as a gift from a Linux user, were a bit apprehensive at first, but eventually realized it was easy to use.

supergrapeman
January 17th, 2008, 10:34 PM
Yes, you're right: http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-6129.aspx
But I don't need one right now. :(

Hey you linked to the expensive one (£189), they do a cheaper one, too (£139)

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-3224.aspx

..and these guys seem to do an even cheaper thing (£134)

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/138587

Perhaps some googling could dig out a sub-£100 desktop.

[apologies to non-UK folk, whose brains may not work with sterling!]

TrailerTrash
January 17th, 2008, 11:28 PM
The only one that hasn't come to the game yet is Red Hat or Fedora!

Lenovo announced SLED,
Acer announced Ubuntu (I read it somewhere though I cannot find the link now),
Dell.. well you know

Sounds like Red Hat / Fedora is missing out on the party, unless they are working towards getting into HP's pants?

If im not mistaking, Fedora is on the OLPC i think.

Tundro Walker
January 18th, 2008, 03:09 AM
Here's the problem I have with this...

A non-tech-savvy customer will end up buying this computer, because it's cheap. They'll take it home, and most likely try to install TurboTax or some (Windows) game on it, and it won't run it. Then they'll do their homework and find out it's running Linux. So then they start thinking Linux must be some cheap Windows knock-off made by sweat-shop kids in China or something, which is why the computer was so cheap. They'll go back to the store, complain, get their money back and buy a "real" computer that has Windows on it (which, we all know, is basically the same computer, jacked up another $200 to cover the Windows license & installation). Then, they'll tell their friends "watch out for those CHEAP computers...they use LINUX, which doesn't run anything." (anything you can buy in the store, that is).

Again, that perception that something isn't the mainstream + it's cheaper than the mainstream = interpreted by unknowing consumers as "it's crap".

If they were smart, they'd roll out the Linux version side-by-side with the Windows version and CHARGE THE SAME AMOUNT. That's right, you heard me. It would be better for the unknowing consumer to perceive Linux as on the same "level" as MS Windows via price-tag, which is what a lot of customers at Wal-Mart (especially) gauge "quality" by.

By selling Linux boxes cheaper than comparable MS boxes, I think it's only going to end up with scenarios like I stated above, with tons of unhappy customers as a result, which will push public-wide Linux adoption back another 5 years in the long run.

Better still, make the Linux computers 10% more expensive than the Windows computers. Folks will look at it and go "wow, it's more expensive than the Windows computer...it must be better!" Then again, don't those folks already buy Macs?

EDIT:

On a side note, anyone who argues that "Linux is not ready for the desktop"...just point them to the Wal-Mart or Sears Linux PC's and tell them to go stuff themselves.

Sef
January 18th, 2008, 03:16 AM
If they were smart, they'd roll out the Linux version side-by-side with the Windows version and CHARGE THE SAME AMOUNT. That's right, you heard me. It would be better for the unknowing consumer to perceive Linux as on the same "level" as MS Windows via price-tag, which is what a lot of customers at Wal-Mart (especially) gauge "quality" by.

By selling Linux boxes cheaper than comparable MS boxes, I think it's only going to end up with scenarios like I stated above, with tons of unhappy customers as a result, which will push public-wide Linux adoption back another 5 years in the long run.

Better still, make the Linux computers 10% more expensive than the Windows computers. Folks will look at it and go "wow, it's more expensive than the Windows computer...it must be better!" Then again, don't those folks already buy Macs?

There are people who are price sensitive. As long as it is explained or directions provided, they will happily run GNU/Linix.

Johnsie
January 18th, 2008, 03:47 PM
When I buy a computer the first thing i do is install my operating system of choice. I buy the computer for the hardware, not particularly for the software. I'm sure anyone who buys these computers will do something similar.

If the person doesn't know how to install an operating system then I feel that it would be a wee bit unfair for them to have to use Linux. Linux has come on along way over the last few years but it's still not ready for the average user and cannot properly run alot of the software that the average user will want to use. I think the various Linux applications need to be improved before Linux is truly ready for proper multimedia desktop computing.

jrusso2
January 18th, 2008, 04:10 PM
My first reaction was Sears sells computers? I mean I would never think of going to Sears to buy a computer.

Anyway the fact that its online instead of in the stores is going to limit it more.

I am hoping we can snag a few new Linux users with all these cheap PC's and people won't give up and return it when they find out they can't play their games or run Quicken on it.

K.Mandla
January 18th, 2008, 04:14 PM
I bet what will often happen with these cheap computers is that people will buy them to they save money, and then install pirated Windows XP on them. ...
It happens. I've given away perfectly good, fully loaded PCs for nothing, knowing full well that when they arrived at their destination they were going to be overwritten with a leftover copy of 98SE. What can you do? I know what I did -- I refused to fix it after Windows was put on it. It voided my "warranty." :evil:


There are people who are price sensitive. As long as it is explained or directions provided, they will happily run GNU/Linix.
+1.

Dragonbite
January 18th, 2008, 08:13 PM
It happens. I've given away perfectly good, fully loaded PCs for nothing, knowing full well that when they arrived at their destination they were going to be overwritten with a leftover copy of 98SE.

Maybe that's why Dell and others don't have a huge price spread between the Windows and Linux installed systems, because if you make Linux versions too cheap then a lot of people would buy them and try putting copies of XP lying around.

telic
February 13th, 2008, 10:29 AM
In addition to the $199 Mirus PC (http://tinyurl.com/37czxj) without a display, Sears.com is now also offering the $399 Mirus PC plus 19-inch LCD monitor (http://tinyurl.com/35k68h). The Mirus LCD has 1440x900 maximum resolution and 2x2W speakers.

The specs PDF document notes the following about the Freespire system...

Proprietary software is added when necessary, like Java, Flash and Adobe Acrobat, to provide overall increased interoperability.

Proprietary codecs are added to expand multimedia compatibility and provide a superior overall experience so users can listen to MP3 files, play Windows Media files, and much more.

Proprietary drivers are added to expand hardware compatibility and provide optimum 3D graphic card support, better WiFi support, and more.

Mirus Intel Celeron D 420-1.6Ghz 1GB RAM 80GB HD CDRW Freespire-Linux OS 19-LCD
http://s7.sears.com/is/image/Sears/00373917000?qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0 (http://tinyurl.com/35k68h)
http://images.linspire.com/homepagetest/home-ad-zoom3.jpg (http://tinyurl.com/37czxj)

gn2
February 13th, 2008, 10:44 AM
too bad i don't live in the USA :)
very nice price...

You should ask if Tesco in Hungary can supply these:
http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-3224.aspx
http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-6129.aspx

hardyn
February 13th, 2008, 10:51 AM
If im not mistaking, Fedora is on the OLPC i think.

i understand it is a heavily modified fedora, so yes.

RAV TUX
February 13th, 2008, 10:59 AM
Here's the problem I have with this...

A non-tech-savvy customer will end up buying this computer, because it's cheap. They'll take it home, and most likely try to install TurboTax or some (Windows) game on it, and it won't run it. Then they'll do their homework and find out it's running Linux. So then they start thinking Linux must be some cheap Windows knock-off made by sweat-shop kids in China or something, which is why the computer was so cheap. They'll go back to the store, complain, get their money back and buy a "real" computer that has Windows on it (which, we all know, is basically the same computer, jacked up another $200 to cover the Windows license & installation). Then, they'll tell their friends "watch out for those CHEAP computers...they use LINUX, which doesn't run anything." (anything you can buy in the store, that is).

Again, that perception that something isn't the mainstream + it's cheaper than the mainstream = interpreted by unknowing consumers as "it's crap".

If they were smart, they'd roll out the Linux version side-by-side with the Windows version and CHARGE THE SAME AMOUNT. That's right, you heard me. It would be better for the unknowing consumer to perceive Linux as on the same "level" as MS Windows via price-tag, which is what a lot of customers at Wal-Mart (especially) gauge "quality" by.

By selling Linux boxes cheaper than comparable MS boxes, I think it's only going to end up with scenarios like I stated above, with tons of unhappy customers as a result, which will push public-wide Linux adoption back another 5 years in the long run.

Better still, make the Linux computers 10% more expensive than the Windows computers. Folks will look at it and go "wow, it's more expensive than the Windows computer...it must be better!" Then again, don't those folks already buy Macs?

EDIT:

On a side note, anyone who argues that "Linux is not ready for the desktop"...just point them to the Wal-Mart or Sears Linux PC's and tell them to go stuff themselves.As a Linux user who bought my father his first computer as a present from Walmart(Everex gOS gPC), I will say he loves his computer.

The only thing important to him is his PokerTH and the Google applications work without fail.

The problem arose not from him but my Window using siblings and his Grand Children. To the point that one of my nieces gave him an old Windows laptop, that sits unused. I tell him I know nothing about Windows and to call my niece or sister(who works for HP) for help. I honestly don't want to get involved in fixing Windows problems.

on a separate note:

I was taking the bus to work this morning and overheard a conversation between a woman and the bus driver. The bus driver was saying how he was an Apple user for years but has recently switched his whole family to PC. The reason was that his children used websites that only work in IE.

While we are all hashing away at this and that, this is a small sample of Windows breaking away the competition. You can refute the story or say that is a lousy reason to leave Apple but the truth remains the same.