No spam but more of a curiosity..

[Zerocool Djx]

Sooooo,..

I been using Linux a loooong time now. I know what works and what doesn't. I love Linux do death, but if its not one thing it's another with drivers, hardware etc... I feel that I have been around long enough to help people out.

So,.. here is the question. I can make "custom" laptops and desk tops to 100% conform to Linux and ubuntu. If I got the hardware together, like so you wouldn't have to track down parts that work, or drivers or any of that stuff, I so everything for you...

Who would be interested in buying them? I am not selling them now, but I am curious if there is a market for this...

[Paqman]

I am curious if there is a market for this...

There probably is, but the trouble might be finding it. Places like this forum will be full of geeks who're quite happy to do the research themselves and build their own machines.

[Lightstar]

I think Linux is still mostly used by geeks and other people who are smart enough to put together their own computers. (yeah, what Paqman said as I was typing this)

Sadly people like my mom and aunt would be better off using Windows so they can exchange compatible games, programs, files with their other windows friends.

I think those who would benefit the most from computers that come with linux are those who are in underdevelopped countries or have very low income. For that you would need to build computers that are very low cost (since it would be the main reason *they* choose linux over windows).

I'm thinking that those thin clients or nettop computers (like the asus eeebox) and others would welcome Linux. Maybe a tiny pc based on the Raspberry PI would be nice.

I wouldn't see the point of building anything expensive like gaming rigs when we know linux uses much less resources to equal the performance of bloated OSs.

[Petro Dawg]

Unfortunately I believe the market for the desktop/laptop is beginning to evaporate. I think smart phones and tablets will replace the PC in the relatively near future. The only place that will have a traditional computer is office buildings, and they are a hard market to convert to linux as they tend to replace computers slowly and they would want to be assured their data would be completely compatible with whatever new computer they get and they don't want to re-train employees with new software.

The only real market that you could get into now would be selling low priced systems to start up companies that really need to limit initial investment. Identifying and targeting that market would not be the easiest thing, but I think it is possible if you really dedicate your time to it.

[Zerocool Djx]

Unfortunately I believe the market for the desktop/laptop is beginning to evaporate.

I see that going in that direction but I think it's to early to count that as a reason out yet,

[Paqman]

Unfortunately I believe the market for the desktop/laptop is beginning to evaporate.

Unlikely IMO. Smartphones and tablets are additional devices, I don't think many people are going to forego a desktop or laptop in favour of them any time soon.

[forrestcupp]

You should try to get in touch with the guys over at System76, who are already doing what you're talking about. Ask them what the market is like. I would think that there wouldn't be a very big market for Linux computers from a Mom & Pop shop. You're probably not going to be able to offer any lower prices than going to Walmart and getting an OEM Dell or HP, and most people don't want Linux. The ones who do, either take care of it themselves, or they have some geeky family member who is pushing it on them.

Unfortunately I believe the market for the desktop/laptop is beginning to evaporate. I think smart phones and tablets will replace the PC in the relatively near future.

No way in the world that's going to happen. There are too many uses and needs for regular laptops and desktops that a tablet can't fill. I'm a huge tablet supporter, but I know their limitations. And they are limitations that can never evolve, unless it becomes more like a regular computer.

By the way, did you know that desktop and laptop sales are still way higher than tablet sales? Sure, tablets are catching up, and they will probably eventually surpass laptops. But they'll never replace them. You'll just start seeing more families that have one or two laptops and 3 or 4 tablets, instead of the other way around.

[azangru]

I feel I am in minority here

I am not a geek in a sense that I don't know how to (nor really want to) build my own computer, nor do I know how to code or write bash scripts and such. I want my computer to just work without ever having to worry about all those compatibility issues.

And yet, I like Linux. I pretty much hate Windows for all the malware it has and all the antimalware it needs. I guess I am too cheap for Apples. And besides, I am much more comfortable in Linux than in Windows or OS X.

So yeah, I would be very interested in buying computers known to be fully compatible with Linux, or, better yet, already having some flavor of Linux on them.

Unfortunately, I live in a very different country, so I can't benefit from System 76 or from Zerocool's potential business.

[Hylas de Niall]

Unlikely IMO. Smartphones and tablets are additional devices, I don't think many people are going to forego a desktop or laptop in favour of them any time soon.

+1. I'm pretty sure we'll still need full-on machines for image creation/processing, music production, animation, CGI stuff, office work etc. for a loong time to come.

[Petro Dawg]

Unlikely IMO. Smartphones and tablets are additional devices, I don't think many people are going to forego a desktop or laptop in favour of them any time soon.

I already know people who are chucking their old home PC in favour of a gaming system and portable device.

Hylas de Niall is right to an extent, however, in the grand scheme of things, not that many "average" home users mess with image creation/processing, music production, animation, CGI stuff.

I believe they are even starting to create docking stations to turn portable devices into your home computer. As it is, current smart-phones have more processing power than my computer 10 years ago.

And if you just don't like the small screens portable devices offer, don't worry, pretty soon your large screen TV will come equipped with a fully integrated wireless computer which can be operated on a split screen while you watch what ever reality TV show you are addicted to. Internet connectible TV's are already common.

This stuff is all right around the corner, it'll be here faster than you think.