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-- Back from a long and much needed vacation
Posted on 01/09/2006 1:07:38 PM PST by N3WBI3
Newly formed PC builder/reseller SeaScape LLC will introduce its first batch of pre-loaded Linux desktop computers within the next few weeks, company president James Rhodes told DesktopLinux.com on Friday. The systems will be based on Linspire's Linux desktop.
The fledgling Albuquerque-based company, founded last month, partnered with Linspire to use Linspire Five-O in all eight SeaScape microATX models. Customers will be able to purchase customized computers through the company website based on their particular needs and requirements, Rhodes said.
"Linspire Five-O is definitely the most user friendly Linux operating system to use on a daily basis," Rhodes said. "We feel extremely confident for the future of Linspire in the marketplace.
"We believe there is going to be unprecedented growth in the Linux desktop market. Our systems are going to be the driving force for the Linux community."
Rhodes said the company will be aiming its products at the consumer, educational, business, and government markets.
He also said that SeaScape has no intention of outsourcing the assembly of the computers.
"I'm a longtime programmer, and I -- like many others like me -- didn't enjoy seeing all our jobs go overseas to China and India," the Canadian-born Rhodes said. "I will keep jobs right here."
Rhodes, who has only one other employee at this time, said that a "major" investor he did not identify has come forward to help him start the company.
Rhodes said he is not yet ready to release specifications on the new computers. He did say that some of the models will include clear sides and tops, and that they all have 450-watt power supplies.
"I'm still deciding on a lot of things right now, but we'll know details soon," he said. "We are in the process of choosing which motherboard(s) to use, and what peripherals to add to make up a complete computer system.
"We will post more pictures with specifications and pricing (on the website) as soon as they are available."
In the late 1980s to early 1990s, Rhodes operated SeaScape Software in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is a longtime computer professional in hardware/software installation and hardware/software troubleshooting for the Mac OS 9/X and Windows XP platforms, and more recently for Linspire Five-O. As a hobby, he enjoys "retro" computing with his two AMIGA 500 and two AMIGA 1200 computers and the AMOS Basic Professional programming language.
What a useless waste of startup capital.
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-- Back from a long and much needed vacation
No but I do know what the major applications folks buy computers for are:
Microsoft Office
Adobe Suite
iTunes
None of those run on Linux...
Though personally, I'd like to see computers offered with commonplace distributions such as SuSE or Mandriva. Both are good general distributions that are relatively quicker to learn to current Windows users.
MS Office = Open Office
Adobe Sweet - as in writer or photoshop? for what 99.9% of people do in photoshop GIMP is just fine.
iTunes - I know of no windows users who use iTunes (though some I am sure exist)
BTW with Winde I have run MS Office, and Photoshop on Linux though I have never tried iTunes..
Open Office, I actually beleived that till I convinced the company to buy it at one point...
Photoshop/InDesign/Distiller-Acrobat Can similar stuff be done on Linux? Yes. Do companies feel like spending millions retraining people to use it? No.
iTunes.
iPod uses iTunes to populate the iPod with songs. There are a copy third party utilities that can also do it but iTunes is free and usually far more uptodate/compatible with the latest iPods. I can't imagine not using iTunes with an iPod though my Russian freind does this.
I would guess less than 10% of computer users use photoshop, maybe 10% uses iTunes and MSoffice is very interchangable with OpenOffice for home users.. These are SWAG of course but nodoubt so were yours..
Well that is promising!
iTunes - I know of no windows users who use iTunes (though some I am sure exist)
OK, two.
But from what I've read, Crossover Office Pro can run Office, IE, iTunes, Adobe, etc. The bad thing is that it costs $$$--though I believe there are bulk discounts available. It's something I'm going to look at investing in when I get a computer and Linux back up and running.
As for running with Wine, I've been able to get the install to run but not the program.
Most of the programs I've been able to run are small install-executables, with FF being the notable exception.
Even without the discounts it's not that expensive. Consider the price as part of the whole. Cost of Windows + Cost of Office compared to Cost of Linux + Cost of Crossover Office + Cost of Office.
As for running with Wine, I've been able to get the install to run but not the program.
Note that Crossover Office (and the other "Windows software on Linux app" Transgaming's Cedega) is just Wine with a pretty front end.
What you're paying for with CxO and Cedega is the work that someone has gone through to make it easy to install and run. The base software is the same.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Open Office 2.0 is sweet. If your only experience with OO is 1.x, give 2.0 a try. Much improved.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
I agree, when comparing the price of Windows and the software versus running it on Linux and the cost of the CxO and the cost of software.
And for most people, you're right, the costs shouldn't be that much of a problem. They're not bad in themselves. Though for some people, it may indeed pose a barrier, or be a turnoff to purchasing it--especially where money is tight (i.e. small businesses, college students, etc.)
I'm running Wine on Slax, could this (running a live cd) be why I'm having trouble running iTunes, Opera, etc.?
None of these run on Linux? Then tell me why I can use Crossover Office 5 Pro to run iTunes and Adobe Photoshop.
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