Desktop Linux is and always will be a non-starter. Too many competing distros. No uniformity of UI. Besides, Linux is way too hard for most people and they wont want to deal with it. Install software on Windows? Double click an icon. Install Linux software? Find the correct repositories for your distro. Download it and try to install it with the command line. Oops. Wont work. Dependency failure. Missing libraries. Linux is best as a server OS and as a geek toy.
At $199, I would buy one just for hobby purposes. It would be fun to mess around with Linux.
My first computer was an Everex, about 20 years ago. Cost me a bundle, but it was a great unit. Upgrading from a 20MB to 30MB hard drive cost me twice as much as this complete machine.
You get what you pay for.
I have to be honest here. I was playing around with Linux on my four year old Dell XP machine. I think and still do think it has great possibilities. But for the novice to try to get a dual operating system up and running is not exactly chopped liver. I started to think about everything and just bought a new “refurbished” Dell Vista machine for $400 from Dell and for all the bad press that Vista has received I think it is a bad rap. I think the new operating system on a properly configured machine up and running out of the box is the way to go.
I couldn’t possibly have purchased even the parts for this never mind the Vista system which retails for $250 by itself. I do need to get the Home version of Office 2007 with Word and Excel for about $120 over the internet. Vista is is already on this machine including a big hard drive, dual core processor, and 2 gb memory and all the bells and whistles and is lightning fast. Two days and UPS is at my door.
I’ll just keep the old machine which worked fine as a backup but I’m loving my new machine and Vista. Definetly better than XP. Don’t even need a manual. I doubt if I will bother with Linux. Just not worth my time. My $0.03 for today.
ping
When you think "PC", think EVEREX.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
This is just like WalMart using slave labor to produce cheap products that prevent software developers from making a decent living.
The majority of linux developers don’t even get paid to do their work. And they work late at night and all kind of odd hours. Many have to hold down a day job to cover their expenses.
WalMart is exploiting the poor GPL and Linux developers I tell ya.
Boycott Walmart Support Microsoft they pay a living wage !!!
/end very very sarcastic parody
Bump while waiting for price to fall to $99—
bump
I know where I’m buying my son’s first PC.
geek ping
Fry’s had a $100 Linux machine a few years ago.
People would wipe the Linux off and put their windows operating systems on.