Wal-Mart’s $200 PC - sold out ( 10,000 sold...running Linux Ubuntu )

ZDNET ^ | November 13th, 2007 | Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

About two weeks ago, Wal-Mart began selling $200 Linux-based PC.  The initial run was around 10,000 units.  Now Wal-Mart is sold out.  Has Linux now found a niche?

The system sold by Wal-Mart was an Everex’s TC2502 gPC and is the first mass-market $200 desktop PC.  The spec of the system is very low - 1.5 GHz VIA C7 CPU embedded onto a Mini-ITX motherboard, 512MB of RAM and an 80GB Maybe a more relevant question is not whether Linux has found a niche, but whether Windows has outgrown the average user?hard drive - but this doesn’t matter because the system does pretty much everything that your average PC users wants.  With the gPC you can surf the web, send and receive email, work with word processor and spreadsheet documents, chat with friends, keep a blog updated, edit photos and pictures, even burn DVDs thanks to the built-in DVD burner.  About the only thing that your average home user won’t be able to do with this PC is play games on it.

One thing that interested me about this PC is that it is shipped in a tower case when the components would fit into a much smaller case.  I wondered why this was the case until I came across a write-up on Wired:

Even at the low end, however, image is everything. The gPC is built using tiny components, but put inside a full-size case because research indicates that Wal-Mart shoppers are so unsophisticated they equate physical size with capability.

That “Wal-Mart shoppers are so unsophisticated” bit is a tad worrying because I do wonder whether someone who equates case size with capability should be put in charge of a Linux system.  The reviews seem pretty positive though.  Maybe Wired have underestimate the kind of person who shops at Wal-Mart.  Positive reviews far outweigh negative ones.  However, the comment that stood out was this:

when you want to jazz it up, just spend 10 bucks for a new linux distro

Interesting comment, eh?

Now here’s what’s interesting about this PC.  It doesn’t have what it takes to run Windows Vista, but it has more than enough power to do pretty much everything that users want from a PC.  As hardware costs have plummeted, and the power that can be squeezed from components increased, the cost of having Windows installed on such a PC becomes too high a proportion of the cost of components.  For example, if you wanted to load Windows Vista Home Basic onto this system (not that I’d suggest that you tried - the PC just couldn’t cope with Vista), you’re adding between $60 and $90 to the cost of the PC (depending on what the vendor pays for an OEM license, if you do it yourself, expect to pay the higher price in this spectrum).  In fact, Wal-Mart do sell a similar system with Home Basic pre-installed (this system has an extra 512MB of RAM, a SATA 150 drive instead of an ATA 150 hard drive, and comes with a keyboard and mouse) for $298.  Add Microsoft Office to that cost and the price of software doubles the price of the hardware.  By installing Linux and OpenOffice, the total cost of the PC is kept as low as possible.  While the price of hardware has fallen dramatically, the price of Windows hasn’t.  This could be Microsoft’s Achilles’ Heel.  This low price point will appeal to many.

Has Linux finally found a niche in which it can compete against Windows or will the interest in these kinds of systems be limited?  I think that Linux might well have found a good niche.  Sure, these low-end systems will never appeal to those who want power at any cost (and who don’t mind if their systems belch black smoke to achieve that power) but for people looking for a very cheap PC at a rock bottom price (this system is so cheap that I doubt you could build one for as good a price if you added shipping charges for the components into the deal), this must be a pretty irresistible deal.

Maybe a more relevant question is not whether Linux has found a niche, but whether Windows has outgrown the average user?

Thoughts?

[Publius6961]

And also amazing that solid state thumb drives now are 1GB and more.

I had the chance to see (and use) my first 8Gb thumb drive last weekend, from my IT son --- $60.

I paid $1500 for my first "gigantic" 15Mb hard drive in 1990.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

That’s fast alright!

[isthisnickcool]

In 1991 I was on an IRC and ran across Linus who was posting about his early kernel. We used to chat back and forth. Smart guy and soon there were so many people working on his stuff it was just fun to sit there and watch the conversation.

I used SCO back then and while I liked their software I hated the way they sold it. After I loaded one of the early Linux distros (a zillion 5 1/4 diskettes) I told the SCO guys they were in trouble. They thought I was crazy and laughed at me. Ha ha ha....<--That's me laughing last.

Linux is an absolutely amazing piece of work.

[KoRn]

"How does it compare to Debian?"

Debian is an outstanding OS, great for servers and high end desktop use. Ubuntu is derived from Debian, but FAR more user friendly, 'prettier', and geared toward desktop applications. You don't even have to install Ubuntu to your hard drive if you want to try it out. It can be run from the CD like other Linux 'live CDs'(knoppix,slax,backtrack), allowing you to check out the OS without altering your HD.

[whd23]

My old DOS based games won't run on it, but there are lot of games out there that will run on Linux.

Don't give up!

DOSBox

[twntaipan]

You probably need to make a BIOS change, and tell your machine to boot first from the CDROM and then the hdd.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

For reference:

Envy + ATI driver (8.42.3) + Desktop Effects = Success

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

What is Envy?:

"Envy" is an application for Ubuntu Linux and Debian written in Python and PyGTK which will:
1) detect the model of your graphic card (ATI and Nvidia cards are supported). However "Manual installation" is also available
2) download the right version of the proprietary driver for your ATI or Nvidia card from ATI or Nvidia's websites
3) handle the dependencies (compilers, OpenGL, etc.) (according to your OS version and kernel) required to build the module
4) install/uninstall the driver
5) set up your xorg.conf (i.e. the configuration file of the Xserver) for you (according to your system specifications)
6) restart the Xserver for you (if you wish so) (this feature is available only in the textual interface)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

That is really basic...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Is that a store bought already setup machine?

Any instructions on how to change the BIOS?

[GATOR NAVY]

I remember going through Computer Shopper to find my first computer in 1996. Once I narrowed it down the hard part was finding a company that would ship to an FPO address (I was in Japan at the time).

[Gorzaloon]

Ubuntu is derived from Debian, but FAR more user friendly, 'prettier', and geared toward desktop applications.

Thanks! I'll try it on the next system conversion! We are getting comfortable with Debian, but if it makes the transition easier for people this could be the Big Thing. I want to be 100% converted before Vista has reached dominance. Because it's never setting foot here.

[Gorzaloon]

Thanks!

[ShadowAce]

Did not care for Red Hat, have not gotten around to loading Suse yet. Starting to get too comfy with Debian, I guess.

I really like Fedora. Of course, I've been running Red hat and Fedora since Red Hat 0.9 (I think--1994, anyway). Fedora 8 is probably the first Fedora distro I've had that works completely "out of the box". Sound, wireless, video, everything. I'm currently running it on a Dell Latitude D830 at 1920x1200.

[KoRn]

"I want to be 100% converted before Vista has reached dominance. Because it's never setting foot here."

Sounds good. I'll probably do the same. Still no Linux drivers available for my board on my main PC, and that's the only thing holding me back.

[Gorzaloon]

I really like Fedora. Of course, I've been running Red hat and Fedora since Red Hat 0.9 (I think--1994, anyway). Fedora 8 is probably the first Fedora distro I've had that works completely "out of the box".

I have to tell some Penguinist this one:

I had screen grab of one of the Red Hat releases (Valhalla). I had a friendly feud going at work with the IT Guy.

I use the graphic as wallpaper on my desk Windows machine, walked away and forgot about it.

Guy went beserk about me installing an "Unauthorized OS", went to my boss yelling.

"But...but...what are all those Windows icons doing there...?"

I opened Outhouse, stared at him, and shrugged.

It was like showing Dracula a Crucifix. Stark panic.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Sounds like the disk is the problem to me.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Still no Linux drivers available for my board on my main PC

So what is the PC,? Another Laptop?

[ShadowAce]

LOL! That’s funny.

[MarkL]

The biggest issue would be to have an update tool that works as invisibly as Windows Update, i.e., not necessarily invisible, but mostly automated.

Actually, Ubuntu has just that. The only key is that when it notifies you, you do need to enter the root password to allow the system to do the update. If explained properly in the documentation (that this is a security FEATURE!!!), it shouldn't be a problem at all.

Mark