Ubuntu Box Distro Hits Consumer Electronics Stores For $20, Still Free Online
Ubuntu Box Distro Hits Consumer Electronics Stores For $20, Still Free Online
Posted 07/10/2008 at 10:10am
| by Chris Moody
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Linux is moving a little bit more to center this week with Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 Linux distros becoming available at bestbuy.com and amazon.com for $20. It includes OpenOffice, FireFox, Evolution email, Rhythmbox media player, and MP3 support. While Wal-Mart has offered Linux based computers at their stores on low end PCs and laptops, this marks a first for boxed Linux Distros at consumer electronics stores like Best Buy.
ValuSoft is packaging the application and it includes printed documentation and 60 days of unlimited customer support.
ValuSoft advertising goes right for the consumer panic button with this line; “You're right in the middle of an important procedure when your computer freezes and crashes, erasing your data and costing you hours of extra work.” We’ll see how well that works on the masses.
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johnh3
October 03, 2009 at 6:42am
I have used Linux for about 3 years. Ubuntu is fine. But my personal favoritue is Pardus 2009.
I recommend everyone to give it a try. Version 2009.1 will be released soon to:
http://www.pardus.org.tr/eng/
http://worldforum.pardus-linux.nl/index.php?topic=2982.0
borisdblade
July 13, 2008 at 5:49am
I think it's great that linux is being mainstreamed to a retailer again. It gets it out there in the public eye and can really make some new converts. Yes, at $20, it seems pricey when it's free online. But it's way cheaper than any windows or apple OS offered. And with people looking for cheaper and better (compiz takes aero apart!) with our economy still declining, Linux looks better in any light.
xiqtem
July 29, 2008 at 1:51pm
I think charging for linux is wrong. Open source should be open and gnu. If you want to contribute money go ahead. If you want contribute time, do it. I personally have been using Mepis for a few years now. I think it is better than Ubuntu. For my hardware setup it found and recognized all of my hardware. Ubuntu did not correctly set up my video. I had to configure x manually. Mepis boots a little quicker. I like the KDE desktop that comes with Mepis. I have run too many distos to mention, and Mepis is my fav. I currently tripple boot Mepis, WinblozeXP, and Puppy.
linuxcrazy
July 10, 2008 at 6:19pm
I think this is great! The problem? It's too expensive. I think a better price is $10-$15. When Ubuntu can be downloaded for free the only people that would buy it (average users) would go for Linspire or something like that. They would not be high-end users in most cases.
nduanetesh
July 10, 2008 at 6:09pm
Well, yeah...
I have a boxed copy of Mandrake Linux around here somewhere, and it's from...like...8 or 9 years ago, I think. And I'm pretty sure I got it at a Best Buy. This whole "selling boxed copies of Linux at retail" isn't really all that new.
nduanetesh
July 10, 2008 at 1:16pm
Hrm. Despite the very FUD-esque ad copy on the box, Ubuntu is actually much more likely to randomly freeze on my laptop than XP. That, and the lack of games support, are the reasons Ubuntu is not my main OS.
dwr50
July 10, 2008 at 1:04pm
It's not that Linux is hard to learn... it's that Windoz and Crapple are hard to un-learn.
Acer Aspire 5610z,Vista HP, No problems with Vista... so far, but I'm learning Linux, just in case.
Acer Aspire 5315-2153, $348 Walmart Special,Mandriva Linux 2008.1 Spring Edition
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