First Linux-only Retail Store?

Greedo writes "The Toronto Star is reporting that 'Toronto will become home this weekend to what's being touted as the first retail computer store devoted exclusively to Linux-based products.' The store, Sub500.com, will sell PCs and laptop computers based on Linspire. Marc and David Silverman had been selling Linux products over the Web for 18 months. They also operate a car wash and figured they could use surplus office space at that location to open a Linux store."

Great

[mothz (788133)]

Nothing like a high-profile store in the back of a car wash to raise awareness for Free Software.

Re:Great

[by Anonymous Coward]

Yeah... but I bet those cars are really clean.

first store?

[Slyder (30950)]

It's not the first one I've heard of - there used to be one in Atlanta, near Georgia Tech, though it went out of business a little while ago. Too bad, they had some cool stuff.

Linux General Store

[MAXOMENOS (9802)]

I used to work there.

Oh yeah...

[MAXOMENOS (9802)]

...and our web servers ran Apache, not IIS. (grumblegrumble)

Re:first store?

[Strudelkugel (594414)]

Sure would be interesting to see the P&L statement from Linspire. Last I heard MR was looking to raise money via IPO to pay off his loan to the company. The move might only be an attempt to create interest in the IPO.

As for the stores, without something like the iPod, it's going to be difficult to draw customers. The specialty stores are already competing with Wal*Mart, among others.

Re:first store?

[at_kernel_99 (659988)]

The difference being that, AFAIK, walmart does not offer support or service.

Re:first store?

[dasmegabyte (267018)]

That's the only difference you can see between WalMart -- a gigantic, soulless corporation that manipulates and underpays its workers and offers inferior merchandise solely to funnel money to their shareholders from those consumers so infinitely stupid that they would prefer to saving eleven cents to getting something worthwhile -- and a Linux store run out of the back of a car wash?

Man, you need new glasses or something.

Re:first store?

[Photon Ghoul (14932)]

Why do you say that? I think "gigantic, soulless corporation that manipulates and underpays its workers and offers inferior merchandise solely to funnel money to their shareholders from those consumers so infinitely stupid that they would prefer to saving eleven cents to getting something worthwhile" sums up capitalism fairly well.

Re:first store?

[tmhsiao (47750)]

As detailed in the first reply to the parent, it was the Linux General Store. Right around the corner from my old jerb, it shared a street with two adult entertainment venues, two bars, and used to have a large Tux mural on the side of the building which was a bit unseemly and menacing at night.

Uhh . . .

[concatenation (647741)]

They also operate a car wash and figured they could use surplus office space at that location to open a Linux store.

A match made in heaven, no?

Re:Uhh . . .

[zonix (592337)]

A match made in heaven, no?

Well, it still doesn't beat "Joe's Wedding Gift Shop And Auto-repair". :-)

z

Leftorium?

[decipher_saint (72686)]

Will this be something akin to the Leftorium (a la Simpsons) where a retail store opens to an exclusive market?

Re:Leftorium?

[jpmkm (160526)]

It is no more exclusive than a game store(exclusive market: people who play games) or taco bell(exclusive market: people who like fast food tacos). I doubt that the owners will require customers to present proof that they run linux at home. Therefore, it is open to anyone.

Re:Leftorium?

[British (51765)]

Will this be something akin to the Leftorium (a la Simpsons) where a retail store opens to an exclusive market?

If they wanted an even more exclusive market, they could cater to just left-handed Linux customers.

Wait a minute...

[slashrogue (775436)]

You say I can get a car wash and buy Linux-based software at the same time! Now will those car wash babes be geeks too?!? I think my car's dirty...

Re:Wait a minute...

[justkarl (775856)]

No, car washes will be administered by outsourced programmers who desperately need work.

Re:Wait a minute...

[FyRE666 (263011)]

Car wash babes [ministryofsound.com] direct from the Ministry of Sound ;-)

(If it stops after the title screen, hit the "Next"/"FF" button in WMP)...

Re:Wait a minute...

[lukewarmfusion (726141)]

"Now will those car wash babes be geeks too?!? I think my car's dirty..."

From your comments, it looks like your car's not the only thing that's dirty.

Also "Sub300.com"

[mcgroarty (633843)]

The same people also run Sub300.com [sub300.com], for any who find Canadian currency to be challenging.

Sweet

[JoeShmoe950 (605274)]

Linux is finally getting somewhere. Sure, it was backed by IBM, and countless other business were using it. Unfortunetaly they were using it as a server. Finally, Linux is being offered to the general public (and not next to a myrad of Windows based PC's at Walmarts). Once you have a good Mandrake (probably Lindows too, never tried Lindows) install, its just as easy as Windows, and comes with a lot more software. Now that users don't need to worry about the installation, it will probably catch on more

um....

[daevux (626542)]

First Linux store? There used to be a Linux General Store here in Atlanta, GA (home of the wonderful LUG@GT [lugatgt.org]). I remember buying a mouse pad there and even a bumper sticker (which is still on my car). They also had weekly meetings, and Linux-related classes. Unfortunately they closed down a couple years ago or more, for reasons unknown. I've heard through the grapevine that the owner fled the country :-/

In other news...

[revery (456516)]

A sweat soaked Steve Ballmer [ntk.net] announced that many stores that sell Windows will also be opening car washes to compete with this most recent threat from Linux.

--

Was it the sheep climbing onto the altar, or the cattle lowing to be slain,
or the Son of God hanging dead and bloodied on a cross that told me this was a world condemned, but loved and bought with blood.

Re:In other news...

[happyfrogcow (708359)]

A sweat soaked Steve Ballmer announced that many stores that sell Windows will also be opening car washes to compete with this most recent threat from Linux.

And thus, security flaws in Windows are blamed for soaked car interiors.

(man, that Ballmer video is downright disturbing)

Workin' at the car wash...

[sczimme (603413)]

From the summary:

They also operate a car wash and figured they could use surplus office space at that location to open a Linux store.

Live wash: $5
Full wash: $6
Professional Wash: $7
Pro. Wash + Source: $8

Buy a Pro+Source on Tuesdays and get a free wax or a 32MB USB pen drive!

Re:Workin' at the car wash...

[dasmegabyte (267018)]

Er, no. The source would always be free. And nobody would buy a wash. Instead, they would spend several hours compiling their own from water, soap and wax.

You know. To save $5.

That's way too much for a car wash, especially since they don't even innovate that much at car washes anymore!

Not first Unix store...

[artlu (265391)]

I think Apple holds the title for selling first *nix/*bsd based store, and I think they did it quite successfully too. What about online vendors that have "locations" and not stores exactly. I don't think I give these guys the title slashdot has bestowed upon them.

GroupShares Inc. [groupshares.com] - A Free Online Investment Community

Wash Me

[rute_1 (190676)]

The question is: Do they do Windows?

Eat your own dog food?

[jhkoh (588461)]

Ah, too bad their web site [sub500.com] looks to be running on Windows [netcraft.com].

Sub500.com

[scottennis (225462)]

I think it's hilarious they also have a US version of their store called sub300.com. Do they have to buy new domains whenever the exchange rate shifts?
In Japan they're known as sub32000.com
In Italy they're sub477777.com

FrontPage?!

[JebuZ (565392)]

Did anyone else notice the meta tags on this page?

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<meta http-equiv="keywords" content="cheap, inexpensive, computers, new, computer, system, upgrade, replace, buy, AMD, Intel, looking, buy, sale, tower, industry, bulk, volume, rebate, deal, deals, special, compute, new, lindows, Microsoft, burner, 299, sub300">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 4.0">
<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">

Oh the irony..

Re:FrontPage?!

[hey (83763)]

I assume they are running FrontPage on WINE.

Sub 500

[American AC in Paris (230456)]

They live up to their name:

HTTP 403.9 - Access Forbidden: Too many users are connected

403.9 is indeed below 500...

Re:Sub 500

[dasmegabyte (267018)]

It's only because they aren't using PHP. Believe me, they'd be getting 500s left and right.

Poor IIS

[n17ikh (750948)]

Linking to an IIS page on slashdot makes baby Jesus sad. HTTP 403.9 - Access Forbidden: Too many users are connected Internet Information Services Isn't it ironic how it's a site for selling Linux computers but runs on a Frontpage-generated, IIS served page. I bet it's the 5 connection version too.

#1 phrase overheard at the Linux store?

[The Ultimate Fartkno (756456)]

Hey! Come back! You have to *pay* for that!

Their site... M$?

[Whatthehellever (93572)]

I tried to get to the sub500.com site and received this message:

The page cannot be displayed
There are too many people accessing the Web site at this time.

Please try the following:

* Click the Refresh button, or try again later.
* Open the sub500.com home page, and then look for links to the information you want.

HTTP 403.9 - Access Forbidden: Too many users are connected
Internet Information Services

Technical Information (for support personnel)

* Background:
This error can occur if the Web server is busy and cannot process your request due to heavy traffic.

* More information:
Microsoft Support

Wait... They're running Windows as a web server?!?!?! What gives?

Not the first by a long shot

[vandan (151516)]

http://www.everythinglinux.com.au [everythinglinux.com.au] is a Linux-only retailer in Sydney that's been open for years.

Perhaps they are the first Linux-only retailer in the US?

Re:Not the first by a long shot

[FullCircle (643323)]

We haven't invaded Canada just yet.

Re:Not the first by a long shot

[vandan (151516)]

Ah. Toronta is in Canada, eh?
Yes, it's only a matter of time then :)

Store in Sydney

[LinuxFixer (13557)]

EverythingLinux (http://www.everythinglinux.com.au/) has a retail store since about 1996....

What about licenses?

[Pros_n_Cons (535669)]

What about SCO licenses? are the wholesale prices?

It's sub300.com in the US

[gelfling (6534)]

No - seriously it is.

Not the first

[Mind Socket (180517)]

Thou touteth incorrectly [everythinglinux.com.au]

Everything Linux

[CelestialWizard (13685)]

Everything Linux in Sydney,Australia has been operating as a retail store (with webfront) for many years now and is totally devoted to linux and linux related products.

Nothing new. Again, our North American cousins believe they are the only people in the world. Been on that page already folks, catch up.

I'll try posting this in the -right- thread now.

[Dylbert (139751)]

Everythinglinux.com.au [everythinglinux.com.au] , selling all things linux related.

Kind of like a Thinkgeek [thinkgeek.com] for Australia (and they accept BPAY!) :D

Re:Sub500

[generic-man (33649)]

It is. Their American counterpart is sub300.com [sub300.com], with systems starting at $222.

Re:Great to see a Linux-only store

[*no comment* (239368)]

I'd like to see it, but unfortunately their IIS webservers couldn't handle the crunch.

Not a joke!

[Nasarius (593729)]

It really is IIS [netcraft.com] for some strange reason.

Re:Not a joke!

[*no comment* (239368)]

I know. That why I said that ;-)

at first I thought, "hey, maybe it's their hosting provider or some odd proxy thing" but if you cick on netblock owner, only their domains are listed there.