Mirus to Ship Desktop Computers with Linspire

segphault writes "Ars Technica reports that Mirus has teamed up with Linspire and plan to ship budget desktop PCs with Linspire preinstalled. From the article: 'Designed specifically for optimal Linux compatibility, the Mirus Koobox line computers feature AMD processors and Linspire preinstallation. The Koobox systems, which start at US$299, will come with a variety of open source applications, including Firefox and OpenOffice. [...] At this point it is hard to assess the potential of the Koobox systems. If it succeeds, the product could help legitimize desktop Linux and bring it further into the mainstream. Regardless of how many get sold, the availability of yet another budget Linux PC illuminates the growing popularity of the Linux platform, and contributes to the perception that Linux is applicable to desktop computing. With Dell selling low-cost computers sans OS, and Apple selling the popular Mac Mini at a price that doesn't look as much like typical Apple extortion, Mirus is going to have to fight an uphill battle to pick up a worthwhile chunk of the desktop PC market.'"

Hmm, not exactly pretty systems

[hattig]

But the price is compelling, and the hardware specifications don't seem that bad.

The $299 system is pretty good - Sempron 2800+ (S754 variety I suspect), only 256MB RAM, only a CDRW, only a 40GB hard drive. It's the cheap system that few people buy, but gets the eyes onto the site.

The $399 system is much more sensible. Sempron 3000+, 512MB RAM, DVD-RW, 160GB hard drive. That's not a lot of money more, but it gets you essential memory, and decent storage options.

Issues are: 90 day warranty. That's piss poor for an item of consumer electronics.

However it'll outperform today's Mac Mini that costs $499. Will it out-perform the Mac Mini that'll be announced on Tuesday (allegedly)? That might have a dual-core Yonah, and it'll certainly have Apple's industrial design.

As for the OS, I'm sure it works. Hopefully it isn't a cluttered desktop though. That'd scare away users.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Hmm, not exactly pretty systems

[hattig]

I have an iBook, so I agree with you totally.

However a decently configured Linux PC (i.e., not this one as it runs Linspire, the screenshots didn't look like an easy-to-use desktop OS) would come with all the software you'd need, without limitations. How many users would know to find Adium X for chatting on their Mac Mini? At least until iChat does MSN anyway... On the other hand iPod owners would prefer the Mac Mini because of iTunes and support.

At least a Mac comes with far more software by default than a

Budget Box ...

[WoodieR]

I agree, that $399 is quite a decent price point for a system with these specs ... a customer could even repartition the HDD, and install additional and / or inferior OS ... such as a copy of windows, or experiment with a freeBSD ... the only concern I have would be the chances of finding support for a box with Linux pre-installed ... are there truly enough LUG's out there, and will they willing to cheaply support these boxes once they hit the street? There is money to be made, but come on, these will be pi

Re:Budget Box ...

[hattig]

Apparently extended technical support is $29. That's probably for a year though. I guess that it is a good option for many people that would be scared by a computer in general.

The best thing these systems could come with is a decent manual. It's been a long time since I've seen a PC with a good manual explaining how to do all the essential stuff you want to/need to/should do. Sadly good quality manuals take time to write and cost money to print.

A bad thing.

[c0l0]

Don't get me wrong, I think widespread adoption of GNU/Linux and Free Software alike will happen, and it will be a good thing. But out of all possible choices of distributions, Linspire is without a doubt the worst (at least of those distros I know of, and that are quite a few...). It's ok and comfortable to have a system that "just works(tm)", but Linspire shows tendencies that it's not true to the heart of neither Free Software-philosophy, nor UNIX-pragmatism. The founder of Linspire, who afaik is also th

Re:A bad thing.

[hattig]

If Apple users can handle having to type in a password to upgrade the OS, and so on, then anyone can.

It's just that Apple has seamlessly integrated this feature so that the technical bits aren't even visible to the end-user.

Re:A bad thing.

[heavy snowfall]

And "Koobox"? Excellent brand name. Linispire is crap.. They hope to cash in on users hearing more about this Leenoox thing and thinking they should get onboard with an easy to use distro. Hey, it even has a cutesy name.. Woohoo..

Hmm...

[omeg]

I don't think that this is a good idea. No matter how you look at it, Linux is not and will not (soon) be an operating system ready for my grandma to use; it's much better suited as an operating system to those who simply want more power and more control. Linspire is most likely the worst choice if you take this into consideration. If I want a good system, I'd much rather get Debian (or Ubuntu?) with my computer.

Re:Hmm...

[BaltikaTroika]

It IS ready for grandma to use. She wants to go onto the internet? She clicks on Firefox - same in Windows as in Linux. Email? She clicks on Thunderbird - same, again, under both OSes. Word processing? Open Office is the same again - and a newbie can't tell the difference between it and Office, which might come installed on a Windows system.

Newbies want ease of use. My father, after running into some viruses, asked me to "do whatever you want, as long as I can go onto the internet, do my email and

Dell Ubuntu

[bgfay]

I know that I'm dreaming, but the ideal Linux combination would be Dell bundling Kubuntu on their low end machine. My guess, given that such a machine with XP now sells for $299, is that they could offer it at $249 with a big warning that says "All support for this system will be handled online at dell.support.kubuntu online forum." There would be a warranty on hardware for which phone support would still exist, but all other issues would be handled online, primarily by other users.

The Koobox has three prob

Dell's computers

[imboboage0]

With Dell selling low-cost computers sans OS

I figured that was enough to get me a +5 Funny. (We've seen the stories about these computers...)

Not really a big thing linux adoption

[MarkKnopfler]

If people actually go and buy this in droves, they will do so because of the cheap hardware. The next thing they will say is "Linspire Shinspire !" and proceed to install his or her bootlegged version of windows XP on it.

Doesn't work...

[Chaffar]

Any PC that comes pre-installed with a Linux distro should come with a label that says WARNING: YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO PUT IN SOME EFFORT ... people expect their PCs to have the usability of their washing machines, i.e, you press this-then-this to send an email/write an essay/download pr0n...

Besides no tech support team would be allowed to tell you HOW to install XMMS/Azureus/DVD ripper, and these user will HAVE to *gasp* search for sites such as the unofficial Ubuntu Guide [ubuntuguide.org] to get things done...

Elitist talk? Maybe... I just don't see the point in selling a PC pre-installed with a specific *nix distro when in the end it would require the EXACT same effort from the buyer to buy a virgin PC and install the distro of his choice (or the one recommended by his friend(s)).

Cheap PCs?

[vettemph]

Why must everyone push "cheap PCs" via linux. Any vendor that offers a cheap linux PC should also offer an expensive linux PC. Linux isn't about cheap, It's about power and freedom.
  Of course, Windows is also about power, but the power is not yours.

warranty

[towsonu2003]

90 days warranty for a computer means it's crap.