Mandrake to Come Preloaded on Wal-Mart PCs 617
surfimp writes "Here's a story from NewsForge: 'MandrakeSoft CEO Jacques Le Marois confirms the news this morning, and company spokeswoman Margaret Waters says, while a contract with Microtel has not been finalized, the company is working on getting Mandrake certified to run like clockwork on the Microtel systems. Waters is hopeful that the dotted line will be signed and PCs up for sale by the end of next week.'" Update: 06/20 17:21 GMT by T : Ooops! The Mandrake spokeswoman's name is Margaret Waples, not Waters. Apologies, and thanks to Todd Lyons of Mandrakesoft for the correction.
Not at Walmart, at walmart.com (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Not at Walmart, at walmart.com (Score:3, Insightful)
But I can see where they are just pushing on their website as opposed to in stores. For one, think of how many stores they have throughout the country (US), just putting 10 of these units alone is quite a chunk of change, and if no one bites at the offer, there now stuck with all that inventory on these machines.
But from a website, you keep it at one area, you don't have to stock up on the machines, you can pass the order directly to the manufacture and have them ship it to the customer (In this case Microtel.), this way you keep a lower surplus, and the customer still get's their product.
Re:Not at Walmart, at walmart.com (Score:3, Insightful)
Actually, they should pressure AOL to write a Linux version of their client, and then sell "WalMart AOL-PCs!"
I think their average customer might be interested in it. After all, they sold those MSN Companions for $200+ each
Re:Not at Walmart, at walmart.com (Score:2)
Re:Not at Walmart, at walmart.com (Score:5, Funny)
Right. To get the PCs preloaded with Mandrake, you simply drive to Wal-Mart, purchase a Lindows PC, take it home and sign up with an ISP. Then, connect to the Internet, visit walmart.com and order yourself a Mandrake PC. Finally, return the Lindows PC to the store and wait for your new Mandrake PC.
wow (Score:4, Insightful)
I can't help but feel that this is "a good thing (TM)"
I'll bet dell is really wondering what they did wrong back then
Re:wow (Score:2, Informative)
Re:wow (Score:5, Informative)
Small computer shops in California are selling decent PCs without OSs or monitors for under $300. The cost of the OS is becoming a more significant chunk of the total price, and if you want to push the prices way down, you've got to confront it.
For all we know, this is brinksmanship, and Wal Mart is just trying to push MS into giving them special deals on OS pricing. They've done that to other suppliers.
Re:without MS all PCs should cost a lot less (Score:3, Informative)
That is a stiff item at the low end.
OEMs like Hpaq, IBM, DELL and Gateway should begin to offer PCs sans OS as an alternative.
You're missing 2 things:
1.) Windows does not cost us the same per licence as it does HP or Dell. They get it at a discount.
2.) In accordance with their agreement with Microsoft, they get a discount IF and ONLY IF they put Windows on EVERY MACHINE THEY SELL. Hence why if you buy a comptuer from dell, you get windows. Now, if you buy a server from dell, you can get no OS or RedHat or one of several options, but that's a seperate agreement.
So, In order for the big guys to sell computers sans OS, they lose all discounts on other copies of windows they get, something that would cost them more in the long run.
Regards,
Will
Re:wow (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:wow (Score:5, Insightful)
I think money. The margins. No MS Tax. Yadda yadda. Ironically, due to their size that causes the negative behaviour referenced above (nevermind they represent the new generation of ultra-shitty employers), they might just be more than a little 'blip' on MS's radar. It's like Godzilla and Mothra; they're both evil, but if one takes down the other a few deserved notches, I won't complain!
Re:wow (Score:3, Insightful)
That's not censorship, that's is choice. Don't like it, go to Target or KMart. I personally love the Wal-Mart policy and shop there because if it. But that's my choice.
I mean, there is alot of crap out there in this country. Which is fine, it is a free country. But just because you create crap doesn't mean people or corporations have to buy it! That's the other part of a free country.
Don't you think it is pretty arrogant of you to basically say, "I don't care what Wal-Mart or its loyal customers say, you must carry these soft-porn magazines and raunchy CDs"?
Re:wow (Score:5, Insightful)
1. Walmart gets magainze covers changed before they are printed. That means, *every store* carries the 'walmart approved' copy. Thats not choice. Thats Walmart unfairly influencing what musicians (Nirvana is one such band that changed the cover of their CD before releasing it, *soley* due to Walmart issuing a complaint with their label.) and magazines wish to print. You really shouldn't talk like you do, in a country which claims free speech (both the right to be free of censorship, and the right to be free of undue pressures to self-censor.) is one of its founding principals. But you dont sound like somebody whos interested in these types of issues. No worries, people like me will care about the world you live in such that you dont wake up and find free speech an outdated concept in a not-so-distant future.
2. These are not soft-porn magazines. This is Time. Rolling Stone. Seventeen. All mainstream magazines. Many magainzes specifically call up Walmart and seek approval for their covers pre-printed, because if Walmart refuses to carry the published run of the magazine, you cannot justify to stockholders, as a magazine publisher, giving up 15% of your sales right off the bat.
You dont sound like you have a clue as to the scope of leverage and power that Walmart brandishes in the marketplace. Sit down and really think about what it means, to have virtually every magazine in your country seek approval from Walmart before running the presses. Walmart is censoring your culture.
Re:wow (Score:3, Insightful)
The right of free speech is protection from the government. The first amendment starts out Congress shall make no law... Gee, I can't find WalMart anywhere in the US Constitution.
Mainstream magazines and the advertisements therein show a lot more skin than they used to. Many people, myself included, see this as a problem. Just because something is popular doesn't make it right, or preferable. Personally, I could care less what's in these magazines, I just won't buy them.
Then that's a choice they've made. No censorship involved.
Re:wow (Score:3, Interesting)
So WalMart should be forced to carry everything under the sun, no matter how dangerous or objectionable? You want unlimited individual freedom, but want to force large corporations' behavior. You can't have it both ways. Freedom of choice must be protected for all. Besides, we may have the right to freedom of speech, but we don't have a right to be heard.
<SARCASM>Really? Then how are babies made?</SARCASM> Like I said in my previous post: I could care less, I just won't buy the stuff. I'm not asking anyone to make any sacrifices, just let corporations have the same freedom of choice you expect yourself. And my life is rated PG (besides the bathroom & bedroom).
Re:wow (Score:3, Interesting)
Kind of hard to prove that if they dont actually carry them, now, isn't it? For that matter, that *nobody* ends up carrying them?
I don't really care about reasons or excuses; only that magazines willingly admit to changing their covers (content-alterting self-censorship is more common in the news biz, true) is due to one retailer, in what some people insisnt on holding up as an example of a functioning free market. Please! If people wont buy it, they wont buy it. Walmart seems to think that you are incapable of even *viewing* a potentially controversial cover and making a decision whether or not to buy it - they make that choice for you! Since you dont know what the pre-Walmart-Approved covers are, you're in no position to evaluate whether they are censoring material you deem censor-worthy. Alas, as usual, since they are successful and wealthy, people are all too happy to assume (envy?) that they must be the poster child of how to run a retail conglomerate and that all is good in the world.
Oh, and way to keep the lid on your sons' hormones! Heaven forbid they should learn that tool of the devil, masturbation, nevermind potentially read about musicians! *guffaw*
Re:Walmart and censorship (Score:3, Interesting)
Thats pretty easy. Make sure nobody can get super big. I think that the concept of economy of scale has costs that are both social and cultural. Yes, many people will laugh at me for worrying about social and cultural consequences of fostering pure economic goals. I dont care anymore, because it seems to me that the advertised ultimate goal of free-market capialism is to help people attain wealth in order to foster cultural and social health, safety, etc in addition to spurring technological development. (Although, with technology, whats the point of keeping people alive and physically safe if the social and cultural things one requires in order to enjoy life are sacrificed to attain it? I'm not anti-technology, but I think people lose sight of what the purpose of it is
It just seems silly to me to encourage attaining massive amounts of wealth and economic leverage if it has negative consequences on the advertised goal of the system in the first place. And just because you or I dont want to see those covers doesn't mean that it doesnt make a lick of difference to me that my neighbour, who would like them, cant. My potentially laughable form of altruism is simply a way of paying my interests and values forward
Re:wow (Score:3, Interesting)
*********
I.e. - a significant portion of their customers.
As a parent, I don't want my child seeing racy stuff just walking in a store. I'd like to be able to _shop_ without having to explain why such material is indecent. Therefore, I go to Wal-Mart. It seems that a lot of people have the same idea (notice the number of children walking with their parents in walmart). These people constitute a _market_, and a large one at that. The beauty of capitalism is that the market decides. If you aren't a part of the mass market, don't go to mass-market places. It's that simple.
Is there nowhere else to find porn? I mean really, if blockbuster doesn't rent porn, find someone who does! It's not the end of the world. It's not like Ma and Pa Video requires a different kind of VCR to play their tapes.
It's not like buying at Target all-of-a-sudden makes your stuff incompatible with the rest of the world. It's not like Wal-Mart lies and cheats it's way to the top. They are what they say they are. The market likes them.
Re:wow (Score:2)
WalMart is simply doing what WalMart does best. They are undercutting the competition. The only way that WalMart can undercut their competition in the fiercely competitive PC business is to remove the Windows tax. They can afford to do this because they aren't really a player in the PC industry. Microsoft can complain all they want, and as long as WalMart stays within the bounds of the law they are home free. If Dell were to do something similar Microsoft would raise the price they pay for Windows and effectively kill them. Since WalMart doesn't really sell computers, they could care less what Microsoft thinks. Even better, because they are the world's largest retailer they can sell Microtel OS-less PCs right next to HP computers running Windows.
If these OS-less and Linux based computers start to do well, then it will put pressure on Microsoft, and the entire PC industry, to lower prices. If not, then WalMart hasn't risked very much. These computers aren't even available in their stores. The Microtel PCs are a pretty savvy move by WalMart.
it's about price not choice (Score:2)
I fully believe that they expect most buyers to immediately reformat and install some flavor of WinXX either borrowed from a friend or left from previous purchase.
So they are promoting choice, but only as a minor side effect.
Re:wow (Score:2)
Wal-Mart has a reputation for being the Cheap Store. They can sell Linux-based PCs cheaper than Windows, so naturally they'll go for it.
When you need a shirt for four dollars, Wal-Mart is where you go.
Re:wow (Score:2)
That's almost
Thanks for the quick chuckle.
Re:wow (Score:2, Interesting)
Damn straight. But then again, you know Linux, don't you? Ever thought of adding Lindows(tm) Consulting/Support to your shingle?
As you point out, you won't be competing against Wal*Mart, and I'll bet Microsoft has already warned every large consulting/service organization not to even think about offering Linux(tm) or Lindows(tm) support, or they can kiss their Microsoft Certified Partner designation good-bye.
Yet if Wat*Mart sells it, you know there's gonna be a market for technicians to service it....
Wal*Mart may be a crocodile, but as any plover will tell you, there's food in them there teeth.
It's been like 3 stories on those Walmart PCs? (Score:2, Interesting)
There's been plenty of retailers shipping PCs with Linux (or OS-less). None of the size of Walmart, I agree. But I don't know much people looking to Walmart for PCs. Neither I know people going to Walmart for a dishwasher of a freezer. A PC might have become a commodity, but there are commodities better handled by more knowledgeable businesses. And they usually have a larger selection to boot.
</RANT>
Re:It's been like 3 stories on those Walmart PCs? (Score:2)
What like Circuit City, Best Buy, and CompUSA??? Hehehehehe.
Re:It's been like 3 stories on those Walmart PCs? (Score:2)
When I'm looking for a some furniture, I go to a furniture store.
When I'm looking for food, I go to a grocery.
When I'm looking for construction tools, I go to a hardware store.
WHen I'm looking for a PC, I go to a PC store.
If you don't know where to go shop for something, the yellow pages are your friend. AFAIK, Walmart is not listed under "Computers", but Best Buy might and there are a lot of Mom and Pop shops.
End of story.
YES! (Score:2, Insightful)
the way walmart is (Score:2)
Re:the way walmart is (Score:5, Interesting)
Mandrake could increase market share by offering other resellers a "branded" OS, while making money on the support of the machines and the O.S.
Take Mandrake 8.2 and brand it to say, WalMart.
During Boot-up, Walmart gets screen space. They get a link on the desktop to Walmart.com. And Mandrake gets 30 bucks or so to do tech support for the OS.
If the big retailers pick up on this, Linux will be poised for a several percentage point growth. Combine this with an AOL client for Linux, and this could easily propel Linux into the mainstream desktop.
But ... (Score:2)
Mandrake is the most palatable... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Mandrake is the most palatable... (Score:2, Insightful)
A braindead user can use Slackware (for example), if a competant admin has set up nice icons on a auto-loading desktop for them to click.
Re:Mandrake is the most palatable... (Score:2)
And you're hoping for competant admins at WAL MART. I'll rely on the distribution developers to give Linux a good name to the masses, and not the Wal-Mart branch tech.
MANDRAKE IS THE BEST BECAUSE FRENCH ARE THE BEST ! (Score:5, Funny)
Thank you, stupid American.
You consider Mandrake like the Best distro of the world, and you are right !
As I said before, French is the smartest people of the World, and as Mandrake is French, Mandrake is the Best !
SuSE, distro of German, poor Quality, totalitarism, Nazism --> Burn it !
Redhat, Lindows, Windows : American , so like Americans are stupid, these products are not good !
thank you American, and please repeat after me
NOUS SOMMES LES MEILLEURS, NOUS SOMMES LES CHAMPIONS, ON VA BOTTER LE CUL DES AMERICAINS !
I can't understand their reasoning (Score:3, Insightful)
Worst yet, it's going to really confuse the people that can't afford to get confused when buying a computer because all they can afford is the cheap models. This is a disservice to their loyal customers because they'll have just bought a computer from WalMart but won't understand why they can't walk down the software isle and pick up a game for the kids. So is Wal-mart going to carry shrink wrapped Linux apps too, or are they going to blindly claim that every Windows application can run on it like they did last week?
Re:I can't understand their reasoning (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I can't understand their reasoning (Score:4, Insightful)
As sold at least, this seems very logical to me:
Machine A - 100% Windows
Machine B - Linux w/option to run some Win stuff (they've lost points on marketing this though I know)
Machine C - 100% Linux
"Worst yet, it's going to really confuse the people that can't afford to get confused when buying a computer because all they can afford is the cheap models."
Well yes, options brings complexity. I've long felt that the entire consumer-level computer industry has played it very close to false advertising at a root level though. It's a rant for another time, but cripes, you can control a robot, your stereo, enjoy the internet, play chess, etc a computer. It's a COMPLEX device because it gives you so freaking many fundamental options. Yes, cute and limited software can be used quite easily by the unlearned, but that's not what started the revolution or the interesting part of its unfolding. Anyway...
"This is a disservice to their loyal customers because they'll have just bought a computer from WalMart but won't understand why they can't walk down the software isle and pick up a game for the kids. So is Wal-mart going to carry shrink wrapped Linux apps too, or are they going to blindly claim that every Windows application can run on it like they did last week?"
Indeed, but how many more companies will, between things like the IBM commercials and Linux being sold pre-installed on a highly visible chains shelves, see Linux as a viable market and target it? Maybe our time has finally come.
LEXX
Re:I can't understand their reasoning (Score:2)
This was all part of Linuses nepherious plot when he said(roughly), "All I want is for people shopping for a computer to have to make a choice. To actually think about what operating system they want."
Re:I can't understand their reasoning (Score:2)
Three whole choices? Well OF COURSE that's overkill! Americans can't even handle a choice of more than two political parties. Muahaha.</sardonicism>
You guys forgot... (Score:2, Troll)
Re:You guys forgot... (Score:2)
Support (Score:2, Interesting)
Is this how Linux will really start making money?
Re:Support (Score:3, Funny)
Passing the Savings (Score:5, Insightful)
Wal-Mart wants to advertise they're underselling the compitition. Easiest way to do this? Sell computers without an operating system. Of course, if you do this, you sell a computer that is a) useless to Joe User (who probably doesn't know how to install an OS without help), and b) Microsoft cries piracy (I don't have the link, but one of their white papers basically says that only software pirates buy computers without operating systems.)
Now, go to Dell. Computer comes with Windows, and Microsoft Works (or Office, or whatever). You can't tell them *not* to put it on, and odds are, they have some legal ass bullshit agreement with MS that all computers must have the OS and some office suite on them (aka, the "Windows Tax").
So Wal-Mart figures they can save $100-$200 on each computer sale by putting on Mandrake and probably Open Office. Joe User gets a computer he can do email/web browsing/document editing on. Yes, it might not run all the same software as Windows - but if he wants that, he goes back to Wal-Mart and shells out another $100 (or he learns to live with it and gets a Playstation 2 instead).
Guys like me who just want cheap ass hardware without the Windows Tax get hardware. Everybody wins. Well, except for MS, but the way they've been acting with their draconian "Use software subscription or no patches for you!" additude they've been shelling at the Corporate Level, I don't feel too sorry for them.
Re:Passing the Savings (Score:2)
That's what the GPL is about. That's how Mandrake got started. etc.
Re:Passing the Savings (Score:3, Informative)
I have way more copies of Windows (legally) than I do machines to put them on.
If ordering from an OEM and putting Windows on, I would prefer to put on my own store-bought copy of windows than use a broken "for OEM only" version that doesn't even come with the re-install disks and instead has some useless "system restore" disk that fails if I've upgraded any software or hardware. However, I don't want to have to pay MS for the OS twice to do this, which is what happens when I had no choice but to get the pre-installed OS with the computer.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
I want my PC (Score:2, Funny)
Thank you!
Wal-Mart selling IN STORES! (Score:2, Interesting)
Is it really support for linux? (Score:2, Flamebait)
I'm not saying that Mandrake isn't good, or that Linux isn't fun to run. I'm just saying that the average consumer is going to be upset when they find that they can't run Microsoft Word or Quicken.
- Twid
Re:Is it really support for linux? (Score:2)
after all, uncle bob may not be smart enough to bring his own boot floppy with CD driver, etc. to install (or infect, as I see it) with windows...
Yes it is...becuase of basic statistics (Score:2)
I think a fair number of Joe Everybody's will most likely pirate a copy of Windows XP or whatever.
but the question is What is the mean time between plugging in the box when you first get it and installing a Windows OS?
That initial exposure is what's most important.
Also if there is a "kid" in the house (becuase kids don't shell out the money, thus they have no "value" associated with the computer, thus they are more likely to mess-around with it) that kid may be the one installing Windows but he may like linux and the box could be set up to dual-boot.
Give enough people general exposure to linux, and it transforms from "something that them there hakkers use", to "something that worked pretty well, and didn't crash nearly as much as..."
Now maybe those people are in a position to buy some computers for there small company, and maybe now that they've had a favorable experience with linux they decide to save their business a lot of money by becoming a linux shop...
Now that the name is out there, give the people a favorable experience with it and a cute mascot. Tux could be the next mickey mouse!
Dude! (Score:5, Funny)
"Sam's Choice Linux!" (Score:2, Funny)
Consumer Confusion? (Score:4, Insightful)
A> They might be confused about Lindows (while not infringing on MSs Trademark, it is definitely misleading). How many novice users are going to buy a PC that they think will run all the screensavers and games that a Windows PC will?
B> Giving novice users a choice between Mandrake and Lindows seems strange to me. How will most novice users be able to choose the most appropriate? I think we might just confuse them out of buying a computer, or they will probably choose the Lindows box just because the name sounds familiar.
C> As far as I know Walmart sells Windows PC software (maybe Mac??). Won't user's assume that since they buy their computer from Walmart, that the software they buy from Walmart will work on their computer? Is Walmart planning on selling Linux software somehow as well?
I like the Mandrake thing, but I am a little worried that the inclusion of Lindows will be confusing to the non-technical user who is most likely to buy these boxen. The name of the distro implies that it is analogous to Windows. As far as I have read, it is not. This will only serve to make the general public hate linux because they can't run "regular" software on it.
Troy
Re:Consumer Confusion? (Score:2)
How many novice users are going to buy a PC that they think will run all the programs that a CP/M system will?
Giving novice users a choice between MS-DOS and PC-DOS seems strange to me. How will most novice users be able to choose the most appropriate? I think we might just confuse them out of buying a computer, or they will probably choose the MS-DOS box just because the name sounds familiar.
Re:Consumer Confusion? (Score:2, Interesting)
Remember, the systems are being offered as "fantastic low-cost alternatives to models that are preloaded with Windows". There's nothing ambiguous about that statement; these machines DO NOT COME with Windows, and thus WILL NOT RUN Windows applications.
In fact, what I think Walmart is really trying to do here is not necessarily directed at the home user market. I suspect that many of these systems are being sold to technologically-savvy small businesses, the same sorts of people who might go to Fry's to purchase some low-cost computer equipment to help meet a need in their office. At $300, these things are a steal. Whether or not they end up with pirated versions of XP on them is not something that I think Walmart is concerned about, but by selling them with Linux preloaded they can escape from the "aiding and abetting piracy" whines that Microsoft was laying on them when they were selling these machines with no preloaded OS.
However, the fact that Walmart is selling PCs with Linux preloaded is a huge opportunity for Linux to make inroads with all sectors of consumers, and I'm glad to see that Mandrake is proactively pursuing this by agreeing to provide their distro for these machines.
If you consider that these systems are going to be offered with Mandrake preloaded, and then take note that you can download Evolution and OpenOffice (assuming they aren't preloaded), then you're talking about a system that is pretty much there as far as Windows-land compatibility goes, from a home-user and small business perspective.
It's up to Mandrake, Lindows, and Walmart to see to it that their users' experience with this software is all that it can be. And I'd also like to forward the notion that anyone who's genuinely interested in seeing Linux gain desktop marketshare consider helping out some of these Walmartian newbies when they invariably start showing up to the message boards and newsgroups. After all, that's what the spirit of the OSS movement is all about, right?
Much better than Lindows (Score:3, Insightful)
I hope someone will write a *really* good users manual, one that involves the words "terminal" "compile" and "man" as little as possible.
No, This Is A Bad Thing (Score:3, Insightful)
In a world where it is a struggle to get the average user to use Mac OS because they are so used to Windows and confused by the smallest differences in user experience, I think pitching Linux to the average user is a Bad Thing. The average user will try it and hate it for eternity.
Remember the Newton? It became a killer PDA, but it could never live down the first rev's handwriting recognition reputation.
Until Linux has a polished user experience (user interface and hardware/software compatibility) this should not be attempted. I know someone who got an iBook, got a scanner without checking compatibility, and then found there wasn't an OS X driver really hated it.
Wal-Mart Shopping List (Score:5, Funny)
Powerbait Rubber Worms (check)
Sam's Pork Rinds (check)
Nascar Queen-size bed sheets (check)
George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine (check)
Unix box (check)
Chris
Re:Wal-Mart Shopping List (Score:2, Offtopic)
Yeah, yeah, I know, (-1, Offtopic) :)
Re:Wal-Mart Shopping List (Score:3, Funny)
Now that you mention it, it is kinda cool that a "cheap" UNIX box has seen a ten fold drop in price, a ten fold increase in processor speed, a thousand fold increase in storage, a twenty fold increase in memory, and a huge leap in user friendliness, since I went looking for one back in 1991.
Plus I can get one at Wal-Mart. Wow.
Did Bill Gates piss Sam Walton off? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Did Bill Gates piss Sam Walton off? (Score:5, Funny)
I wonder what would happen.... (Score:4, Interesting)
what will be truly interesting (Score:2)
The only way this will succeed... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:The only way this will succeed... (Score:2)
You are assuming that Wal-Mart is aiming these PCs at novices, which I don't agree with. I think Wal-Mart is aiming for geeks who want cheap hardware. But I'll go with your assumption to answer the rest of your comment...
You think that novice users/new computer owners are going to know the Office XP icons? I've talked with users here at work (I work on a help desk) that have been using Windows and Office for years and still can't remember which icon launches which office app.
As long as the icon is labelled, users won't care what it looks like.
See above. For a novice user, it'd be better to make the icon look like AOL's icon instead of IE. But the best thing to do is to make sure the icon, no matter what it LOOKS like, is labelled "Internet".
Novice users are not going to expect a paint program to come with their computer. And The Gimp is not equivalent to MS Paint, anyway, it's more of a Paint Shop Pro/Photoshop application.
There's a native version of Real Player for Linux; Mandrake includes it with their distro. There's no solution for WMP, of course. For everything that you mentioned in your comment, WMP is the only valid point. Lack of WMP support just may be a problem on these computers. But it won't be a big one.
Re:The only way this will succeed... (Score:3, Informative)
Look into mplayer. It plays just about everything: WMV files, DVDs, DivXs, and of course, all your MPGs, AVIs, VIVO files, etc. Excellent support for acceleration, video capture and other hardware features. It is very stable, and does full screen beautifully. There are several GUI interfaces for it now - probably it's major weakeness, as since there is no "standard one", there's not a single really strong one with semi standard interfaces. Work is being done on interfacing it to aRts, so any KDE player interface can control it, though.
--
Evan
I only have a few questions you should ponder (Score:3, Interesting)
When they want to get online, and put in the AOL CD they got in the mail, and nothing happens, what are their impression of Linux?
Software is what makes windows big. Its how they stomped Mac. Is your average Wal-Mart shopper going to be able to know to pick up linux software, and will they be able to install it by themselves?
I'm not going anti-linux, pro-ms, I'm just getting you people to think before patting yourselves on the back.
Re:I only have a few questions you should ponder (Score:2, Troll)
When I would walk to the local book store to look at the software (on a shelf with a box of floppy disks that cost more than some CPUs cost now), I would see different sections, with signs like Apple or Commodore or IBM. Most of them had the same games available, too.
Asking my mother for a new game for my birthday didn't involve going with her to the store, writing it down, or ending up with an Atari game for my C64. Without ever touching the computer, she knew it was a Commodore 64, just like I knew that my dad drove a GM station wagon, even though I wasn't allowed to drive it.
Every kid I knew with a computer was able to get the correct kind of software. The small computer lab that we somehow ended up with at my elementary school ended up with the correct software. I never even remember hearing of anyone that had any confusion about the type of computer they were using.
Now, some might say that computers are a commodity item, a mass market item, something that every home needs in the same room as the TV. I have no problem with that. I think it is great, as it will drive down prices for all of us. Let the masses have their Microtel computers.
But when they try to install Windows software on their shiny new computers, we should laugh at them. The same way that 'hillbillies', as people have called them, would laugh at you if you put the wrong fuel mixture in your chainsaw. Read and learn, or be a fool. There is no excuse for ignorance, and it doesn't take much brainwork to figure out what kind of operating system you are running. Read the fucking manual.
Walmat is unknowingly doing the THE RIGHT THING (Score:2, Interesting)
WOW!!! (Score:5, Funny)
Go Mandrake! (Score:2)
Will they sell preloaded Mandrake with The Sims? (Score:2, Interesting)
Sweet!
Holy fucking crap, it's what I've always wanted. (Score:2, Funny)
This is VERY good news.
Red Hat (Score:2)
Red Hat has a good thing going, but couldn't it get better? Will this push Mandrake ahead of RedHat in terms of popularity?
Only time will tell.
do we now have to say (Score:3, Funny)
'Shovelware' of GPL software? (Score:2, Interesting)
Seriously - Why not?
And I think Joe Consumer will be willing to put up with the diffrence between OpenOffice and MSOffice for the $x00 dollars price diffrence. Hell, they're shopping at Wal*Mart, for crying out loud - You KNOW they're looking for a bargain!
The way things are going... (Score:2, Funny)
A possible /. interview? (Score:5, Interesting)
But the 10k question is: who is behind this? I mean, this isn't like some normal free or open software guru we've known for ten years. Somebody at Walmart must be putting their John Hanncock on this.
Personally I'd like to get to know a little more about them (to congratulate them at least). Even more so I'd like a little more insight in to what got them started on this and how it all went down.
Short take of this Post: I wanna
To me this seems to be one of the first mainstream (outside of the IT industry and for endusers) acceptances of things most geeks hold dear. Who wants to miss this part of history?
Re:A possible /. interview? (Score:5, Interesting)
"hello, wal-mart techinal helpdesk... (Score:2, Funny)
WalMart drives IT standards (Score:2, Insightful)
Technology review had an interesting article [technologyreview.com] on this very topic a few months ago.
The reason is simple. Wal-Mart is by far the commercial world's most influential purchaser and implementer of software and systems. It is the 800-pound gorilla in a retail jungle of bonobos and howler monkeys. Microsoft and Cisco may set technical standards; Wal-Mart sets business process standards. When Wal-Mart--which is bigger than Sears, Kmart and J. C. Penney combined--wants global suppliers like Procter and Gamble or GE or Pfizer to comply with its inventory software and data networks, they do so or else. "Everyday low prices" don't come cheap.
*-snip-*
This power of procurement facilitates the procurement of power. Suppose Wal-Mart decided that it would be economically advantaged by abandoning proprietary software formats in favor of "open source" to manage its supplier interactions. Imagine the ripple--or rather, tsunami--effect on the future of systems design and development in the retail, wholesale and consumer goods sectors. What happens to a Microsoft or Oracle in that environment?
Hopefully, selling Linux PCs is just the first step. When WalMart starts using Linux-based PCs internally, then the game will really change.
Moral quandary... (Score:5, Funny)
AAAARRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH
Hardware Specs for $299 Unit (Score:4, Informative)
Also, I should note the motherboard used changes based on model. Not bad for a $299 PC with Linux!
JOhn
P.S. Big thanks to Rich at Microtel for the quick repsonse
Re:Hardware Specs for $299 Unit (Score:4, Informative)
That's no slug of a motherboard. I was expecting PC Chips crap, like EliteGroup or Amptron, but MicroStar International is not a company that makes crappy motherboards.
I've had one exemplary experience in dealing with MSI. I was putting together a machine with an ancient 486 motherboard. It was a weird bugger too...it had PCI SLOTS and none of the VESA Local Bus slots you expect on a 486. Anyway, I needed the jumper diagrams and the support area of the web site had nothing.
What did those nice folks at MSI do for me? They scanned the whole Fine Manual for me to a series of .JPGs, then they emailed the .JPGs to me. I had my jumper settings, they had a happy customer.
These machines are BARGAINS, folks. And to have them preloaded with a DECENT Linux distro is a Very Good Thing (tm) indeed. Yeah, Wally-Mart is an evil place. But so are most of the other big discount store chains. And often, what Wally-Mart does, more palatable establishments like Target will follow.
Ha ha, Bill Gates! Just watch as the floodgates open, and there's a cascade of bargain PCs with Linux pre-installed rushing out over the country!! Did I hear a "Glub, glub" somewhere near Redmond, WA?
PS: who makes their hard drives?
Re:this frightens me.(But don't let that stop you) (Score:4, Insightful)
I guess beign scared by change is one thing, but I'm glad Walmart and Mandrake are attempting to bring some choice.
Re:this frightens me.(But don't let that stop you) (Score:2)
I'm prety sure there are automatic update agents for Mandrake, but I'll have to check on that. I know there are update *programs* out there, but whether or not the users use them (just like Windows Update)
Re:this frightens me.(But don't let that stop you) (Score:2)
Re:this frightens me. (Score:2)
I'm using Linux now for three years, but I think the "dummy" tools are excellent.
For example; in the beginning I used lpr, ghostscript and apsfilter for printing.
Nowadays almost every distro uses Cups, which had horrible docs a year ago. And I didn't understand one thing of it. There were a few frontends like the webbased interface, but it just didn't want to work with my Epson inkjet.
There comes Mandrake with Cups and printerdrake. Just turn on your printer while installing, or while running printerdrake, and it gives you a recommended driver setup.
No problem with cups since then.
This is just one example, but the Mandrake stuff is quite good imo.
Invididuals that buy this package are going to be open to plenty of exploits, problems, etc. It is going to create a large headache for the rest of us.
Mandrake in Walmart may frighten you, but comments like these frighten me.
What exploits do you mean?
Every piece of software has exploits. After a while there will be known exploits. As long as you install the updates it all should be fine.
Now the question is how many people will actually use the updates, but that's the same story on every OS, especially Microsofts OS's.
I just hope that Mandrake realizes this and moves to at least limit the possiblity of widespread issues that MS has due to the same reasons.
I agree with you here.
I just hope it will have no services installed, and the services that are installed, are only listening on the localhost interface.
Re:this frightens me. (Score:5, Insightful)
Walmart.com has a few well-placed electronics buyers who are savvy to Linux, and a management team looking for ways to reinvigorate stagnant computer sales numbers. The combination has resulted in innovations like the Windows-free Microtel line and has generated strong sales and low return numbers...
Contrary to what was posted in the last slashdot story about this, Walmart is not selling these machines to unsuspecting rubes who are still trying to figure out how the door to their mobile home works. It sounds like Walmart knows their customers which is exactly why they are able to reach a large portion of the American public. A large number of the good folk here at slashdot seems to equate this with ignorant masses but that is not the case.
I live in a small town and have seen what Walmart can do to a community. I don't like Walmart but I certainly am not going to underestimate it. This appears to be a very shrewd move by a company which is the master of its domain.
Re:this frightens me. (Score:2)
Linux has not yet become "dummy" enough for the vast majority of users and Mandrake makes it too easy to use
What??? This is a contridiction! You can't have it both ways. Either its easy enough for Joe User or its not. And how can something be too easy to use? I find the command line easier to get around in than Window's (or Mandrake's for that matter) pretty little GUI but that's my opinion.
It sounds like you want to have educated users before you bring Linux to the desktop, but the users aren't going to be educated until they have a choice to use it.
Re:Who's tried Lindows? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Wait (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Wait (Score:2)
Re:Wait (Score:2)
it's not like when say, a company is dumping toxic waste so you stop buying their products in hopes that they'll maybe go out of business or have to shut down polluting factories.
the problem with sweatshops is that, the locals in those countries are so poor they *choose* to work in sweatshops (or send their kids) and if walmart shut down the shops then they would just be poorer. now walmart could voluntarily elect to pay their workers more, but in a free market, that's not likely to happen. what really needs to occur is for the economy of china to improve. if the workers there had more and better options, walmart et. al. would HAVE to pay more. boycotting a store because of sweatshops doesn't really work.
now how joe consumer goes about improving china's economy, i'm not sure, but boycotting walmart isn't going to help the people it employs, no matter how mistreated they are.
Re:Wait (Score:2)
I'm thinking 'Buy Chinese Stuff'. Eventually, they'll get less poor, and even the sweatshop owners'll have to pay a half-decent wage.
In the long run. But then, as one famous economist said, "Sure, it all works out in the long run... but in the long run we'll all be dead!"
Re:Wait (Score:2)
Yes it can (Score:4, Insightful)
I wouldn't be too sure about unlicensed DVD players being illegal. Kaplan's decision was in regard to one particular program: DeCSS, which didn't play movies. This warped Kaplan's decisoin about what it was "primarily designed" (important words within the context of DMCA) to do. He incorrectly concluded that it was primarily designed to circumvent copyright (this making him particularly hostile to it), but was technically right that it was primarily designed to bypass the technological measure. And being primarily designed to bypass the technological measure, was what made DeCSS so vulnerable to DMCA.
A program that actually plays DVDs (even if it contains an unlicensed DeCSS implementation), though, would be another matter. You can't look at the .01% (pulling number out of ass, but you get the idea) of the code in a player that descrambles CSS, and make a good argument that bypassing the technological measure, is its primary purpose.
An unlicensed DVD player would be far less likely to be judged as "illegal." And face it, it would never go to court anyway. 2600 was picked on because MPAA knew 2600 would have trouble defending itself. Nobody thinks that about Walmart.
Walmart has money on their side, and probably the law too. That makes it legal. Go for it, Walmart.