Slashdot Mirror

I just ordered my mom a dell system with a monitor for $500. It comes with windows

It is a given that when a computer comes from the manufacturer that it will be set up to work with the included hardware. There are even some start-up companies that offer Linux boxes preconfigured http://www.sub500.com/mainpage.htm, http://www.system76.com/, and http://www.linux.org/vendor/system/index.html to name a couple.

She will be able to telecommute to work, she will be able to surf the internet, get email, do her taxes, edit he pictures from her camera and do it quickly, reliably, and with no hassle at all.

From my (limited) experience with Linux, this can all be done rather easily with a standard load (with the exception of taxes). No muss, no fuss, no "hassle".
My problem with Windows, in general, is the requirement to load each driver individually, reboot after each driver load (for my laptop), load service packs and updates, reboot after each service pack or update, etc. My latest distro (Ubuntu) worked 100% out of the box. I had to reboot one time after a kernel upgrade. Of course this is all for the non-preinstalled operating systems so it may not matter to the masses. It is, though, important to people who find themselves using an unsupported OS.

With a little caution towards security on the users part there is nothing it cant do for the average computer user.

I agree 100%. The weak link in any OS is the user and it will be this way regardless of which piece of software you use.

Aparently, you can save your beer from Gene's gullet by going to http://sub500.com/ (http://sub300.com/ after the Canadian Dollar exchange ;)

Previously mentioned in Slashdot, they're now offering to upgrade your computer to Linspire for free. No beer required.

(and their car washes are top-notch)

Aparently, you can save your beer from Gene's gullet by going to http://sub500.com/ (http://sub300.com/ after the Canadian Dollar exchange ;)

Previously mentioned in Slashdot, they're now offering to upgrade your computer to Linspire for free. No beer required.

(and their car washes are top-notch)

Relevant excerpt: "...The marriage of Linspire and Sub300.com computer systems is made in heaven. Linspire allows Sub300.com to include an operating system at the price some others sell their systems with no operating system at all." -- Marc Silverman, President, Sub300.com[emphasis added].

Can't be cooperating too closely if they don't even know their name.

"Computer systems for well under $500"!!!!!

No... wait... it's just the same as Sub300.com but 200$ more expensive.

"Computer systems for under $300!"

On that note, it seems Lindows needs to update their Linspire testimonials page. "The marriage of Linspire and Sub300.com computer systems is made in heaven" -- Marc Silverman, President, Sub300.com

Ah, too bad their web site looks to be running on Windows.