Mandrake Hits Wal-Mart (.com)

caveat writes: "The Register is reporting that Wal-Mart is shipping PCs with Mandrake preinstalled. 'Prices range from $391 for a 900MHz Duron machine to $648 for a 2GHz Pentium 4 with CD-RW.' more power to them." So now walmart.com customers seeking a pre-installed Free OS aren't limited to Lindows. I wonder if any Wal-Mart manager is brave enough to actually set up a few machines in-store. Update: 07/15 15:35 GMT by T : As many people have pointed out, the systems running Mandrake -- just like the Lindows machines on offer -- are only available through Wal-Mart's website.

Comments

Walmart vs. MS

[oyenstikker]

I think Walmart is the company that could best challenge Microsoft Window's monopoly. They are big enough not to cave to Microsoft. They are diverse enough that loosing wouldn't kill them. They have a huge customer base and lots of stores. If Walmart sold you a computer, it would be cheap. They could preinstall any software they sell on the shelves. If you have a problem with it, you can just bring it to a Walmart. You're never that far from one in the US. If selling Lindows and Manrake increases their hardware sales, would they consider writing their own operating system? or maybe just Walmart Linux?

Re:Walmart vs. MS

[sfe_software]

I think Walmart is the company that could best challenge Microsoft Window's monopoly.

I doubt they are doing it to challenge MS, at least not directly. They are doing it because Walmart does whatever it takes to offer lower prices than everyone else. If Windows costs more than Linux, it only makes sense from their point of view to offer Linux. They don't care about the politics or technical merits of open-source software, etc.

They could preinstall any software they sell on the shelves.

I imagine Microtel could pre-install any software that they strike a licensing deal with. I don't think having the software on their shelf gives Walmart or Microtel any license other than to resell said software on said shelf.

If you have a problem with it, you can just bring it to a Walmart.

I seriously doubt Walmart will be offering much in the way of technical support. Hardware failures sure, you'll have your normal return-policy and warranty period, but if you trash your MBR or can't run Mozilla, I don't think they'll be much help (most likely, Microtel offers some kind of support).

If selling Lindows and Manrake increases their hardware sales, would they consider writing their own operating system? or maybe just Walmart Linux?

That's a major stretch. Again, they aren't interested in the politics, nor do I believe they are interested in becoming a tech company. They simply see that:

- PC hardware is dirt cheap right now
- Lindows/Mandrake is cheap
- As a result, they can offer a PC cheaper than the next guy

I suspect that after so many users return the machines (My AOL don't work on this computer, or Front Page won't run) they might reconsider.

Indirectly claiming a flaw in Linux, tim?

[FortKnox]

I wonder if any Wal-Mart manager is brave enough to actually set up a few machines in-store.

Why is the bravery required? Are you suggesting its hard to install Linux? Are you suggesting its hard to use Linux?

If a manager can't setup demos, then the whole idea of selling Linux in the stores is flawed and will ultimately fail.

Pro and Con

[Bonker]

Reasons for setting up a Linux Demo PC at Walmart

1. Fear Reduction. If customers can *see* it working, and see a few neat demos (one of the few linux games, Open Office, etc...) then they will be much more likely to buy it.

2. Employee Knowledge. The majority of Walmart employees are not really encouraged to be knowledgeable about their products or their store. If electronics department managers took the dive and installed a Linux PC for their departments, employees who worked there could play with it and learn about it. They'd be in a lot better position to deal with it.

3. Zealots. Go to any Bestbuy or Circuit city that happens to have a Mac section, and you'll find one or two Mac Zealots there to 'encourage' people toward buying a Mac. If you put Linux PC's in stores, you'll probably get Linux Zealots there too to show people how wonderful Linux can be.

Reasons AGAINST setting up a Linux Demo PC at Walmart

1. su -; password; rm -rf *.*

2. When Linux breaks, (or is broken) you've got to be knowledgable to fix it. If you installed it, you've got no problem, but can you really count on someone who works at Walmart to know how to edit files? In my experience, non techies who sell computers would rather *not* fix a broken software demo by reinstalling. If they can't make it 'right' again with a few mouse clicks, they'll turn it off.

3. 133t k1dd135

4. Customer: "So, which of this software can I run on this Linux PC?"

Walmart CSM: "Uhmm... None of it, I think. I dunno. Are these things compatible with normal PC's?"

Walmart carries a few boxed Linux distros. I've seen Mandrake and Redhat shrinkwraps before, but that is the long and short of their in-store linux support. Joe Sixpack doesn't want to download Open Office. He wants to buy it off the shelf and have it work without thinking. Unless Walmart starts carrying some of the shrinkwrap Linux software packages, and maybe some 'collection' CD's, they're shooting themselves in the foot by displaying a Linux PC next to reams of Windows-only software.

Re:Now how many people will actually buy one?

[Diamon]

There's a difference between saying Rednecks shop at Wal-Mart and saying everyone who shops at Wal-Mart is a Redneck. The insult to all Wal-Mart customers is only in your mind. Plus I don't think saying Rednecks shop at Wal-Mart falls into insulting someone on their Race/Color/Creed/Religion/National Origin/Sexual Orientation.

Re:As a person who shops at Wal-mart...

[Peyna]

Hell, at my company we have off on "Deer Slaying Day" as it's affectionatly know as. (Monday after Thanksgiving).

I worked at a GM factory one summer, and the employees there told me that one year they had to shut down production and send every one home for the day because not enough people showed up on opening day of deer season.

And from dictionary.com:

hick Pronunciation Key (hk) Informal
n.

A person regarded as gullible or provincial: "New Yorkers had a horrid way of making people feel like hicks" (Louis Auchincloss).

adj.

Provincial; unsophisticated: a hick town.

[After Hick, a nickname for Richard, from Middle English Hikke.]

Why not choose...

[Per Abrahamsen]

...StarOffice and Apache for the XP box as well, if the purpose is to compare similar equiped boxes?

I don't know about MySQL on win32, and I would guess the Gtk applications would be clearly inferior on XP than on Mandrake, since they provide a native interface on the later.

Re: Wow! a REGIONAL vendor is selling Linux PCs?

[pjrc]

Fry's (Some regional electronics firm ...) selling Linux pre-installed computers is just not as "World-changing" as Wal-Mart (A well known INTERNATIONAL corporation that most everyone on the planet HAS heard of.)

We're talking about Walmart quietly adding PCs on their website with little promotion (other than geek news coverage) vs Fry's (a large regional store) displaying linux-based PCs in Fry's stores and boldly promoting it in their advertising. A friend of mine went there twice in the last couple weeks and bought two of them right off the shelf in the store. Saw a big ad, no mail order, no needing to know about about an obscure page on a website, didn't already need to have a PC, etc.

Sure, Walmart may be able to reach everyone, if they try... and maybe they will someday.

But in the here and now, and lot more people are getting exposed to a bargain linux-based PC due to (regional) Frys than (international) Walmart. Just because you're bitter that Fry's isn't in your area doesn't mean that they aren't managing to expose a lot of people to the concept of a $300 PC with linux.

Sure, you may like Walmart better (I do too... Fry's really does terrible customer service), and it is true that Walmart could expose a lot more people to linux-based computers, but the fact is that their linux-based PCs are on their website, only available to people who already have a PC and are willing to mail order. Fry's has these $300 machines in their stores, and they're devoting major advertising to let people know about it.