Slashdot Mirror
Element Computer: ION Linux on Linux Hardware
JigSaw writes "Well known Lycoris person Jason Spisak left the company to join Element Computer, a new hardware company which now strives to offer the Apple experience on PCs: they sell Linux-certified modern hardware with their own flavor of Debian, ION Linux. ION is a desktop distro and it is developed specifically to work perfectly with the accompanied hardware. Other highlights include usage support (as opposed to installation-only support other distros provide) and system upgrades specific to the exact hardware the user runs. The KDE-based distro will only sell with their hardware as Mike Hjorleifsson says in his interview." (The company was previously mentioned on Slashdot.)
I just heard some sad news on talk radio - Horror/Sci Fi writer Stephen King was found dead in his Maine home this morning. There weren't any more details. I'm sure everyone in the Slashdot community will miss him - even if you didn't enjoy his work, there's no denying his contributions to popular culture. Truly an American icon.
How do GPL distribution rules work when the software is designed to only run on a very specific hardware? Sure, they could still release source code, but it wouldn't be of very much use to anyone. Unless outside hackers could make the distro run universally with some limitations.
I don't like that a company is using Linux in a way that (seemingly) intentionally keeps its software from being of use to anyone who doesn't buy their product. It seems to go around the purpose of GNU and OSS.
I thought the Apple experience was related to having a solid, well-functioning OS and a very friendly user interface.
Little did I know that it was actually about having hardware limitations put upon me.
Learn something new everyday!
I have been pwned because my
I agree, tux is gay, hopefully these guys aren't zealot enough to have like a big airbrushed tux on the side of the case or something like that.
That'd be a one-way ticket to receivership.
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
Is it me or has /. become a circle jerk?
{.. hey... keep your hands to yourself!..}
they can offer a sleek eye candy interface (sorry KDE isn't there yet) and, most importantly, allow programs to be installed by dragging a folder (like in Mac OS) instead of the dependency hell that is Linux as we know it today.