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First Linux-only Retail Store?
Greedo writes "The Toronto Star is reporting that 'Toronto will become home this weekend to what's being touted as the first retail computer store devoted exclusively to Linux-based products.' The store, Sub500.com, will sell PCs and laptop computers based on Linspire. Marc and David Silverman had been selling Linux products over the Web for 18 months. They also operate a car wash and figured they could use surplus office space at that location to open a Linux store."
Nothing like a high-profile store in the back of a car wash to raise awareness for Free Software.
It's not the first one I've heard of - there used to be one in Atlanta, near Georgia Tech, though it went out of business a little while ago. Too bad, they had some cool stuff.
"5... 4... 3.. 1... OFFBLAST!"
You say I can get a car wash and buy Linux-based software at the same time! Now will those car wash babes be geeks too?!? I think my car's dirty...
The same people also run Sub300.com, for any who find Canadian currency to be challenging.
First Linux store? There used to be a Linux General Store here in Atlanta, GA (home of the wonderful LUG@GT). I remember buying a mouse pad there and even a bumper sticker (which is still on my car). They also had weekly meetings, and Linux-related classes. Unfortunately they closed down a couple years ago or more, for reasons unknown. I've heard through the grapevine that the owner fled the country :-/
A sweat soaked Steve Ballmer announced that many stores that sell Windows will also be opening car washes to compete with this most recent threat from Linux.
--
Was it the sheep climbing onto the altar, or the cattle lowing to be slain,
or the Son of God hanging dead and bloodied on a cross that told me this was a world condemned, but loved and bought with blood.
From the summary:
They also operate a car wash and figured they could use surplus office space at that location to open a Linux store.
Live wash: $5
Full wash: $6
Professional Wash: $7
Pro. Wash + Source: $8
Buy a Pro+Source on Tuesdays and get a free wax or a 32MB USB pen drive!
I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.
It is. Their American counterpart is sub300.com, with systems starting at $222.
For more information, click here.
The question is: Do they do Windows?
Ah, too bad their web site looks to be running on Windows.
I think it's hilarious they also have a US version of their store called sub300.com. Do they have to buy new domains whenever the exchange rate shifts?
In Japan they're known as sub32000.com
In Italy they're sub477777.com
Read any good sonnets lately?
They used some of their surplus merchandise to run their website....
5 00.com
http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph/?host=www.sub
Did anyone else notice the meta tags on this page?
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<meta http-equiv="keywords" content="cheap, inexpensive, computers, new, computer, system, upgrade, replace, buy, AMD, Intel, looking, buy, sale, tower, industry, bulk, volume, rebate, deal, deals, special, compute, new, lindows, Microsoft, burner, 299, sub300">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 4.0">
<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">
Oh the irony..
Will this be something akin to the Leftorium (a la Simpsons) where a retail store opens to an exclusive market?
If they wanted an even more exclusive market, they could cater to just left-handed Linux customers.
HTTP 403.9 - Access Forbidden: Too many users are connected
403.9 is indeed below 500...
Obliteracy: Words with explosions
...and our web servers ran Apache, not IIS. (grumblegrumble)
Finding God in a Dog
If they only stock linux pc's and linux software, it could provide a one stop shop for locals pc needs without the confusion of "will this (windows) software run on my pc?" Sometimes less choice is better.
Linking to an IIS page on slashdot makes baby Jesus sad. HTTP 403.9 - Access Forbidden: Too many users are connected Internet Information Services Isn't it ironic how it's a site for selling Linux computers but runs on a Frontpage-generated, IIS served page. I bet it's the 5 connection version too.
Hard work pays off tomorrow, but procrastination pays off NOW!
Hey! Come back! You have to *pay* for that!
Perhaps Toronto's nerds will make a special trip to a Linux-only store, but I don't think many others will be introduced to a new operating system from a small store that's attached to a car wash. That said, Lindows seems like a strange choice of distribution to focus a business on (though they do mention supporting others in the future, but they aren't pushing them for this store opening). Nerds will likely avoid it, even if it is good, since its seen as not worth using if it makes things easy enough a non-nerd could do it. (ie. Mandrake was labeled a "newbie's Linux" at first, though opinion seems to be changing on that one.) Hopefully they find success but they're going to have to evaluate and evolve... people aren't going to be lining up outside just because they can now buy some linux stuff in a store.
I tried to get to the sub500.com site and received this message:
The page cannot be displayed
There are too many people accessing the Web site at this time.
Please try the following:
* Click the Refresh button, or try again later.
* Open the sub500.com home page, and then look for links to the information you want.
HTTP 403.9 - Access Forbidden: Too many users are connected
Internet Information Services
Technical Information (for support personnel)
* Background:
This error can occur if the Web server is busy and cannot process your request due to heavy traffic.
* More information:
Microsoft Support
Wait... They're running Windows as a web server?!?!?! What gives?
---
IMHO, of course.
May the SOURCE be with you.
As Heise reported (translated version) on June 1, there is already a store which sells all about Linux in Berlin, Germany.
Let's see as far as I know there are only 3 Apple stores in downtown T.O. I doubt that a Linux store/ car wash on Dufferin has a Penquins chance in hell of making it (yes even those cute little guys you see on the beaches of Australia). There a ton of cheap computer stores in the College/Spadina area right downtown that'll be more than happy to sell you a cheap machine sans OS. Face it most Linux users know how to download the distro of they're flavour of Linux and in most cases it wont be Lindows. If your a M$ user and want to switch I'd recommend Mac. Me? I'll keep using Mac and Linux (SuSe), but I doubt I'll be visiting this store. Oh, and I don't own a car, not even a Windows one.
I'd like to see it, but unfortunately their IIS webservers couldn't handle the crunch.
/* oops I accidentally made a comment, sorry */
Let's see as far as I know there are only 3 Apple stores in downtown T.O.
Two non-chains come to mind:
-Computer System Centre, Inc.
-Northstar
CompuSmart/Compucentre deals in Apple products, though I'm not sure if you had them in mind.
Who else sells Apple stuff?
Someday, you're going to die. Get over it.
It really is IIS for some strange reason.
LOAD "SIG",8,1
It's been going for several years now: I bought my "Happy Hacker" keyboard from them, and that's nearly worn out now. They're still going, too. Bricks, mortar and all (and a web presence, of couse).
-- Andrew
http://www.everythinglinux.com.au is a Linux-only retailer in Sydney that's been open for years.
Perhaps they are the first Linux-only retailer in the US?
Because they're in business and aren't that generous; whereas Linus was in school and appears quite generous.
If you could be told what you can see or read, then it follows that you could be told what to say or think - BoC
EverythingLinux (http://www.everythinglinux.com.au/) has a retail store since about 1996....
What about SCO licenses? are the wholesale prices?
-- "of course thats just my opinion, I could be wrong." --Dennis Miller
No - seriously it is.
Thou touteth incorrectly
Everything Linux in Sydney,Australia has been operating as a retail store (with webfront) for many years now and is totally devoted to linux and linux related products.
Nothing new. Again, our North American cousins believe they are the only people in the world. Been on that page already folks, catch up.
Everythinglinux.com.au , selling all things linux related.
:D
Kind of like a Thinkgeek for Australia (and they accept BPAY!)
I swear, if I see another Slashdot comment with "It will be interesting to see"...
HI. Marc from Sub300/Sub500 here. Firstly I'd like to thank all of the supporters here. To answer a few items that were brought up: 1) We don't host our own web server. We pay a company to do so, and until being slashdotted yesterday, I had no idea of what software they were using. I will be speaking to them today about perhaps making the changeover to Linux. 2) About the car wash. We happen to be in a building with a car wash in it. (We also happen to own the car wash). The two companies have nothing to do with each other. We won't be washing computers, and we won't be installing kernels in our drive-thru. The article made it sound like our store was an afterthought. The truth is that we've been doing wholesale of computer parts for the last 12 years, and we've been doing online sales through our websites for the last 18 months. The tennant renting the store space at our car wash recently ended his lease, so the space was available. The location is actually quite good, and there is plenty of parking. The idea was well pretty much well thought out. We didn't just say one day "Let's open a computer store in a carwash!" 3) We will be featuring other distros than just Linspire. We just believe that an absolute newbie coming in to our store for the first time will be much more familiar with the look and feel of Linspire. We know the "geeks" don't dig it, but very often, the geeks can fend for themselves. We are trying to convert more people to Linux. I don't see that as a bad thing. 4) Sub300 is in US Dollars, Sub500 is in Canadian dollars. I've noticed some people confused by the issue. Have to do comparisons correctly. 5) As far as the website, it's being redone (without Frontpage). We've seen the error of our ways. We also made the site before we became Linux exclusive. That's about all I have to say. Feel free to contact me via our website if you have any questions or concerns. Again to the supporters, thank you! Marc Sub300/500