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Computers with Preinstalled Mandrakelinux

Posted by michael on from the star-power dept.

puslik writes "Mandrakelinux has announced the availability of computers with preinstalled Mandrakelinux 10.0 (cost 299 or 399 EUR; only sold in France, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Monaco and Belgium)."

9 comments

  1. Quotes by isorox · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I dont read much French, but you can get the gist. I love this quote

    - Windows (TM) est uniquement un système d'exploitation.

    Nice to see so much "libres" mentioned too.

    Also shows application alternatives



    Internet : Navigateurs web : Konqueror (KDE)
    [PIM] : Kontact (KDE)
    Messagerie Instantanée compatible IRC, AOL, ICQ, Yahoo et MSN Messenger
    Multimédia : The Gimp (le logiciel de retouches d'images), Totem 1.2 (lecteur multimédia) ..
    OpenOffice pour Microsoft Office
    Kmail pour Microsoft Outlook Express
    Konqueror pour Microsoft Internet Explorer
    K3B pour Easy CD Creator
    Totem pour Windows (TM) Media Player ...


    Totem?

    €299 (200 pounds, $350) for a Duron 1.8/40GB/256MB and no monitor? With mandrake set up already? Perhaps you know a family that want another computer while the kids are off playing quake or whatever you kids play nowadays, and the parents want to do some internet stuff. Good idea really.
    1. Re:Quotes by lambent · · Score: 1

      For complete Outlook mimickry, I prefer evolution to kmail. Kmail still has too many innovations and efficient ways of doing things to truly compete with Outlook.

      and K3B still has bugs, including asking me everytime i start it to set the writer speed, as well as not correctly handling DAO/SAO burning unless i explicity modify the command parameters.

      Also, OpenOffice appears to have fallen into the uncanny valley ... enough like MSOffice to make you think that it is, but different in several jarring ways that make it irksome.

      Personally, i think 299 is a decent price, but i wouldn't be happy with the Duron. Also, I think it's a bad idea to market this as a mirror alternative to a Windows PC. Linux and Windows are fundamentally different, and not just different wrappings for the same basic experience. To imply that they are will make some very unhappy consumers.

    2. Re:Quotes by wsapplegate · · Score: 2, Informative

      > I love this quote

      It could have been better exploited had they mentioned more software, to get the message that they sell a complete solution in a single package. That's a compelling argument for most people I encounter : I tell them everything they need is probably already installed, and if not, they have it at their fingertips in an unified interface (for best results, use EasyURPMI to setup the contrib source). Voilà ! No more hunt-the-missing-software on the Net ! Save your precious time with Linux :-)

      > Totem?

      Yes, Totem. Although I feel it isn't such a good software. Personally, I use different players for music and videos, because they've different needs that are best solved by specific applications (for instance, I use jukeboxes like JuK and RhytmBox to sort my music).

      > Good idea really.

      I agree. Another interesting thing is the partnership with Carrefour. They're a big supermarket chain (a bit like Wal-Mart in the US), and certainly a good way to sell more products. What's disappointing, though, is they won't sell it directly in their supermarkets but only through their web site. Oh well, at least it's mentioned on their front page...

      --
      Xenu brings order!
    3. Re:Quotes by Sepper · · Score: 1

      Nice to see so much "libres" mentioned too.

      Well, in french there is no confusion surronding the word 'free' so there is no need to use 'Open Source'...

      'Logiciel libre' even sound better than 'Logiciel à source ouvert'

      So french publication usually use does the opposite of the English publication: using 'Logiciel Libre' (Free Software) to designate Both Free Software and Open Source Software...

      --
      I live in Soviet Canuckistan you insensitive clod!
  2. Are those bought for Linux or as a cheap blank pc? by rogueMonkey · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While this is well and good for the state of public awarness to Linux, how many of these PCs will end up wiped clean and with an illegitimate copy of Windows installed?

    As I've always said, the day piracy stops is the day Linux and OSS will completely pick up for Joe Average.

    As such, I encourage Microsoft and all the Software Publishers to do a massive RIAA like crack down on software pirates. The day my mom has to pay hundreds of dollars to check her email and type her cooking recipes is the day she'll have Linux and Open Office on her computer.

  3. Re:Are those bought for Linux or as a cheap blank by ArmorFiend · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Well, they'll probably at least try it out before blanking it. If things work well, they'll probably delay installing windows. If things work well enough, long enough, the delay could become infinate. I'm not sure how user friendly Mandrake is, but they say its friendly. I say this is its acid test.

  4. Re:Are those bought for Linux or as a cheap blank by advocate_one · · Score: 1
    "The day my mom has to pay hundreds of dollars to check her email and type her cooking recipes is the day she'll have Linux and Open Office on her computer"

    Ahh... you admit it... your mum is using pirated software.

    --
    Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
  5. Re:Are those bought for Linux or as a cheap blank by 9-bits.tk · · Score: 1

    Aww, come on! I'm using Mandrakelinux right now to type this message!!