New Sharp 3D Notebook Available with Linux

Anonymous Writer writes "Earlier this month, Sharp released the Actius AL3DU, the second generation laptop in its line of autostereo display products. EmperorLinux, Inc. is distributing it with Linux pre-installed, dubbing it the Molecule."

Comments

Drop Windows Add $500???!?!

[TheLoneCabbage]

How exactly does Emporer Linux justify chargin $500 more for a computer without a licencsed OS?

I'm not great fan of Windows, but why should I pay $500 so that some screw up can spend 15min installing a version of Linux I don't like (vs one I do like)?

I think I've just stoped wondering why linux as a desktop OS has never taken off.

Re:Drop Windows Add $500???!?!

[Mjlner]

How exactly does Emporer Linux justify chargin $500 more for a computer without a licencsed OS?

They justify it by doing stuff to it. Whatever stuff is and whatever pricetag they choose to put on stuff is their business. Your business is to decide whether or not you want to pay for stuff.

Their version of linux is just an option. You don't need to buy from them. Some people do want to pay for a pre-installed OS. And don't forget the PHB's who don't linke the sound of "cheap software/freeware". (Yes, I know the difference between freeware and free software.)

Re:Drop Windows Add $500???!?!

[FauxPasIII]

> I'm not great fan of Windows, but why should I pay $500 so that some screw up can spend 15min installing
> a version of Linux I don't like (vs one I do like)?

Somebody didn't rtfa (yeah yeah, I must be new here). First, we install all the major distros standard, and will do any
distro you like for an additional fee. I'm the maintainer of our Debian and Ubuntu installers, for instance. And, we
"justify" our markup because we put hundreds of hours of work into building a custom kernel for the machine that
supports everything on it. That's winmodems, wireless, all the power management features, etc. When necessary,
we write the code ourselves (and submit it upstream.)

We also provide technical support to all our customers, and frankly I suspect that's why most of them keep coming
back to us.

Re:I think this is the start of something new

[Anonymous Coward]

While the "Help me Obi-one Kenobi" 3D displays are still a long way off (or disappeared a long, long time ago), this is an immense step forward.

Ah yes but EmperorLinux, Inc. is the distributor. May the dark side of the force be with you.

Re:what software is positioned to take advantage?

[delire]

Alot of medical imaging, chemistry software for Linux exists, and also alot of proprietary animation/modelling software, like Maya, which can exploit stereo imaging. The freely available Blender can also exploit it, as part of the render chain:

http://ltc2.smm.org/visualize/node/64

The real question is not what Linux software uses it, but why and when you'd want to use it in the first place. I remember a few years ago a man tried to sell me a pair of USB stereoscopic glasses at a game development conference. He just couldn't believe it when I told him that immersion doesn't necessarily have anything to do with being inside the medium.

I see this laptop will be marketed at imaging professionals needing a mobile presentation device that serves a larger audience than the standard LCD; Polarisation/blacking distortion is annoying when you're trying to sell your good-looking wares.

Gah price!

[allanc]

You know, I want to support Linux vendors, but the model with Linux costs *$500* more than the version with Windows direct from Sharp. That seems a little pricey for a free OS, eh?

(And I have to assume the sort of person who'd spend $3500 on a laptop to run Linux on either knows how to install Linux themselves or has people paid to do it for them)