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Earthlink Sponsors Cheap Linux PCs
prostoalex writes "Earthlink and Microtel are offering cheap Xandros-based computers to anyone who's willing to sign up for Earthlink dial-up service at $22 a month. The desktops on Microtel Web site start at $70 for a basic AMD Sempron machine, Microtel laptops start at $399. ExtremeTech says there is also a SkypeOut gift certificate: 'All Xandros PCs and laptops include free Skype-to-Skype calling worldwide, plus an exclusive bonus voucher for up to 120 minutes of SkypeOut calling to any phone number in the world.'"
I'm glad that more companies are starting to pick up on cheap hardware combined with free software. This will be great for the "moms and pops" who don't care about what they use as long as it works. By offering lots of cheap (with specific hardware) companies can reduce costs for support since there arn't options. It's undercutting the competition just like Ford did, you can have "any color you want, as long as its black". Looking at the specs on the system they don't seem that bad, comparable to a deal Frys had a few weekends ago where you could pick up a full system for $100 (Sempron, CD-Rom, Harddrive, case etc). Some ram upgrade and those machines would probably be plenty for most users.
If they make it so simple that they send it to you, you plug it in, and it works, that's really great for unsophisticated computer users.
I wish them the best of luck.
http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/when_to_
I understand the purpose of this, however I cringe whenever I see dialup being promoted into longevity.
The internet content of today chokes on dialup. The internet content of the future will not be able to live without broadband.... so why promote expanded use of any kind of dialup? Are we still in an age where there are enough people without broadband (or the cash to afford it) that we must cater in this fashion? Should this be so, efforts to bring prices down in the broadband market and increased efforts towards greater availiability (though less of a problem now) are far more meritorius than taking a dead horse and pulling a Frankenstein on it.
The Crimson Dragon
I worked for an out sourced call center for Earthlink in late 03. At that time, Earthlink didn't support Linux at all.
I had about 3 calls about people wanting to set up Kppp, but I was told by my supervisor to not say anything but "Earthlink does not support any linux distribution"
One other call was someone calling for a number, but at the time we had to ask what OS they were using, and I did as my supervisor told me to do....
Right after I gave the statement, the caller gave me an ass chewing, saying that he just needed a number because he just moved to a new state.
I'm glad to see that one of the bigger dial up companies has changed their stance on Linux... or have they? Anyone know?
Didn't PeoplePC try and fail at this just a few years ago? I don't remember if they were using Windows on the boxes, but the business model of dial-up and "free" computers didn't pan out then. What has changed?
It's a little unnerving when I view their website and realize they stole their "Customize It" buttons from Dell.
I've had a lot of seat-time with Xandros (Corel Linux) and have been pretty impressed with its abilities out-of-the-box. It's got a decent debian style package builder, which isn't completely reliable with rpms straight-through, but works well with deb packages. 3.0.1 OC runs KDE 3.3, which isn't my cup of tea (wmaker) but works well for those used to a pure GUI environment. It lends its flexibility quite well for those who are used to a *nix environment, as it builds source just like any other, but has the easiest install program this side of Mandr(ake/iva), and it all fits on one CD to keep costs low for a machine as one would only need a CD-ROM drive. My biggest gripe is that the CUPS network printing tool is pretty craptacular, as it takes some screwing around to make it not just find but print to the network printers, but Samba seems to be right at home. Overall, it's probably one of the better Linux standalone operating systems that Grandma Smith could probably handle installing and using on a daily basis. It's no OS X, but isn't a Gentoo bitchfest.
-Yim
1. Get customer to sign up and get a cheap computer
2. Get customer hooked on your service and *SUPPORT*
3. Years go by
4. ???
5. Profit !!!
Linux is not that easy to use and they will surely need to provide some support, but the profit in having the customer this hooked on your support is probably worth it.
9/11: Never forget it was a false-flag operation
Sorry, forgot to answer some of your questions. How does it compare to Fedora or Mandrake? Well, I found that it is a touch slower, but it is more integrated (since Xandros packages everything themselves). I also found that it worked better out of the box. I had to do a LOT of fiddling with Fedora to get my local network and Internet working. I had to do even more fiddling with Mandrake to get my sound working. Why? Who knows, it was a pain in the butt. Xandros worked out of the box except for playing DVDs, which was easily fixed by installing mplayer and codecs.
Yes. I've been installing Xandros on essentially anyone who's computer I got tired of fixing hag ridden copies of windows on.
It installs from a single CD.
It looks and feels a lot like windows
It just works, out of the box. I have yet to have it fail to find and install the correct video, monitor, and sound on any computer which was running win95/98/me or 2000.
It runs just find in 128 meg of ram, and WILL run in 64.
But since I don't give Aunt Bee and Counsin Fred the root password, they can't hopelessly screw it up. OOO, Firefix, T-Bird, GNUCash, and a few other simple tools, and they're set for life.
Works great. Not reccomended for Linux wonks. But for Aunt Bee, it's great stuff.
is the question I need answered.