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Best Buy Is Selling Ubuntu

Posted by kdawson on from the but-wait-you-also-get dept.

SirLurksAlot writes "It appears that Best Buy is now selling Ubuntu, both through its Web site and in its brick-and-mortar locations. Going by the release on the product page, Ubuntu has actually been available for the low, low price of $19.99 since May 6th of this year. It is being packaged as the 'Complete Edition.' While they don't specify on the site what version is being offered, a quick call to a local store revealed it to be Hardy Heron, the latest Long Term Support version. How did this development fly under the radar for over two months without anybody noticing?"

10 of 656 comments (clear)

  1. It flew under the radar by Swizec · · Score: 5, Insightful

    because verily nobody is stupid enough to buy something they can download legally! Right? Right!? I mean come on, people don't even buy stuff they can download illegally anymore ...

    1. Re:It flew under the radar by Viflux · · Score: 5, Insightful

      because verily nobody is stupid enough to buy something they can download legally! Right? Right!? I mean come on, people don't even buy stuff they can download illegally anymore ...

      True, except things like this have a habit of gaining legitimacy in the "mainstream" when you're allowed to pay for them. Unfortunately, $20 isn't enough. People will think it's a 2nd rate product since the cost is so much lower than Windows.

    2. Re:It flew under the radar by rohan972 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      When I was on dial-up I bought my first copy. About $20 with a book that was very helpful to me.

      --
      http://marriedmansexlife.com/
    3. Re:It flew under the radar by nurb432 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, i know a lot of fairly competent people that have been effected by the marketing strategy of the BSA and RIAA.They now think that anything free is somehow illegal or filled with viruses. For many the entire concept of giving away ones work is completely foreign to them.

      Its also nice to have a nice shiny permanent CD ROM instead of a less then permanent CDR.

      This also helps people that would not have a clue how to download and burn something.

      Does any support come with this?

      --
      ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    4. Re:It flew under the radar by ProppaT · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I agree 100%. What needs to happen, IMO, if Ubuntu wants to gain any credibility with the mainstream is that a company needs to package it, sell it for a higher price, and include a tech support service line much like MS's. Advertise it as having 2-3 years of technical support but don't make mention that what you're actually paying for is the tech support itself. Seriously, in a business atmosphere you're paying for the tech support more than you're paying for the product.

      Besides, according to all the Linites around here, it's 100x's more stable than Windows, the naming convention of the programs isn't confusing at all, the file system makes perfect sense, and hardware support is a thing of the past. So, this should be money in the bank, right?

      --
      Wise men say, "Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."
    5. Re:It flew under the radar by LVSlushdat · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Given this hypothetical person who has no clue on how to download and burn something... Do you really think he's magically gonna have a clue on how to install Ubuntu?????

      --
      THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
    6. Re:It flew under the radar by osu-neko · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This reminds me of a friend of mine who always criticizes the prices of things he sees in restaurants. His big thing is how cheap all the materials are in a soda fountain. Setting aside initial cost for the machine and regular maintenance costs (which he always forgets for things), no matter what he's evaluating, he always leaves off the single most important cost: the cost of paying someone else to do all this for you. His cost evaluations always seem to assume the cook and the waitress are working for free. Not to mention the accountant, and apparently he thinks the landlord loans the land to the restaurant for free too. There's also licenses and taxes and probably a dozen other costs I don't even know about. And the business owner isn't apparently entitled to earn a little money, either.

      If you can get these things for free, and are willing to do the work yourself, then fine, do so and don't pay Best Buy to do it for you. Best Buy, OTOH, shouldn't be expected to do it for you for free when it costs them money to do it.

      --
      "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
  2. Re:Free by GundamFan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Non-techies are in general scared of downloading programs from the internet.

    In my experience if software is available in a package with a reasonable price tag people feel better about using it. It may be worth $20 to someone to not have to download and burn the software, the package may also contain information on how to find support.

    --
    I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.
    Mark Twain
  3. Re:Not going to fly... by russ1337 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The store version makes a better Christmas present than a downloaded-sharpie version.

  4. Now sell computers without the Windows tax... by stevegee58 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Now if they can start selling computers without the Windows tax, we'd be all set.