Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

100% Free Software Compatible PC Launches

Posted by kdawson on from the of-by-and-for dept.

crimperman writes "The Open-PC project has announced that its first PC will be available at the end of February for €359. They claim the mini-ITX desktop machine is energy efficient, consumer ready, easy to upgrade, and — significantly — uses only hardware that has free software drivers available. As you'd expect, it comes with GNU/Linux which is running KDE (a €10 donation to the KDE project in included in the price). Interestingly all the key decisions on design, pricing etc. have been made by the community via online polls. The spec of the machine is pretty reasonable for the price: Atom 1.6GHz dual-core processor, 3GB RAM, 160GB HDD, Intel 950 graphics."

5 of 458 comments (clear)

  1. you are kidding right? by farble1670 · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    the dell studio hybrid is $200 less, has a 2.1GHz core duo processor, and includes MS windows. i am sure there are other examples. really folks if anything this is an anti-linux desktop advertisement.

  2. Microsoft builds Linux powered OpenPC by fibrewire · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    500 USD - Is that a $300 linux distribution? Does anyone have information on this?

    My dual core Acer REVO with 2GB and 320GB HD with wireless keyboard and mouse - not to mention Nvidia ION graphics was $300 brand new on ebay, and i hooked it to my 52" TV for free with the HDMI out. It came with FreeDOS, which is just some non-gui linux, but throw on Ubuntu / Vista / and OSX for the $200 i saved.

    "I saved a ton of money on my car insurance by dropping it" ®

  3. Re:950 video at that price why not ion or a real d by PCM2 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    950 video at that price why not ion

    No free software drivers for Ion.

    --
    Breakfast served all day!
  4. Re:Mac by jedidiah · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    > It needn't be any larger, louder or necessarily require more power, but it would certainly be faster and allow one to do more with it.

    Don't be an idiot.

    Of course it would.

    The GPU alone would require it's own extra cooling and power. That's to say nothing of any of the other components you would want to "upgrade". All of this stuff comes with tradeoffs. You don't get "more power for free". Something will have to give.

    --
    A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
  5. Re:Mac by jedidiah · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    You have someone else's review from the web.

    I have the relevant hardware and my own observations.

    --
    A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.