New Day Dawning for Desktop Linux?
Has the time for desktop Linux finally arrived? One relevant data point is that Wal-Mart has sold out of the Everex gPC, a Google-friendly, Linux-based PC priced at $199.
It's hard to tell whether the apparent success of the gPC means a new day is dawning for Linux desktops, Greg Sterling, principal analyst with Sterling Market Intelligence, said in a telephone interview. "I think people are responding to the price. At $200, its almost disposable," he said. "If it works, it's a great buy; if not, it's not a big loss."
But, Sterling said, "it's too early to say if it's going to be a wedge into Windows sales." Proof of that will only come with sustained sales data, he said. If initial buyers are dissatisfied with the experience, or find that not being able to run Microsoft Office is problematic, or don't realize that they're not buying a Windows machine, the initial excitement around a $200 computer could soon dissipate.
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There's an assumption that WalMart customers are buying the gPC cause they're too stupid to know what they're buying, but most of the sales have been from the website. Two hundred dollars isn't a lot of money for a computer, but it's enough money that you're presumably going to read at least a few of the reviews, and the reviews emphasize over and over what this is and what it isn't. They also emphasize that this is a great value. at least a few of the reviews, and the reviews emphasize over and over what this is and what it isn't. At present there are 58 reviews. Two are negative. Of those one seems to be a regular Linux linux user; only one is angry because "This computer doesn't have the power to run Windows XP!!!"
So the masses are going to rebel cause they can't run Microsoft Office? I think that's pretty funny. If anyone is outraged about that, they haven't shown up to complain yet.
It looks like Linux is FINALLY making inroads on the desktop, and if its really and truly happening, you can expect that to trigger a lot of denial in those whose worldview-- and often their livelihoods-- are tied up in the status quo. In a web forum, someone recently explained to me that operating system for the widely publicized "One Laptop One Child" initiative isn't really Linux: "It's based on Linux code because using that code base fits in with the low cost and small footprint requirements of the project. The fact that the Linux code pool is contributing to this means no more to the desktop than Windows NT is running the MetroCard Ticket Vending machines in NYC means to windows XP/Vista."
Well, I downloaded and booted the live CD version of the OLPC os, and here's some of what the "Linux code pool" contributed: the kernel, the filesystem, SELinux, a bash terminal Window, and a desktop GUI called "Classic Gnome".
It ain't just a river in Egypt.