I was reading my local paper and saw this what do you guys think? Microsoft might be losing a few shares i'd say.

Wal-Mart gives Linux a window into sales



Chain to sell $199 US 'Green gPCs'
November 01, 2007
The Associated Press NEW YORK (Nov 1, 2007)
Linux, the free operating system that's a perpetual underdog in the desktop market, will get another chance this holiday season at Wal-Mart Stores Inc.


The chain was taking orders online yesterday for a computer called the "Green gPC" that is made by Everex of Taiwan, costs $199 US and runs Linux.

It will be available in about 600 stores, as well as online, Wal-Mart said.


A comparable Everex PC that comes with Windows Vista Home Basic and more memory costs $99 more, or $298, partly because the manufacturer has to pay Microsoft Corp. for a software licence. Both computers come with keyboard, mouse, and speakers, but no monitor.

Linux is maintained and developed by individuals and companies around the world volunteering on an "open source" basis, meaning that everyone has access to the software's blueprints.


It is in widespread use in server computers, particularly servers that host websites.

But it hasn't yet made a dent in the desktop market.

Surveys usually put its share of that market around 1 per cent, far behind Windows and Apple Inc.'s OS X.

Wal-Mart started selling Linux computers at its online store in 2002, at prices as low as $199. Computers from several manufacturers were available for several years, but are now gone from the inventory.

While I don't exactly expect this to take off by any stretch, any little bit of exposure to linux is great. This actually made the front page on CBC's website, normally not exactly a technological nexus.

I think the "green PC" marketing is an even better idea. Instead of appealing to any form of technical leverage, people will be able to ring in on the moral value of an affordable machine that is ostensibly good for the environment

The real question though, and by far the most important, is asking if it "just works." If there's needless configuration trouble, it's going to flop pretty hard (or at least harder than we can expect). Reports already say the onboard dial-up adaptor doesn't work for example. The Green PC having problems like that is obviously not good, especially as it's designed for people on a budget who could very well be using dial-up

WalMart did this before with Linspire OS and Microtel PC and it flopped. The funny thing is back then people buy these cheap pc and load the pirated Windows XP.

2008 is going to be the year for linux.

I will probably make the desktop leap to linux with a ASUS EEE :P

At least on my laptop ^^

Laptop linux is a better marketing target really. Far less people want to play games on that.

Honestly I have never used linux as a desktop but the issue is, a lot of programs that people use such as MSN messenger, FireFox, and other applications are WINDOWS applications, so it is understandable why linux never made a big dent in desktop sales. Honestly it will be interesting to follow how well linux does, but I do not believe it will improve much in the desktop business.

Flop part 2 coming soon. Sorry but the general public is not even remotely close to adopting linux as a viable operating system. Linux is fine for the technically inclined but the first 70 year old woman with her first computer who has to run a shell script is going to say screw that and throw it away and go buy a dell

Honestly I have never used linux as a desktop but the issue is, a lot of programs that people use such as MSN messenger, FireFox, and other applications are WINDOWS applications, so it is understandable why linux never made a big dent in desktop sales. Honestly it will be interesting to follow how well linux does, but I do not believe it will improve much in the desktop business.

Thats wrong take a look at linspire.com

Here a little info on things that work...

http://www.linspire.com/products_linspire_whatis.php?tab=features

Honestly I have never used linux as a desktop but the issue is, a lot of programs that people use such as MSN messenger, FireFox, and other applications are WINDOWS applications, so it is understandable why linux never made a big dent in desktop sales. Honestly it will be interesting to follow how well linux does, but I do not believe it will improve much in the desktop business.

Linux desktop comes with Pidgin which allows you to connect to MSN messenger as well as Yahoo IM, Google talk etc.. and all the other popular chat clients. Linux desktop comes with FireFox. The Linux app they are putting on these machines does have all the needed apps to do almost anything you can do on windows right out of the box. The only thing missing is games that are made only for Windows and even then there are a ton of games ported to run on Linux.

Desktop Linux has come a long way, a typical user will never have to open a shell unless they want to.

I will bet you right now I can take any typical granny and sit her down in front a Linux desktop machine and have her on the internet in less then 10 minutes and even have her installing programs on the box.

My 5 year old has a computer to play games on and to get on sites like NickJnr to play the Dora games. Guess what his OS is? Linspire Linux with CNR warehouse which means he can one click install over 3,000 programs. And he has installed many kids games on his on.

I have 3 computers here on my desktop 1 windows and 2 Linux distros the only reason I need the windows box is for Dreamweaver, I have not found a Linux replacement I like as much as Dreamweaver for building and editing web pages if I ever do. Goodbye windows forever.

Frankly speaking, i think linux is better than windows in lots or areas. Especially the security areas. There are less hackers, spywares and viruses that preys on linux compared to windows. My new vista+norton+avg+spyware doctor+ad aware+router laptop is infected by virus numerous times.can we believe in windows reliability??

Frankly speaking, i think linux is better than windows in lots or areas. Especially the security areas. There are less hackers, spywares and viruses that preys on linux compared to windows. My new vista+norton+avg+spyware doctor+ad aware+router laptop is infected by virus numerous times.can we believe in windows reliability??

that's a myth. No uncrackable or 100% secured OS. Just check out the dedicated and colo forum. every other day there is question on linux or someone got pwned.

Apple already got trojan with only few day of new release http://www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2007/11/mac_trojan

i'm going to question your computer skills if you can't run Windows virus-free. what make you think by switching over to linux you will be much safer if you can't even run windows properly?

that's a myth. No uncrackable or 100% secured OS. Just check out the dedicated and colo forum. every other day there is question on linux or someone got pwned.

Apple already got trojan with only few day of new release http://www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2007/11/mac_trojan

i'm going to question your computer skills if you can't run Windows virus-free. what make you think by switching over to linux you will be much safer if you can't even run windows properly?

With that being said, very, very, very, very, very few of them are remote service vulnerablities. It's a simple fact you can install linux and have it connected to the internet without it getting infected in under 10 minutes, you cannot say about the most standard installs of windows unless you wish to buy a new disk every day. Anyone who operates honeypots will attest to that fact that in under 10 minutes of a new windows machine going online it will get infected.

Your last part is also slightly worrying, that is an over-hyped social engineering "exploit" if you like, it requires user interaction to not only execute it but to also input their administrator password, if anyone is gulable enough to have to input their administrator password then to be frank they deserve what they get, so for a "exploit" on the mac it's certainly not.

Your last part is also slightly worrying, that is an over-hyped social engineering "exploit" if you like, it requires user interaction to not only execute it but to also input their administrator password, if anyone is gulable enough to have to input their administrator password then to be frank they deserve what they get, so for a "exploit" on the mac it's certainly not.

How's it different than most exploit on Windows? 99% of problem on Windows are done by users. Please, don't try to make it sound like Windows is the only OS with security problem 'cause it's not. It all boil down to stupid users. You know it and i know it. Trying to say otherwise make you a fanboy/zealot.

How's it different than most exploit on Windows? 99% of problem on Windows are done by users. Please, don't try to make it sound like Windows is the only OS with security problem 'cause it's not. It all boil down to stupid users. You know it and i know it. Trying to say otherwise make you a fanboy/zealot.

When was the last time you had a trojan ask for your admin password on a windows box?

How's it different than most exploit on Windows? 99% of problem on Windows are done by users. Please, don't try to make it sound like Windows is the only OS with security problem 'cause it's not. It all boil down to stupid users. You know it and i know it. Trying to say otherwise make you a fanboy/zealot.

The post after yours pretty much sums up an answer but with that being said, I use windows, I do not own a mac or any apple products for that matter, but the only reason something so pathetic is being hyped up is because it's against OSX nothing more. It's far from being an "exploit".

How's it different than most exploit on Windows? 99% of problem on Windows are done by users. Please, don't try to make it sound like Windows is the only OS with security problem 'cause it's not. It all boil down to stupid users. You know it and i know it. Trying to say otherwise make you a fanboy/zealot.

I remember back in the day when I did a fresh Windows XP install and as soon as I boot it and hook it up to the internet this pop-up message came up saying my computer would shut down in 60 seconds. And I am a tech user... so... I guess it is not 99% user made.

Walmart needs to introduce a Linux laptop, that would be awesome! the price should be very cheap compared to windows laptops they offer, I dont need another PC, I want a laptop!! A Intel Centrino laptop with Linux, and we are set. But that GPC, sounds interesting I will check on it, and it's specs, thanks for the word out.

WOW, $200 bux for anew laptop?!
I think thats great news

Think about it Microsoft has WSUS.
But they can't seem to patch the Stupid User Syndrome portion of Windows.

Linux on the desktop/laptop for cheap means more exposure and if you can pick up something for cheap and play with it its cool.

By the way. If providers were actually enforcing their TOS and AUP's some of the infection sources would be shut down. It all takes the user. My organization has been virus free for the last year and a half. 100% at the desktop level. If you prevent something from happening you are better off. Ohh I forgot I don't have stupid users either.

I hope that wal-mart gets into the hardware game soon. $5 GB sticks of ram would be sweet

I loved the title of this thread :D

I read in the swedish IT-media that no big outlet here in Sweden is interested in doing what Walmart do. They chains say that "joe schmoe has no interest in something that is not familiar (read windows)", and some of the linux vendors say that high taxes are in the way of being able to sell these VIA based PCs.

A shame really :(