http://news.com.com/Wal-Mart+debuts+498+Linux+laptop/2100-1044_3-5498006.html?part=rss&tag=5498006&subj=news.1044.5

I think I'm going to bite on this one.

Wal Mart is such a fine company. It makes low cost computing available to the masses.

__________________
Regards

Warren

Currently 1965 220Sb, 2002 FORD Crown Vic Police Interceptor

Had 1965 220SEb, 1967 230S, 280SE 4.5, 300SE (W126), 420SEL

ENTER > = (HP RPN)

Not part of the in-crowd since 1952.

I wonder when they'll debut the $498 paycheck w/benefits?

This looks like a decent deal. Hopefully lots of college students'll buy them. OS support wouldn't be a problem either, since there's probably a Linux geek on every dorm floor by now.

We've come a long way

1928: A chicken in every pot
2004: A laptop in every home

PS: Wonder if it comes with Wallyspyware?

__________________
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Basically it's NOT Windows.

__________________
'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

Google say http://www.google.com/search?q=linux&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial

__________________
-Marty

1986 300E 220,000 miles+ transmission impossible
(Now waiting under a bridge in order to become one)

Reading your M103 duty cycle:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/831799-post13.html
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/831807-post14.html

...........................

That's the thing about Linux it never crashes, I learned the in and outs within a few hours. The support structure is far superior to windoze, Linux help is like MBshop tech forum answers are at your finger tips when there is a software problem there's 10,000 people fixing it.

I love it.

But if Linux is all they know and Walmart sells the Linux devices...problem solved.

Linux is a 1000 times easier to master than any MS product ever thought of being.

Openoffice one the other hand I'm not too thrilled about.

OpenOffice works pretty well on my Macintosh. At least it doesn't crash like "real" office did using NT.

[OTOH, I haven't had a MS Office crash since we switched to XP at work. I do get disconcertingly frequent crashes with ERDAS and ArcMap--programs on which I depend for a paycheck.]

FYI. Macs are now Unix boxes with a clever interface. Om the Mac, you gotta peel a heck of a lot of onion skins to get to SU. But its in there. Don't tell your inquisitive, bright teenager about SU or you will be totally screwed.

Reminds me of "2001: a space odessy". "Daisy, Daisy, tell me your answer do...".

http://user.cs.tu-berlin.de/~hal9000/2001.html

MedMech, did you get it yet? Any screenshots to post?

I hope you remember to check the security settings. Linux is less insecure than windows, but exploits do pop up on a periodic basis (the difference from windows is that these exploits are exposed and fixed within hours, not covered up for months and then halfway spackled up). Script kiddies download the latest stuff, scan thousands of computers for holes, then put their root kits onto the vulnerable ones.

Unneeded internet services disabled, firewalling set up, diagnosis / detection programs like nmap, tripwire and chkrootkit installed... I know it's a different distribution, but the Gentoo documentation and forums have great security information.

I haven't picked one up yet, I have a similar windoze laptop that I'm thinking about switching over myself. It's a free time issue were supposed to get socked with 6-12 inches of white stuff so if I'm not out chasing coyotes I'll work on the new laptop.

I'm making moves to make my life MS free.

Let me reveal my ignorance on this topic: If I get one of these Linux units, will I be able to work with my WordPerfect files from the office?