$200 computer and video

[Joel Hammer]

I'll have to read the review. However, I just checked online at
Consumer Reports. They have a budget computer review on 06/03, no
mention of lindows.  I searched their website for lindows and walmart
under computers but couldn't find anything.

I think that lindows provides a lot more bang for the buck than the
machines in this budget review. For example, I spent part of my savings
on Bose speakers ($100). They sound much better than the speakers they
bundle with cheap computers, including lindows. I can now enjoy very
high quality sound. The review of budget computers at Consumer Reports
notes that some of them don't have slots for upgrading, like a video
card slot, and ship with skimpy software.  lindows offers plenty of room
for hardware upgrading, and there is plenty of free software available
online, including office suites. I also spent some of my savings (not
having to buy an office suite) on a memory upgrade. I don't know if the
newer versions of the $200 computer include a CD burner or DVD player.

So far, I think that this is a fine, cheap computer. The chief
disadvantage is that you have to download most of the software that you
want to use. The warehouse is doing pretty good but you do pay $100 for
that convenience.  This software is mostly free for people who know
better how to use debian.  However, I think that is where the profit
for this thing is for the company (like ink cartridges for the printer
manufacturers). Reading the lindows forum, the problems people are having
are linux problems, not lindows problems.

Lindows is bringing out a new version soon of it operating system. The
upgrade is free for warehouse members. I will be interested to see what
improvements are there. I am actually looking forward to upgrading. This
debian thing is easy to live with!

I really do hope that this lindows approach works, ie. makes money
and enables lindows to keep going. This has been the most easy to
use linux distro I have worked with. If linux has a chance with the
average user, this is it for now. The warehouse works as advertised,
most of the time. Of course, running as root is a great advantage in
terms of convenience.

The main problem as always is windows compatibility. staroffice goes a
long way to solving that for word, excel, and powerpoint.  At least for
the type of documents I handle, staroffice is a solution for handling
microsoft office documents. The major missing piece in staroffice is the
lack of visual basic or macros, but almost no average user takes advantage
of this feature.  Netscape 7.2 has performed very well as a browser. All
that is really left is printer compatibility problems and games, IMHO. I
doubt either of these two problems will every be fully solved. And, yes,
AOL is not accessible by linux, AFAIK. This is the only thing keeping
windows in my house in routine use.

There was a very disturbing letter from lindows this month. They say
that Microsoft is doing its usual thing, killing competition via direct
means.  Tiger Direct sells these computers. lindows says Tiger Direct has
been made an offer it can't refuse, namely, very cheap pricing for windows
software, making a windows computer as cheap as a lindows computer.
We will see.

Meanwhile, I am happily using my lindows computer for most of my desktop
computer needs. However, it would not be a big deal to download the
software and configure this thang as a router/gateway for my system.

Joel

 On Sun, Jun 08, 2003 at 12:39:36PM -0400, Leon A. Goldstein wrote:
> Joel Hammer wrote:
> 
> > I posted awhile back about my lindows box ($200, Debian distro). I noted
> > that running xine froze  the computer and required a reinstall of the
> > whole dang thing.  Since then, I have been leery of video, although
> > realplayer has worked fine.
> >
> > I just installed mplayer from the lindows warehouse (I mean, how else can
> > you view those movies from the weather satellites?). It runs beautifully.
> > So, there is hope for video on this box.
> >
> >
> 
> You need  a small file added in order to play DVD's with xine.  I don't
> know how Lindows handles this.   Libranet's Xine would not play  until I
> downloaded the missing codec.  Since there apparently is some legal
> issue involved, I don't think it appropriate to discuss details here.
> 
> BTW the latest Consumer Reports has a review of the Walmart Lindows
> boxes.  It is not favorable.
> However, Consumer Reports takes an "average user" perspective.  Your
> previous posts on the the subject make a convincing argument that a
> knowledgeable Linuxist can wring acceptable performance out of one of
> the Walmart Lindows boxes.
> 
> Leon A. Goldstein
> 
> Powered by Libranet 1.9.1 Debian Linux
> System 5151
> 

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