Richard A. Johnson

You heard that right, $200 for a PC running a variant of Ubuntu called gOS. I just read this in the Chicago Tribune a little while ago, and then proceeded to the website to read THIS.

The variant of Linux on the gPC is called gOS and is derived from the popular Ubuntu variant. It’s heavily oriented toward Google’s Web sites and online applications, like YouTube, Gmail and the company’s word processing program, all of which can be used only when the computer is connected to a broadband line. The PC comes with a dialup modem, but gOS doesn’t support it. So most users likely will get online other ways.

DOH! What, comes with a modem but it doesn’t work. -1 Linux to a new user because of this.

“We feel the timing is right for open source because of that,” said gOS founder David Liu. The company has fewer than 10 people on it staff but gets help from volunteers in the Linux community.

DOH! Fewer than 10 people, there goes support. -1 Linux to a new user because of this.

Whether value-minded shoppers who would be enticed by a $199 PC will also be interested in making the jump to Linux remains to be seen. The operating system isn’t known for ease of use and mainly attracts the tech-savvy.

DOH! Isn’t known for ease of use? Mainly attracts the tech-savvy? All I have to say is read the forums! Look at IRC! Look at my brother! Look at my mom! No tech-savvy’ness there! -1 Linux to a new user, only if they read the Trib, which just happens to be the 2nd or 3rd largest paper in the US.

Well, I spoke with a friend who works with the higher ups at Wal-Mart, and he told me the original plan was to go with Ubuntu (about 6 months ago he told me about this), and I had heard other rumors that backed this up. Then I read today that it is a variant of Ubuntu called gOS. Anyone remember Lindows? Ya, that tanked at Wal-Mart, and now they are coming back with Linux on an Everex PC. Only 600 stores, so maybe it won’t tank as hard, or possibly as quick as Lindows did at Wal-Mart. Although, I will say that Lindows did sell quite a bit at Wal-Mart when they were around back in like 2001/2002. I don’t see this taking off. And if it were to take off, say goodbye to gOS. Less than 10 people, jeesh. Wal-Mart will eat you alive, that is what they are good at! You show the tad bit of weakness and kiss your arse goodbye.

Well, seeing as the gOS, is the greener OS, or this system or whatever is greener, now Wal-Mart can get the EPA off of their back. “Hey! We have green PCs, never mind the busted bags of fertilizer outside that are seeping into the water sources, WE HAVE GREEN PCs DAMNIT!”

OK, I see nothing but bad, bad, and more bad with this. Does anyone see opposite? I wish gOS the best and hopefully Wal-Mart will spare a few lives in the end

Kevin Carmony! This is for you, I know you are sneaking around these waters. I would definitely love to get your input on this. You were with Lindows/Linspire for the Wal-Mart days. I would love to know if the experience was good for you and the group back then? I know the reason behind the tanking wasn’t Lindows/Linspires fault, I believe that whole Microsoft suit killed it with Wal-Mart, if I remember correctly. Don’t feel like researching it. How do you think this current deal will go? Will it take off, or will it just sit on the launch pad smoking?

I am currently working on a DB API for a Java application, and one of the requests was to be able to query Microsoft Access Databases. OK, no problem I thought. I could easily open up these databases with OpenOffice.org Database or even Kexi. WRONG! Neither of them would open or even import the database. I personally am not a fan of OO.o, so I went over with Kexi. After some fiddling around, I did apt-cache search mdb just to see what there was. Low and behold there were two applications of interest. kexi-mdb-driver and kexi-mdb-plugin. I first tried the plugin and all that did was make Kexi crash. So I removed the plugin and then tried to use the driver instead. Booyah! It worked like a champ. It imported not only the structure 100% correctly, but also all of the data.

/me gets back to hacking now that he knows what is in the database itself. </query_hell>

If you are a Kubuntu user then we have a very small request. Currently, the space on the Kubuntu CDs are next to nothing, which means that it is darn near impossible to add more applications to the CDs themselves in order to keep them on a single CD. After our recent OpenWeek sessions, one of the community members, mzungu, brought up some important applications that are available and would be nice to have on the CD. Since the CD is full, we have to turn this idea down at this time. However, after mzungu and I spoke a little more on the subject, we realized just how important it is to let new users know just how many applications are available to them in the repositories. And since we can’t add them all to a CD, I have decided to go forward with a new addition to the Kubuntu documentation called “Kubuntu Extras.” This document will make its way into the 8.04 (Hardy Heron) documentation installed with Kubuntu as well as live in a location, not yet determined, on the community documentation wiki.

So what is the request? If there is an application that you just absolutely love and cannot live without, that wasn’t installed by default when you installed Kubuntu, then we would like you to add that application to a page mzungu created on the wiki. You can find the page at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KubuntuExtras. If the application you were going to add is already on there, then just go ahead and put a checkmark next to it. To do a checkmark with the MoinMoin wiki language, you just add (./) next to the application you want.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me (nixternal) on IRC (in a ton of channels, so it isn’t hard to find me, or you can just /msg me), or leave a comment in this post. Thanks everyone!

Thank you to all of the community volunteers who stepped up this past week to make OpenWeek a success once again. Everyone did a great job and the people who joined and asked questions did so in top fashion. So cheers to everyone who got involved and to everyone who stopped by and here is hoping to see you at the next OpenWeek in about 6 months!

To view the logged sessions, just click on one of the session names at the bottom located at https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UbuntuOpenWeek and read on! Thanks to Alan Pope for getting all of the logs to the wiki and thanks to those who helped.

If you are around today, October 27th, at 19:00 UTC, join me in #ubuntu-classroom on IRC to get an introduction to Ubuntu Documentation. I have a few words to say first about documentation and then I will open the floor up to questions that I can hopefully answer for you. After doing the 2 Kubuntu sessions this week, it seems the popular route is an open forum almost. Seems more productive to me, just as long as 50 people don’t ask a questions at once Hopefully I will see you there, if you can’t make it, don’t worry, we will have the logs up shortly after for your viewing pleasure. Take care and have a great day!

haha, I had to do it. He is still at it, and his latest one is worse than the rest. It is more of an attack towards all applications for Linux, however the editor throws Ubuntu in it as if it is our fault. However, I think the best reading is the comments. I swear, some of them I can picture the commentor actually crying as they type the post. And you can tell who is either an American or one of the LUGRadio guys in disguise with all of the F words being thrown around. Here are just a couple snippets of my favorites quotes:

Holy Crap! I thought you were joking. This guy really is on the Microsoft payroll!

Randall C. Kennedy is the Director of Research for Competitive Systems Analysis and Contributing Editor to the InfoWorld Test Center. A 20 year IT veteran (his client list includes Intel, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and IBM), he specializes in enterprise desktop computing technologies and issues.

You’d think that this would make me madder, but it really makes the whole thing seem kind of chickenshit and inconsequential. No IT newsite that has any pretense to being reputable would allow a microsoft employee to do a four part hatchet job on Ubuntu. You’re throwing away any chance you ever had at credibility for a few cheap hits based on a manufactured controversy, you poor bastards.

Infoworld will be a good name for this site when it becomes one of those sad little search portals.

and:

Randall,

Nearly there in your 5-piece series. Have to say that I am enjoying them immensely.

I am fiercely opposed to the death-penalty, and was saddened to read about the prisoner executed in Texas yesterday because…

…”his lawyers had suffered a computer breakdown and were unable to file the appeal within regular working hours, and had begged Judge Keller for more time. Ms Keller refused.” [Guardian Online, 25 Oct 2007]

Normally when Windows crashes at work (3 or 4 times today – which is more than usual) it is not serious. At home so far not managed to crash Ubuntu 7.04 or 7.10.

Classic! You know what I have come to learn, we Linux people are pretty damn passionate, witty as all hell, and down right hilarious at times. If you want to read the post, it is HERE.