NOV 11

Let's just hope that the next one is smaller, if they are really serious about selling a green PC... and not just selling an arguably underpowered system marketed as a green PC. Still, the price IS right here.

Since it keeps coming up. Yes, they could have sold it in a much smaller case. However, there is an advantage to having a larger case. When things break, more room in the case generally makes it easier to find, fix and repair things yourself. These tiny computers, such as the Mac mini, require you to take it into the shop if anything breaks, as you can't eaily replace parts yourself.

Give me a decent sized case over a brick any day. That way I can upgrade it as needed and fix and replace parts myself. I feel like I'm at the mercy of the manufacturer with the teeny tiny computers.

Definitely a step in the right direction, if you ask me. Some Linux distros these days are so slick anyway that they look like a cross between Windows and OS X, so it's a good time to start giving people that option. What -I- think ultimately happens when there are suddenly THREE OSes to choose from for people is that which system you use becomes less important and people can choose what fits their needs better.

Also, if this isn't just an online phenomenon and these things find their ways into the hands of a lot of reg'lar Joes, I think more and more software will come to Linux as well.

I'm holding out for the Asus Eee, though. My iMac is too useful at home. ^_^

I say that I must agree with the comments written by EV as regards the size of the case. A bigger case just give me the opportunity to (1) repair things myself, if necessary and (2) upgrade and add to as and when I feel the need to. What's wrong with a bog case anyway? It does not mean that it has to draw more power???

If I want a small PC I get a laptop, seriously. For desk PC I still, but then I am old-fashioned, prefer the desktop machine - the box upon which to set the monitor - over a tower.

I just tried SUSE the other day & I was well impressed. And that was just watching the screensavers, playing the free games, and using the gimp image editor.

On the subject of energy-efficient computers, the top 500 Green version of the supercomputers list is due out soon,

http://www.computerworld.com/a...src=kc_top

(if that link doesn't work, the story is still on the main page here - http://www.top500.org

This was a marketing research project. It obviously won! EEPC 4G also doing well at 10,000 units sold per week!

Times are changing.

WalMart is winning me over with their ongoing lesson in marketing. Great products, great prices, and values to win my heart. I wish more corporate giants would follow.

marguerite manteau-rao
http://lamarguerite.wordpress.com
'It's all about green psychology'

EZ, just as a response:

Most computer users do not want to fix a computer themselves, they'll bring it in anyway. And generally speaking, a computer enthusiast probably won't purchase a $200 PC.

And just to end off, usually when something breaks in a computer that hasn't been assembled by yourself, it usually must be replaced (which most users won't do anyway)

Anyhow, glad to here that Linux is soaring!
Michael.

I'm going to chime in to support the Stadard Size Case View -- Much better to have something that can be easily worked on.

Speaking from my experience as a tech, and from years of building and fooling around with my own PC's, I definitely have to vote for either a Mid-size tower, a Mini-tower, or some other design with a certain amount of space.

BTW... Wal-Mart's customers have voted too :-)

Who's to say that the buyers aren't simply buying the box and slapping a friend's copy of XP on it? I mean, I like Unbuntu, too, but this may be less of a victory for Linux and more of a victory for cheap CPU's that unlicensed copies of Windows can be loaded onto.

http://www.linutop.com/

Love big cases...small case=so difficult to work on

I thought I remember seeing an atricle about this PC where it says they developed their own desktop environment for this PC that wasn't Ubuntu.

I regards to the case size.. this PC could fit in a TINY box since it uses a Micro ATX motherboard and requires little power, but the Walmart crowd relate the large case size to power.

XP would run horrible on one of these machines due to the specs that they are using.. plus why would you want XP on it? you would never be able to run any games.

I loaded the gOS onto my desktop to try out the OS and it ran great - i can see the appeal.

One thing that is not often mentioned is that you pretty much need an internet connection - something many purchasing a computer for the first time (and no doubt sold on the low low price) might not have considered.

This gOS is very reliant on an internet connection and I wonder if there are many that purchased this computer that aren't connected to the internet.

One has to remember, these DO NOT COME WITH A MODEM. Our Walmart had several of them and nearly all of them sold have been returned by the customer for various reasons. And a lot of other computers at walmart.com are also sold out.

I haven't seen one of these machines in person so I can't say for sure but according to the WalMart website, these machines DO come with a modem.

Also, the motherboard in this machine (VIA ID-PCM7G ITX) has an ethernet port so people with broadband access don't need to worry either.

I was thinking about getting one of these - just as an extra box to use with a KVM - so I could leave somethings that take forever to run on (building sitemaps comes to mind) and a few other processes that just take forever.

I was shocked to see it only consumed 20 watts on a full load - sure I know that its not the most powerful machine in the world but for $200....

For instance I recently purchased an e-machines refurb (3.3 Ghz celeron) complete with Vista on it for $230. Of course, there is the green aspect and I love the low power consumption numbers. I really like the look of the gOS, it could become a real player in the Ubuntu-ish Linux market.

In addition to the other reasons mentioned for preferring a larger case... heat.

The closer all the pieces are crammed together, the hotter the case will get. The hotter the case, the shorter the life.

Using Linux, one of these could serve nicely for a web host. Apache running behind a firewall, and you've got the perfect home server for running your own little business.

Gene

For the specs, they are amazing. And for the price, it makes this an amazing value. I wish wal-mart would invest in meeting the needs of the general computer users like this addresses.

a perfect grandparent pc (they don't know how to use windows anyways). the standard case is nice because even though they can't fix it, who doesn't know some neighborhood kid that will fix it for cheap? i wouldn't want to pay 50-100 to have my 200 dollar computer worked on. also refurbs are nice for savvy shoppers, but there isn't enough for everybody. using web applications like google offers on a cheap comp reminds me of the old idea of network computing...

I got mine and played with it a few days and enjoyed it. I didn't buy it for the OS though and installed XP and it runs pretty snappy but Everex doesn't supply the drivers and I can't find them. The first two sub $200 Linux computers I bought from Walmart were by Microtel and they included a Windows drivers disk. Everex is a great disappointment in that regard. Oddly enough the advertised modem is there but doesn't work with gOS. They include a phone cord though.

Thump

I bought my son this system and it is running well. No fans to hear. The keyboard and mouse are not very good quality so we are using the older ones we already had. I found the Enlightenment desktop loaded by default to be too buggy with fonts so I loaded KDE and it looks great. I am think of buying another one for myself.

A cheap introduction to the Linux world, a chance to own a PC. at home and not go to neighbor's place of the library to do my email!Love it, awaiting the next step-up model, with more features, never forsake Linux, this is why things work so well! Need "Ubuntu" disk download from web by sales rack, for $3 or $4 bucks, with simple folk instructions in English and Spanish! Welcomes a whole new income level to the internet without paying the illegal and unfair "Microsoft Tax"
Please donate your old boxes to a church-group or some needy student in these hard times! To comply with the law, and with Microsoft's leasing policy, you can now replace Microsoft OS with the free (download from the net) Ubuntu OS, which can be set to erase the hard drive of all traces of the “illegal to give away ” Microsoft system and your private information, before donation! Now, explain to your lucky recipient that all the manuals they will ever need are available for free on the internet! Just ask for them in Google! OpenOffice, which is installed already is plenty adequate for homework assignments and with a little exploring, everything else can work well too! Happy computing!