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149 Comments
- Zalyster, on 07/13/2008, -10/+87Finally, the year of Linux has arisen!
Oh wait, no it hasn't. Ah well, there's always next year. - Dongvid, on 07/13/2008, -4/+55I don't care if more people use Linux from this deal. I don't even care if Linux never escapes the geek and server fringe users. I've learned to accept that I will likely die alone. I just want developers to think more people use Linux so they will start porting their software.
- SimonTB, on 07/14/2008, -0/+42Wrong. 2012 is the year. Coincidence? I think not.
- inactive, on 07/14/2008, -1/+40"This year Linus I'm FINALLY going to kick that football!" -Charlie Brown
- TriZz, on 07/14/2008, -3/+28Actually, every year is THE year. Then, it never happens. It's not going to be a sudden year. Like Firefox, it's going to be a slow and lengthy process.
- inactive, on 07/13/2008, -2/+24Trust me, 2009 is the year. I can feel it in my gut.
- Louis11, on 07/14/2008, -0/+20I highly doubt this will affect the linux user base significantly. I use only nix variants and have tested out Ubuntu thoroughly. While it may not be my first choice of linux, it is by far one of the most user friendly distributions out there. Even so, Ubuntu isn't ready for the main stream; there are many aspects of it that need to be improved (and plenty of complaints I have heard from non-techies).
If you want to grow the user base you're going to have to get linux onto desktops in school districts. Familiarize people to linux when they are young and when they get older they will be more likely to adopt a flavor of it. And the school districts can stop shelling out thousands for windows. It's a win win for everyone. - finn, on 07/14/2008, -0/+17not gonna, it's Best Buy, iow: Linux is now going to be sold by a buncha sales-folks who know absolutely didly-*#$% about what they sell and scam customers at the same time. lord forbit the Geek Squad offering to install it...can you even imagine? ugghh...
- RetepNamenots, on 07/14/2008, -0/+15I think they do, open source doesn't mean the same thing as free.
- samanathon, on 07/14/2008, -0/+15A very interesting idea, it definitely would help get more installs out there, but how many - really? How many people do you think would really install McBuntu?
Now, I could see custom distros to be used internally, like Dunkin’ Donuts installing DunkBuntu on all of their corporate and sales rep machines for stronger branding. - zakatov, on 07/14/2008, -1/+13"Satanic Edition" homepage is NSFW. Just a heads-up.
- waydee, on 07/14/2008, -1/+12Is this going to mean more condescending little ***** on the internet spouting about the immense superiority of Linux after having used Ubuntu for a month?
- samdu, on 07/14/2008, -0/+11Best Buy's been selling boxed, retail versions of SuSE for years. I don't suspect that adding Ubuntu to their inventory will really have much of an effect on the overall Linux market.
- brstilson, on 07/14/2008, -0/+10Best Buy used to sell boxed versions of SuSE Linux. Ubuntu won't fly off the shelves unless Best Buy has demo units ready for customers to play around with and decide they like it before they buy it.
- evillawngnome, on 07/14/2008, -0/+9i think they've got a better grasp than you do. We had this discussion last time an article was dugg on this topic, and the link you need is:
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html
Many people believe that the spirit of the GNU project is that you should not charge money for distributing copies of software, or that you should charge as little as possible — just enough to cover the cost.
Actually we encourage people who redistribute free software to charge as much as they wish or can. If this seems surprising to you, please read on. - EtherGnat, on 07/14/2008, -0/+9Like it or not all the bloatware and demos that typically come pre-installed on Windows machines offsets the cost of the Windows license.
- Aeuta, on 07/14/2008, -2/+11Beam me up a Star Trek Linux distro...
- skipdog172, on 07/14/2008, -2/+11I'm not sure where you get your statistics but currently Linux is at around 13% server market share. Maybe you are confusing Linux with Unix. Windows is at about 39% server market share.
- creole, on 07/14/2008, -0/+9Possibly the full frontal female nudity right on the home page?
- bumcheekcity, on 07/14/2008, -0/+8You know why, every time someone submits a "Digg Homepage in 20 years" article or picture, they have a "2028 is DEFINATELY the year of the Linux desktop!" article on it...
There's a REASON why they put that there. - fungifred, on 07/14/2008, -2/+10Oh, come on, I got CDs for mandrake at Wal-mart like 7 years ago. I will start wondering about Linux taking over the desktop when the Cubs win the World series.
- amnesiac096, on 07/14/2008, -0/+8learn to save it and use an image host
- PoSSeSSeDCoW, on 07/14/2008, -0/+7Not really. They had Macs in school forever and Mac hasn't won.
- MWeather, on 07/14/2008, -0/+7Mac, Redhat and Novell you mean.
- Sacrifice, on 07/14/2008, -1/+8I disagree. Linux keeps improving and people are becoming more tech savvy, there will come a time when the majority are using the free open source alternative. Like TriZz says, it will be a slow and lengthy process.
- drog, on 07/14/2008, -1/+7Most people seem to think that they are paying for windows. They are.
But they are also getting a price break from all the crapware, trial software, ads, etc., that new computers come with.
In the end, these two things even out. That's why a machine with a free OS (without all the crapware) is still, approximately, the same price. - abbathdoom, on 07/14/2008, -0/+6Hit the nail on the head. Linux in schools = Linux has won.
- banmaster, on 07/14/2008, -0/+5I bought a boxed copy of some version of Mandrake around 10 years ago, and GOD it was awful.
- BinaryFragger, on 07/14/2008, -0/+5Wrong.
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html - stevensj2, on 07/14/2008, -3/+8Serious question: If _you_ enjoy using Linux, does it really affect you if 10 to 25 more people in your county begin using Linux? Will _your_ user experience change throughout the day depending on the number of new linux installs booting up?
Anticipated answer: No..BUT! The more users who use Linux, the more developers will make quality software!
Retort: It is actually the opposite. People use computers for the available applications, not the OS. The developers drive the use, not vice versa. No number of users is going to use sub-par applications for the "diligent and noble" task of attempting to shift developer interest. Developers and business are in the biz for money and money alone: They're not in it to make the world a better place where people skip along and hum the Ubuntu boot music in synchronized harmony. Linux is about freedom, not cost and profits; which is fine and dandy, but it is this quality which keeps it out of the mainstream view and on the hard drives of hobbyists. *Linux has users, not customers.* For that reason, Linux will never be THE #1 desktop OS. Ever.
Linux on the desktop: Discussion over. - ePuck, on 07/14/2008, -0/+5You're right! More popular every year. See a trend?
- JasonCox, on 07/14/2008, -1/+6Don't you read the Internets? The Enterprise runs Windows.
Edit: I'd link to the picture; but I refuse to link to MySpace profile pics. - evilgourmet, on 07/14/2008, -0/+5Well it's a good thing I am unemployed then, oh wait no
- evillawngnome, on 07/14/2008, -7/+12Server fringe? I'm not sure what you mean by this; but let me just say that Linux has an equal if not significantly greater share of the market when it comes to servers.
- antoniuk, on 07/14/2008, -0/+5Ubuntu, the distro mutilator! It's got what penguins crave!
- Nightfall, on 07/14/2008, -1/+5Linux will grow exponentially in the desktop market when these two things happen.
1. Desktops that come with Ubuntu or some other linux derivative begin to sell well. That will force the common users who buy a computer once every 5 years to learn it.
2. Everything that can run on a Microsoft computer can be run on Linux and just as easily. I am a huge fan of Ubuntu, and I love the way it updates and the applications work. However, I can't run everything that I like to run on my windows PC. Thats why I have multiple systems. However, the common user only has one computer and wants everything to run on that one system.
Until more people get exposed to it, it will not grow quickly. Best Buy is just trying to make a quick buck, and they will sell some copies, but not many. A bulk of the users in the Linux community are smart enough to just download the latest version. Selling this won't bring about MAJOR changes in the desktop market thats for sure. - cotaskmemalloc, on 07/14/2008, -1/+5*yawn*
Best Buy has been selling Linux for years.
Wake me up when it's the Year of Desktop Linux.I'll be sleeping for a long time. - sirloxelroy, on 07/14/2008, -0/+4UH, They sold SuSE Linux for quite a few years. I bought my copies of 7.2, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 9.0 all from Best Buy. How is this new?
- jpaolini, on 07/14/2008, -2/+6Grandma uses dual screens? o_O
- redwallhp, on 07/14/2008, -1/+5You said that last year.
- ePuck, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3I work for a school county and there are a number of districts that have labs with linux installed. Just started a year or 2 ago
- TheWindBlows, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3MySpace user on digg?
- keithnoir, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3BREAKING NEWS: fat man eats OS disk and is now suing Mcdonalds.
- cotaskmemalloc, on 07/14/2008, -2/+5Yes, that fraction of a percent has really turned public opinion!
- inactive, on 07/14/2008, -1/+4Plus, outfits like Best Buy can get an add on sale that way. People take home a Linux computer, quickly get frustrated with it, and bring it back, and the customer ends up buying a retail copy of windows plus the install fee for the geek squad.
- zakatov, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3But if you're at work and get canned for it, you can't say you weren't warned.
- ShinyFriction, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3It comes with 60 days of technical support. I think that validates the cost for people new to Linux.
- UnFriendlyFire, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3"Our ultimate goal of Total World Domination will soon be within our grasp"
I for one welcome our new Linux-based overlords. - trying2hide, on 07/14/2008, -3/+5I love linux. I am typing this on a machine that is running linux. BUT the problem is everytime a 'retailer' Dell, Wallyworld, etc... jump on the bandwagon, there is not a significant price DECREASE that one would expect when purchasing a machine with a FREE OS. When the average consumer can save big to learn to click different icons... linux will catch on. But I don't think it will until that happens. There is little to no motivation to change the way they are doing things.
- Leomarth, on 07/14/2008, -0/+2If Linux hasn't made it through Dell and Wal-Mart, it isn't going to make it through Best Buy. At Best Buy, people will have to look through the shelves, and then consider an unfamiliar OS, for a price of $20 (and with an investment like their computer, they may take the "You get what you pay for." advice to heart). They may shy away from it because it does seem so cheap in price.
And don't think I'm making any Linux comments in this, because I'm not. I'm making consumer psychology remarks. -
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