On Friday we reported the appearance of Microtel PCs with LindowsOS pre-installed
at Walmart.com. Then, Walmart.com and Lindows were claiming that
LindowsOS “delivers the stability of UNIX with the ease of Windows and the
ability to run most Microsoft programs.” Today, that last phrase has gone
missing and there is no more talk of running any programs designed for Windows,
let alone Microsoft products.
The original Walmart.com text from Friday:
“These computers do not ship with Microsoft Windows. They ship with an exciting
new UNIX based Operating System (OS) named Lindows. This exciting new OS
delivers the stability of UNIX with the ease of Windows and the ability to
run most Microsoft programs. These computer systems are a perfect low cost
alternative to
computers preloaded with Microsoft Windows.”
Today there’s slightly different
wording:
“Lindows is an exciting new
Linux based Operating System
(OS). This exciting new OS
delivers the stability of
Linux with the ease of
Windows. These computer
systems are a perfect low cost
alternative to computers
preloaded with Microsoft
Windows … and they
include a trial membership to a library of
over 1,000 software programs so they can be
outfitted for any purpose whether business,
home, or entertainment.”
Lindows’ PR rep Cheryl Schwarzman says that Walmart.com PC buyers are entitled
to download three (GPLed, mind you) applications for free from the Click-N-Run
Warehouse. “After that the users are encouraged to sign up to access the
thousands of applications available in the warehouse for $99.” Schwarzman adds
that with more than 1,300 applications in the warehouse, that comes to less than
8 cents per application.
The version of Lindows shipping on the Walmart.com PCs is identical to the
current Sneak Preview release (SPX), says Schwarzman, but has been tested and
certified to work, right out of the box, on the Microtel systems. “There is no
installation routine, or unknown hardware for us to deal with. [They] do a great
job for what they were intended … email, Web browsing, and using Click-N-Run to
get many more applications.”
Schwarzman says that both Microtel and Lindows plan to provide technical
support, but she did not offer details. Microtel spokesmen did not immediately
respond to our inquiries.
Category:
- Linux
