Web review: XL penguin boxer shorts — cheaper by the dozen

–by Tina Gasperson –
Anybody want a 36-inch penguin? LinuxMall has those. This is the kind of thing that would be good for childless couples who want to practice having a preschooler around the house. 36 inches!! If you want to get it before Christmas, you’re going to pay. Overnight shipping is $102 for this puppy … uh, penguin; and that’s on top of the $89.95 base price.

Editor’s note: ThinkGeek, which like NewsForge is part of OSDN, also has Linux- and tech-themed gifts of all kinds, ranging from T-shirts and caffine drinks to digital cameras and DVD players.

If you’re looking for something cheap from LinuxMall, try the Penguin Power mug — it’s a bargain at 99 cents. But you have to get at least 10 of them to get this lowball price. Oh well, I can give one to my boss, and one to my other boss, and another one to my other boss … maybe I’d better get 20. The LinuxMall also has the coveted “I Love User Friendly” mugs, and a combo “plush toy” and mug set.

Here’s a great LUG special: one dozen Penguin Power T-shirts for $39.99. Pass them out at your next meeting and make a few fast friends. What is it about T-shirts? They make the best swag. You’d think they were made out of gold, as much stir as they cause at my LUG meeting. I had to knock three or four people down to get to the table where they were handing out the SuSE shirts.

And yes, you can even pick up a dozen Tux boxer shorts, size XL for the manly men among us, for $39.99. I dare you to stand at the door and hand these out as people file into your next LUG meeting, or the yearly tech expo. Gives new meaning to the term “install fest,” doesn’t it? Never mind.

If you’re into laser pens, you’ll like the Penguin Power or Discover Linux versions for sale at LinuxMall. Or the cool sticky notes, or playing cards, or the cute Tux crossing sign — and believe it or not, there’s more. Besides cute, kinky, and cool Linux-themed stuff, LinuxMall also sells software, like WebPlus, an e-commerce shopping cart application that runs on Linux, or the Linux Toolbox, which comes with Mandrake 8.0 and RedHat 7.1 (can I say that?) — and that’s only $4.95 — yes, you read correctly — $4.95. I wonder if that includes support from Red Hat?

You’ll also find Hancom Office, MoneyDance, Informix, and Heavy Metal in the software aisle. In the hardware section, you can pick up systems, servers, monitors, firewalls, and the like. And LinuxMall has books: for newbies, for gurus, for programmers, for something they call “human issues” – in this category you’ll find “Evil Geniuses,” “User Friendly,” “Smileys,” and “The Unix Philosophy.”

But hey, forget the books, and computers and stuff. Like I always say, you can never have too many boxer shorts and 36-inch penguins. And it may just be your last chance ever to get a Red Hat CD (can I say that?) for $4.95. That’s why I recommend you pay a last minute Christmas visit to the LinuxMall.