[Fwd: [WNCLUG] The HP 'people's notebook' runs Linux]

[Asheville Joe]

Thought you'd find this interesting!

Joe

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[WNCLUG] The HP 'people's notebook' runs Linux
Date: 	Fri, 16 May 2003 07:38:35 -0700 (PDT)
From: 	Atom 'Smasher' <atom at suspicious.org>
Reply-To: 	wnclug at wnclug.org
To: 	WNC_LUG <wnclug at wnclug.org>



http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2134514,00.html

The HP 'people's notebook' runs Linux

Winston Chai, CNETAsia

Hewlett-Packard is selling a low-cost "people's notebook" running Linux,
believed to be the first time that the US IT giant has sold a consumer
computer with the open-source operating system installed.

HP custom-made the Linux notebook to support a Thai government drive to
increase computer ownership, reported the English- language Thai dailies
The Bangkok Post and The Nation.

The authorities have subsidised the cost of the portable, along with a
desktop PC made by a Thai firm. Crowds thronged a Bangkok convention
centre on Friday to view and buy the machines.

HP's budget laptop will retail for 19,500 Baht (285). It features an 800
MHz Intel Celeron processor, 128MB of RAM and a 20GB harddisk. There is no
CD-ROM or floppy drive.

The desktop, made by local computer makers Belta, SVOA and Computec, costs
10,900 Baht (159). It sports an Intel Celeron 1GHz processor, 128MB of
RAM, a 52x CD-ROM drive, 20GB of hard disk space and comes with a 15-inch
monitor, speakers and a keyboard.

Both machines were introduced by Thailand's Information, Communications
and Technology (ICT) ministry and are loaded with Linux TLE, the
Thai-language version of the Linux operating system.

The ministry will offer 100,000 computers at first but they plan to ramp
up to a million in subsequent phases, said the reports. The Ministry has
also worked out an easy-pay instalment plan with local banks for buyers.

About 30,000 people showed up Queen Sirikit Convention Centre in Bangkok
on Friday to view the machines, with some waiting in line from 3am. While
the machines appealed to those who could never have afforded a computer
before, more sophisticated shoppers were put off by the basic
configurations, reported The Nation.

HP in Singapore could not offer more details about the Linux notebook at
press time.

Until now, the use of Linux has largely been confined to servers and not
in consumer desktops, a space which is still dominated by Microsoft's
Windows OS and to a smaller extent, Apple's Macintosh.

None of the large US-based PC makers -- HP, IBM and Dell -- are known to
sell consumer desktops or notebook with the Linux OS pre-installed.

Smaller makers such as ECS from Taiwan offer Linux as an option in their
low-cost, batteryless notebooks, also known as desknotes. US-based
manufacturer Lindows also offers Linux-based desktops and a $799 (496)
notebook.

###


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