hn-classics/_stories/2003/15229353.md

---
created_at: '2017-09-12T17:34:09.000Z'
title: Wal-Mart Offers Linux as Windows Alternative (2003)
url: http://rhizome.org/community/25205/
author: dannyrosen
points: 68
story_text: 
comment_text: 
num_comments: 157
story_id: 
story_title: 
story_url: 
parent_id: 
created_at_i: 1505237649
_tags:
- story
- author_dannyrosen
- story_15229353
objectID: '15229353'
year: 2003

---
Wal-Mart Web Offers Linux as Windows Alternative  
  
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc.(NYSE:WMT - news) the
world's  
largest retailer, has begun selling packaged Linux (news - web sites)  
operating system software on its Web site, a sign of rising consumer  
interest in the alternative to Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq:MSFT - news)  
Windows, software maker Lycoris said on Tuesday.  
  
Walmart.com offers Linux operating systems and applications from Lycoris
and  
Lindows, two companies which produce slightly different versions of
Linux  
that both look similar to Windows.  
  
  
Walmart.com has already offered computers loaded with Linux for as
little as  
$200. The boxed software, meant to be loaded on an extra, often older  
machine, is an expansion of the Linux product lines carried by the
retailer.  
  
  
Linux enthusiasts say the upstart platform offers a cheaper alternative
to  
Microsoft, which has an effective monopoly in the market for PC
operating  
systems.  
  
  
A Lycoris desktop operating system goes for about $30, compared to
about  
$100-$120 for Microsoft Windows XP (news - web sites) home edition
upgrades  
and full versions, on Walmart.com. Lindows' and Lycoris's operating
system,  
office software and games cost about $100.  
  
  
The core of a Linux operating system is a nugget of freely available
"open  
source" software code that is developed cooperatively by programmers  
worldwide. Many applications, such as word processing programs, are
also  
available in open source versions.  
  
  
Critics say Linux is still relatively difficult to use for consumers,
but  
Lycoris spokesman Jason Spisak said the audience was clearly growing
as  
mainstream retailers like Wal-Mart and Fry's offered his software.  
  
  
Open source software is often free, but technological novices generally
find  
it easier to buy the software packaged with instructions and  
consumer-friendly applications, such as from Lindows and Lycoris.  
  
  
Linux so far has been more widely adopted by corporations and hi-end
users,  
and Microsoft's dominance on the desktop is nearly absolute. Spisak said
at  
peak during the holiday season Wal-Mart sold in one week about 700 of
its  
$200 computer running Lycoris Linux.  
  
  
He said the boxed software would appeal to more sophisticated users
putting  
Linux on older machines, often for less technologically able friends
and  
acquaintances.