97 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
97 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
---
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created_at: '2017-09-12T17:34:09.000Z'
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title: Wal-Mart Offers Linux as Windows Alternative (2003)
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url: http://rhizome.org/community/25205/
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author: dannyrosen
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points: 68
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story_text:
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comment_text:
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num_comments: 157
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story_id:
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story_title:
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story_url:
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parent_id:
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created_at_i: 1505237649
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_tags:
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- story
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- author_dannyrosen
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- story_15229353
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objectID: '15229353'
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year: 2003
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---
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Wal-Mart Web Offers Linux as Windows Alternative
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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc.(NYSE:WMT - news) the
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world's
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largest retailer, has begun selling packaged Linux (news - web sites)
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operating system software on its Web site, a sign of rising consumer
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interest in the alternative to Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq:MSFT - news)
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Windows, software maker Lycoris said on Tuesday.
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Walmart.com offers Linux operating systems and applications from Lycoris
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and
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Lindows, two companies which produce slightly different versions of
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Linux
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that both look similar to Windows.
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Walmart.com has already offered computers loaded with Linux for as
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little as
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$200. The boxed software, meant to be loaded on an extra, often older
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machine, is an expansion of the Linux product lines carried by the
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retailer.
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Linux enthusiasts say the upstart platform offers a cheaper alternative
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to
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Microsoft, which has an effective monopoly in the market for PC
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operating
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systems.
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A Lycoris desktop operating system goes for about $30, compared to
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about
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$100-$120 for Microsoft Windows XP (news - web sites) home edition
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upgrades
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and full versions, on Walmart.com. Lindows' and Lycoris's operating
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system,
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office software and games cost about $100.
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The core of a Linux operating system is a nugget of freely available
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"open
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source" software code that is developed cooperatively by programmers
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worldwide. Many applications, such as word processing programs, are
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also
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available in open source versions.
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Critics say Linux is still relatively difficult to use for consumers,
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but
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Lycoris spokesman Jason Spisak said the audience was clearly growing
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as
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mainstream retailers like Wal-Mart and Fry's offered his software.
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Open source software is often free, but technological novices generally
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find
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it easier to buy the software packaged with instructions and
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consumer-friendly applications, such as from Lindows and Lycoris.
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Linux so far has been more widely adopted by corporations and hi-end
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users,
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and Microsoft's dominance on the desktop is nearly absolute. Spisak said
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at
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peak during the holiday season Wal-Mart sold in one week about 700 of
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its
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$200 computer running Lycoris Linux.
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He said the boxed software would appeal to more sophisticated users
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putting
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Linux on older machines, often for less technologically able friends
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and
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acquaintances.
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