gOS operating system; Linux for the masses?

Benjamin Koe gives us a detailed look at the gOS Linux desktop:

Review: Is gOS the future of desktop computing for the masses?

gOS 1.01, the unofficial Google OS launched last week, is Ubuntu 7.10 with an idealistic twist. This lightweight ready-to-go operating system was built to be a desktop for the masses--something you could load onto an old machine for grandma and grandpa to surf the web and send email. According to the guys who assembled the distro, the purpose of their creation is to be a "simple, user friendly, beautiful desktop for normal people".

Unlike the complete distribution of its base OS, gOS doesn't come with many of the pre-loaded applications such as OpenOffice.org, The GIMP, or even Mozilla Thunderbird. Why? Because gOS's creators have gone in favour of web-based apps. Google apps to be precise. Which is obviously where its (unofficial) name comes from. [...]

The review goes on to examine the OS in more detail. While he feels it has potential, it seems there are still some areas that need improvement.

I downloaded a copy and installed it. I doesn't work with my wireless card, so it's hard for me to give an accurate assessment, because many of it's features depend on access to the internet. It also crash a few times, though it was able to recover without rebooting.

All in all, I think it's still a bit raw, and needs more polish. I wonder how well it works pre-installed on Walmart's computer offering? I'm sure we will hear more as time goes on.

UPDATE: 11-26-07
Here's another review, by someone who bought the Walmart machine for his daughter:

Review of the Everex TC2502 Green gPC
He said the hardware was good, but he was not impressed with gOS software, saying it had too many rough edges; he replaced it with a standard Gnome Ubuntu desktop. Speedwise, it seemed to work just as well as gOS did.


Related Links:

gOS
The gOS website, where you can download the OS as a live CD and try it out.

Gosh, gOS is good
Susan Linton tries out gOS and mostly likes what she sees.

Is a PC Price War Afoot?
Some reason's why we might be seeing some very competitive prices in the PC market soon.

SymphonyOS.com
Here is another Ubuntu based OS with a simple to use desktop, that looks very promising.
     

Walmart $200 Linux PC already sold out!

They have sold out on-line; some may still be available in stores. They had 10,000 in stock. More are promised to be on the way.



Wal-Mart's $200 Linux PCs sell out

Right after Halloween, Wal-Mart introduced Everex's Ubuntu Linux-powered TC2502 gPC for a list price of $198. Two weeks later, they're sold out. Everex tells DesktopLinux that more will be coming though.

Wal-Mart only bought an initial run of approximately 10,000 units. For once, Wal-Mart's vaunted supply chain management system failed to predict just how popular an item would be. Wal-Mart offers a similar Everex model with more base memory and Windows Vista Home Basic called the Everex Impact GC3502 Desktop, for $100 more. Wal-Mart still has plenty of those.

Customers want the Everex TC2502 Green gPC and they want it badly. While there are a few units still available in Wal-Mart stores, you'll need a lot of luck finding one. A search in your editor's area, Asheville, NC, found there wasn't a single one within a hundred miles.

But, there are more TC2502s coming. According to Paul Kim, Everex's director of marketing, while "there are only a few units left on the Wal-Mart shelves we've noticed customers are having difficulty finding them since they're so spread out. Walmart.com sold out within 48 hours and is trying to restock now." [...]

I also did an on-line search on Walmart's website, for stores in my area that still have some. There were none within a 100 mile radius. Not that I'm planning on buying one. I'll wait and see what happens to other people first.

While this green PC is an excellent concept, I don't know much about the hardware involved. For years, I've been a sucker for all sorts of bargin PCs. Too often, I've found that they work fine for a year or two, then start having problems. For my past few PC purchases, I've stuck with HP, because I've found them to be a reliable brand, making computers that perform well for many years.

Still, I watch this story with interest. Is it the begining of Linux being successfully marketed to the masses? It looks that way.

Google employee Matt Cutts has photographed the unboxing of his new gOS PC on his blog, so we can see what you get when you buy one:



Unboxing the Everex $200 Linux Computer

[...] Why should you be interested? Well, instead of Windows, it comes installed with gOS, which is a version of Ubuntu that is customized to work well with web-based tools from Google, Flickr Facebook, and Skype. When I heard that, I had to order one of these PCs to check it out for myself. [...]

Visit his blog for more photos of the unpacking. It looks like a nice easy-to-learn system at a great price.

The success of the system has taken many by surprise. Here's a few more articles:

The little desktop Linux that came out of the blue

More on the Wal-mart/Everex $200 Linux PC

$200 Linux PC selling out is another reason Wal-Mart is good for America