There is still one week left on the "Give One Get One(G1G1)" campaign which is the promotion to give an XO laptop to a child in a poor county and also get one for yourself. The cost is $399 of which $200 is tax-deductible. One of the sponsors is now adding a one-year complimentary T-Mobile HotSpot access.
The offer is worth a look. Currently I pay $20 a month ($240 per year) for AT&T wireless access which works fine and is available at most McDonalds, The UPS Stores and Barnes and Nobles and other places. I could drop that and switch to T-Mobile, saving $240, which brings the G1G1 cost to $159. Add in the tax deduction and the XO laptop is quite reasonable.
The unique appearance would certainly draw attention at a Starbucks and would be a great conversation starter to promote Free/Libre Open Source Software.
More info is available at - http://www.laptopgiving.org -
Friday, November 23, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Thoughts on $199 Everex Desktop PC (gPC,gOS) at WalMart
Since November 1, WalMart has been offering a $199 desktop pc (no monitor included) via their online website. I believe it can be purchased online with delivery arrangements made to your local WalMart. The web address is
- http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7754614 -
This new offering is creating quite a buzz in the world of low-cost computing and in the FLOSS (Free/Libre Open Source Software) - http://flosstoday.com/ - world.
Why?
Primarily because it runs gOS - http://www.thinkgos.com/ - instead of WindowsXP or Vista.
gOS is new and is "An alternative OS for the masses". gOS may stand for green Operating System or it may stand for Google Operating System. That's for the bloggers to sort out.
Do I like the pc?
Yes, it is an ideal pc for 3 out of 4 computer users. It can't compare to the $4000 gaming pc that your son wants for Christmas or the $2800 media center pc that your brother-in-law just had installed in his home theatre.
That is not the target market.
Most people are not gamers and I only know a handful of people with a home theatre.
Word-processing, e-mail, internet, flickr, slide presentations, spreadsheets, databases, blogger, etc are all available and are more than adequate for most users.
The pc does fall into the category of "Internet appliance" as it requires a broadband internet connection. Goodby dial-up, hello cable/dsl.
Is it a google pc? Google has long used a GNU/Linux/Ubuntu-based operating system in-house. This may very well be a marketing test to see how much interest there may be for google to enter the os world.
Meanwhile anyone looking for a quality, low-cost pc can take advantage of this bargain.
- http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7754614 -
This new offering is creating quite a buzz in the world of low-cost computing and in the FLOSS (Free/Libre Open Source Software) - http://flosstoday.com/ - world.
Why?
Primarily because it runs gOS - http://www.thinkgos.com/ - instead of WindowsXP or Vista.
gOS is new and is "An alternative OS for the masses". gOS may stand for green Operating System or it may stand for Google Operating System. That's for the bloggers to sort out.
Do I like the pc?
Yes, it is an ideal pc for 3 out of 4 computer users. It can't compare to the $4000 gaming pc that your son wants for Christmas or the $2800 media center pc that your brother-in-law just had installed in his home theatre.
That is not the target market.
Most people are not gamers and I only know a handful of people with a home theatre.
Word-processing, e-mail, internet, flickr, slide presentations, spreadsheets, databases, blogger, etc are all available and are more than adequate for most users.
The pc does fall into the category of "Internet appliance" as it requires a broadband internet connection. Goodby dial-up, hello cable/dsl.
Is it a google pc? Google has long used a GNU/Linux/Ubuntu-based operating system in-house. This may very well be a marketing test to see how much interest there may be for google to enter the os world.
Meanwhile anyone looking for a quality, low-cost pc can take advantage of this bargain.
Friday, October 19, 2007
TheOpenDisc and OpenEducationDisc
Interest in the OpenCD since Software Freedom Day and our local press reports has been both gratifying and stimulating. Comments received have been very rewarding.
Well, times do change and I believe the following change will be for the better of the FLOSS (Free/Libre Open Source Software) community. The OpenCD project is no longer supported but a new project, TheOpenDisc, has been announced.
Chris Gray, project lead for the past eighteen months, is now in charge of TheOpenDisc - http://www.theopendisc.com/ -
Peter Kemp, formerly of OpenEducationCD, will be joining Chris on OpenEducationDisc - http://www.theopendisc.com/education/ - which is an extension geared to schools and students. Peter recently won the prestigious School Projects Award from the British educational charity, Teach First - http://www.teachfirst.org.uk/ - for his work with FLOSS.
The two main goals of the project are:
* To provide a free alternative to costly software, with equal or often better quality equivalents to proprietary, shareware or freeware software for Microsoft Windows.
* To educate users about Linux as an operating system for home, business and educational use.
The majority of programs featured on OpenDisc are also available on Linux. (Program list with versions is available at the wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDisc -)
Chris and Pete hope to release updated versions regularly so software will always be fresh.
Well, times do change and I believe the following change will be for the better of the FLOSS (Free/Libre Open Source Software) community. The OpenCD project is no longer supported but a new project, TheOpenDisc, has been announced.
Chris Gray, project lead for the past eighteen months, is now in charge of TheOpenDisc - http://www.theopendisc.com/ -
Peter Kemp, formerly of OpenEducationCD, will be joining Chris on OpenEducationDisc - http://www.theopendisc.com/education/ - which is an extension geared to schools and students. Peter recently won the prestigious School Projects Award from the British educational charity, Teach First - http://www.teachfirst.org.uk/ - for his work with FLOSS.
The two main goals of the project are:
* To provide a free alternative to costly software, with equal or often better quality equivalents to proprietary, shareware or freeware software for Microsoft Windows.
* To educate users about Linux as an operating system for home, business and educational use.
The majority of programs featured on OpenDisc are also available on Linux. (Program list with versions is available at the wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDisc -)
Chris and Pete hope to release updated versions regularly so software will always be fresh.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Time To Switch?
If you use a computer, it's a pretty safe bet that you will have heard of Microsoft Windows. The best way to explain the job that Windows does for your computer is to imagine it as a kind of brain. It's the 'intelligence' that knows how to print a document or display a mouse pointer or connect to the Internet. If we were to refer to this 'brain' by its proper name, we'd call it an operating system.
What you might not know is that there are other operating systems out there for your computer, many of which work better than Windows, some of which are even free!
Let me introduce you to my favourite operating system. It's called Ubuntu, and it's my favourite for many reasons. If you stick with me, I'd love to explain why.
Click Here To Read Full Article
What you might not know is that there are other operating systems out there for your computer, many of which work better than Windows, some of which are even free!
Let me introduce you to my favourite operating system. It's called Ubuntu, and it's my favourite for many reasons. If you stick with me, I'd love to explain why.
Click Here To Read Full Article
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
New Free Open Source Certification
The UK ICT Hub's FOSS in the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) project is developing a new certification for Free (Libre) Open Source Software in the non-profit sector. This is being done in partnership with the Linux Professional Institute (LPI). Read more about it at:
https://group.lpi.org/publicwiki/bin/view/Examdev/FOSK
https://group.lpi.org/publicwiki/bin/view/Examdev/FOSK
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
FLOSS In Church Today!
Churches are ideal places for FLOSS (Free/Libre Open Source Software).
Some reasons for using FLOSS and the Linux operating system are affordability (either no-cost or low-cost), scalability (one computer or many), security (crackers prefer Microsoft©), stability (immune to most viruses), upgradability (you have the source code), versatility (runs on just about anything), and more.
Even Romans 12:2 commands the Christian church to use FLOSS!
A new resource is now available to promote FLOSS in the Christian community. Help spread the word!
(FLOSS In Church is sponsored by FLOSSToday.com and GBZ Technology)
Some reasons for using FLOSS and the Linux operating system are affordability (either no-cost or low-cost), scalability (one computer or many), security (crackers prefer Microsoft©), stability (immune to most viruses), upgradability (you have the source code), versatility (runs on just about anything), and more.
Even Romans 12:2 commands the Christian church to use FLOSS!
A new resource is now available to promote FLOSS in the Christian community. Help spread the word!
(FLOSS In Church is sponsored by FLOSSToday.com and GBZ Technology)
Sunday, July 29, 2007
New Issue of Full Circle Magazine
New issue (number 3) of Full Circle Magazine, the independent ubuntu magazine is available online new. This month's issue includes:
* Xubuntu install step-by-step - Alternative Disc!
* How-To: Get a Stunning Ubuntu Desktop, Learning Scribus part 3 and Ubuntu in Photography.
* Review of Ubuntu on a Macbook.
* Preview of several new Compiz Fusion effects.
* Letters, Q&A, MyDesktop, MyPC, Top5 and more!
Click here now
* Xubuntu install step-by-step - Alternative Disc!
* How-To: Get a Stunning Ubuntu Desktop, Learning Scribus part 3 and Ubuntu in Photography.
* Review of Ubuntu on a Macbook.
* Preview of several new Compiz Fusion effects.
* Letters, Q&A, MyDesktop, MyPC, Top5 and more!
Click here now
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