Linspire has started another attempt at selling computers pre-installed with their operating system - this time by teaming up with Mirus - called the Koobox. Ars looks at the situation: "At this point it is hard to assess the potential of the Koobox systems. If it succeeds, the product could help legitimize desktop Linux and bring it further into the mainstream. Regardless of how many get sold, the availability of yet another budget Linux PC illuminates the growing popularity of the Linux platform, and contributes to the perception that Linux is applicable to desktop computing."
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Member since:2005-06-29
I disagree with charging more for this "insider club." But I can see why they slow the updates: Many free programs have a release cycle of about 3 weeks. That's a lot more updates than many users want. So, waiting, testing, and picking the best ones could be a great service.
If they were smart they'd do the insider service for $50, minus however many bug reports you file. Say, $5 a bug report. Or, even, give it out free to anyone, as long as they keep their bug reports coming.
That way those people could help them figure out which versions of software to let into the main stream.
But the guy who runs Linspire doesn't, IMO, understand free software very well.
Member since:2005-11-10
I don't exspect them to have every dot release of software (Like 1.1.1 then 1.1.112 then 1.1.1111 etc) but when a major release like the version 2 of Open office comes out it would be nice not to have to wait 2 and a half months to get it in CNR when it was out in the Ubuntu repository and installed on my machine the next day after release.
Like with the new release of Firefox, this is a pretty major release that adds new features and most of all fixes some old problems, year CNR does not have it yet and that came out months ago.
Those are just 2 major examples but there are many others.
Their excuse is that they want to test it out and work out the kinks etc. But I really think it has more to do with it working right with Linspire and CNR that is the problem.
Member since:
2005-11-10
The sucky part about CNR (And I have a subscription to it myself because my brother and mother use Linspire) is they take FOREVER to put software in CNR.
They STILL don't have the new version of Firefox, took them forever to get the new version of Open Office.
And if you want to get the newest versions of software when they come out you have to join the insider club. ($99)
I understand they have a business model etc, but to make CNR worth while for me they need to work out the intall issues for new apps and get them in there quick.
And I know, I know there are 50 other ways to install things without using CNR, but I am paying for CNR and would love to get my moneys worth!