The Mandrake Linux-preinstalled MandrakeSoft PC is being offered in partnership with the Group Carrefour, big retailer in Europe, and is available in France, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Monaco, and Belgium, with possible expansion to the rest of Europe.
MandrakeSoft Sells Mandrake Linux PCs in Europe
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the home page is better : http://www.carrefour-multimedia.fr the computer with Mandrake Linux is on it (sorry about my poor english)
They are a #1 retailer in Europe but don’t have a non-french website?
You are probably trolling, as you usually do.
Each country has its own web site:
http://www.carrefourbelgium.be/
http://www.carrefour.es/index.html
Next year I would like to see the stats of how many of these mandrake pc’s they sold over the year.
E.O.M
Just an introduction to Carrefour to the US citizens. Carrefour is not present in US but it is the second largest distributor in the world after Wall-Mart. They have almost full-monopoly in some parts of France, but also expanded a lot in other countries : EU of course, South America (more than 50% of the market share in Argentina), China, Corea, Japan, etc…
I don’t know if this offer is worldwide, but I think it is a great opportunity for Mandrake. The sad thing is that this offer is not availabe in stores, only from the website.
Another point is that they take care of explaining what is GNU/Linux (well Mandrakelinux) for non computer interested persons.
Support for OS is provided by Mandrake.
Sorry for my poor english as well…
I Think that from now, we will need more and more CD compilations containing Games, Hobby software and more, and in an easy way to install, ie : with all dependencies provided, for people who will by such a machine, assuming that they are simple users not involved in computer engeneering.
Another computer distributor in France is selling a computer without OS installed on it, but gives for free, a CD of Mandrake Discovery. http://www.planete-saturn.fr/frontend/images/promotions/cata_190704…
Carrefour have been selling linux computers for quite sometime now. Typically runs Thizlinux, which is some redhat derivative. I think the expectation is that whoever buys these computers reinstalls a pirated version of windows.
“Carrefour have been selling linux computers for quite sometime now. Typically runs Thizlinux, which is some redhat derivative. I think the expectation is that whoever buys these computers reinstalls a pirated version of windows.”
Well if they’re smart they just work with what’s on it
>Well if they’re smart they just work with what’s on it
Tell it to American Linux users who remove preinstalled Windows to run the OS of their choice.
Why market a PC with an OS, just to wipe and re-install? why not offer a ‘naked’ PC, with no OS? maybe the expectation is that whoever buys these PCs uses the pre-installed OS?
When Windows comes pre-installed, people complain of “bundling”… when linux comes pre-installed, people say its to be wiped for pirates … oh well … can’t win … don;t try…
299$ for 1.8 Ghz athlon, 40 gig hard drive, 256 meg ram and CD reader. Sounds like a decent bargain to me.
wrong. the group Carrefour/Promodes, while the heaviest retailer in France like WallMart in the US, has NO kind of monopoly in France or parts of France. while by far the biggest duck of the pond, they have healty, decent-sized competitors like groups Auchan, Casino, Leclerc.
(I’m French, so I know)
Quote:
“Why market a PC with an OS, just to wipe and re-install? why not offer a ‘naked’ PC, with no OS?”
Believe it or not, not everyone knows how or wants to install an operating system. Yes, it’s extremely easy, just follow the onscreen instructions.
But, lots of people don’t like to mess with it, they are affraid to do something wrong, maybe they even think they might damage the pc.
In my opinion, this is an ideal solution for students, who usually don’t have lots of money (although a lot of programs are cheaper for students).
Quote:
“maybe the expectation is that whoever buys these PCs uses the pre-installed OS?”
That’s indeed the expectation, otherwise there’s no point installing the OS.
Quote:
“When Windows comes pre-installed, people complain of “bundling”… when linux comes pre-installed, people say its to be wiped for pirates … oh well … can’t win … don;t try…”
MS wants only MS software. It uses it’s monopoly to force it’s own software on the consumer.
On Mandrake for example, you don’t see Mandrake only software. Sure, some tools are custom built.
The point is, that people complain about MS when it once again tries to bundle it’s own software without really offering an alternative, and alternatives is something you usually see on most linux distributions (if possible of course, not all software has viable alternatives).
Most people don’t care about these alternatives, they just want to do a specific task and want to do it easily.
But when one company has full monopoly on something, the quality most likely will drop to an absolute zero. Competition is good to prevent this.
Considering Linux was started by someone from Finland and used all around the world, I don’t think any concerned parties are really placing weight upon nationality.
Americans are still buying Chrysler even though it’s a German company now, as an example.
$300 EUR is about $360 USD, that is about the same price range walmart sells for.
;( I’m not! I buy SAAB.
This may sound idiotic, but I am always a little wary of buying a -computer at a mega-5-and-dime like Wal-Mart (or their international counterparts). :/ CDs, printer supplies, etc., YES, but the actual [generic] hardware… I don’t know.
Mike
Rab, you said: “France, Switzerland, Belgium and other francophone countries…”
Actually, most people (6 million out of 10) in Belgium speak dutch. It’s only in the southern (100% french) and in bilingual Brussels (85% fr, 15% nl) people speak french.
But still, you’re right that this is great news!
I’ve actually been to Belgium, briefly, but only to Brussels, so I can see how I made the mistake.
I’ve seen in Carrefour and Mediaworld in Italy Suse packs, but I don’t think they will sell pcs with Linux.. Anyway there are at least 3 shops in my city that sells pcs with Debian or Redhat.
“I’ve seen in Carrefour and Mediaworld in Italy Suse packs, but I don’t think they will sell pcs with Linux.. Anyway there are at least 3 shops in my city that sells pcs with Debian or Redhat.”
If you want to see PCs in Italy, Mandrake is requesting that you write to them to let them know: pc-linux-feedback AT mandrakestore.com
>> And those stupid French people in Brussels
Tu sais ce qu’ils te font les français ? devines par toi même bochito !
Sorry to continue being off-topic, but let’s get this straight:
“No one in Belgium speaks Dutch, except for the ones who are too dumb to realise they speak Flemish, and of course Dutch immigrants.”
This is nonsense. Linguistically speaking (and I am a Dutch linguist living in Flanders), people in Flanders speak Dutch, the same language as in the Netherlands. The only difference is about some 100 words and the pronunciation. But this no reason to classify them as separate languages. Remember a language is “a dialect with an army and a navy”. I for one perfectly understand what Dutch people are saying, even better than some of the numerous Flemish dialects. So no need for subtitles for me too, which only create artificial boundaries.
On topic again: it’s great to see that one of the (imo) best distros will be available from Carrefour. It’s a good deal for Mandrake too, and I wish them the best.