Linspire launched a revamped partner program on September 14 that will pay system builders a percentage on all commercial Linux software and services purchased by users of either Linspire or Freespire pre-installed desktop and laptop computers using the company's CNR technology. 
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Member since:
2005-07-22
Member since:
2005-07-12
... in a business sense, and in terms of getting Linux preinstalled on PCs (the biggest hurdle for desktop Linux adoption), a very gentle introduction for newbies and Windows users, and really extending apt with CNR (and pushing the market for ISVs that target Linux).
Yes, Linspire is a distro that a lot of the geeks that lurk here at OSNews love to hate - the whole log on as passwordless sudo issue, looking heavily like Windows, including proprietary codecs/drivers, etc, etc.
But for adoption for the masses, we could hardly ask for anything better.
Freespire and PCLinuxOS are my two favorite desktop oriented Linux distros.
I'd like to see Texstar of PCLinuxOS really develop a partner program with PC builders, a la Linspire.
Edited 2006-09-14 19:37
Member since:2006-02-01
Oh there are a few more reasons than that to hate Lin/Freespire.
http://borkedweb.com/mini-reviews/freespire.html
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2006-02-01
Did you even bother reading it? The whole point of it, was that a lot of people were bashing Freespire/Linspire without any current knowledge of the OS, and yet even when they were right the Freespire/Linspire user, such as yourself, refused to admit any faults in the OS. This is why I wasted a whole day of my time to load this POS on my box and actually get a current status of it.
Member since:2005-07-06
"Did you even bother reading it?"
Sure did. Saw nothing more than the sour stuff thats pushed around on OSNews like cold cabbage on a plate.
"yet even when they were right the Freespire/Linspire user, such as yourself, refused to admit any faults in the OS"
Actually I don't use Linspire/Freespire. I have tried it a few times (as I tend to try all the new distros/releases) but thats it. What I saw was a very user friendly system and that seems to really kill some people.
I have no vested opinion or interest here. I just think that it's rather pathetic that some people will rail against Linspire just... coz.
Member since:
2006-01-17
From the article:
The renewed Builder Program has no annual fees or volume commitments
So when a friend or member of your family asks you to pick out and setup a new computer for them you get a barebones, 'build' it with Freespire, don't tell them about apt-get, and wait for the kickbacks to start rolling in. We'll be rich! Rich I tells ya!
Member since:2005-12-09
Wow, just a few things here:
1. It pretty much stopped being Lindows a while back.
2. Linspire so totally rebrands Linux that the connection would be tenuous at best.
3. Saying what "people" will do and citing two people you anectdotally know to have done something is pretty poor research. I know two guys who tried to hold rubbing alcohol in their mouths to spray fire out (I really do!). That doesn't tend to tell me what most people do with rubbing alcohol.
4. Unless "they" pirated said Windows, they're facing installation hurdles, registration hurdles, update hurdles, etc. The Windows tax just isn't that high, in my opinion.
5. There is no substantive advantage of CNR over those other methods you listed, but the perception of the neophyte will be a centralized place to safely get their software for minimal cost, so more's the better. However, people aware of YAST and apt-get aren't going to be impressed by much of anything.
6. If people buy computers with Linux, they're typically not mass-market offerings and thus offer little or no savings over a Windows box (initially). I believe that if people buy Linux-native PCs, it's because they desperately want Linux.
Member since:2005-07-06
"What is the value added of CNR if you have...SuSE's Yast..."
As a long time SUSE user, I can tell you: SUSE native package management was never too good, but in 10.1 it is particularly bad. That is why I use apt4rpm and smart instead.
Having helped thousands of people with installing packages in SUSE, especially the "extras", I can confirm that CNR is a welcome help for newbies.
Member since:2005-07-06
What is the value added of CNR if you have Ubuntu's Synaptic, SuSE's Yast or PC-BSD's PBI for free?
7 - CNR can also be for free.
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=15672
Member since:
2006-03-31
That is interesting. Still doesn't address the shortcomings of the operating system though. Also what happens when a builder install 5.0.100 and it works great, yet the user upgrades to 5.0.500 to get support for his camera and that upgrade breaks his network card or similar.
Trying to support a linux computer is pretty much madness and will be viewed as a linspire problem as well as a builder problem, with both passing the buck back and forth. As I said, most interesting...interesting to see if builders do this.
Member since:2006-03-31
such as...
http://forum.freespire.org/showthread.php?t=1497
Generally, Linspire 5.0.xxx versions would detect cameras and scanners , but 5.1.xxx and Freespire will not.
http://forum.freespire.org/showthread.php?t=1859
It worked with Linspire 5.0, but not with Linspire 5.0, Version 2.
Member since:
2006-01-31
I think some people here are missing the point. Linspire is trying something new, and only one other company can really say the same thing, Ubuntu. All the other companies just quietly work on making small improvements to their OS, hoping that some computer manufacturer finally realizes that GNU/Linux is on par with Windows and OSX (which is true for many scenarios). There is nothing wrong with a patient, level-headed approach, but their only feather in their hat is Lenovo saying the will bundle OpenSuse with a laptop and then later saying that OpenSuse is certified to work with a certain laptop. All the while, Windows and OSX users are laughing, saying, "Let me guess 2007 is the year of the Linxu desktop, or is that 2008, or 2009, or...".
Ubuntu's free shipping of cd's (as far as I know) has not coverted an overwhelming number of people to using Linux. It has however, gathered a lot of good press, and I am sure that some have benefited from the discs. I think the same can be said of the CNR profit sharing; don't expect mass adoption, but there will be somebody who benefits from this arrangement. The point is that companies are now starting to think outside of the box to break into a market like the USA which is already dominated by a particular desktop. While Ubuntu and Linspire may not have "the idea" that gets more acceptance of a Linux desktop, it will take thinking along these lines. Waiting for parity with Windows and OSX can be costly becasue "parity" is a very subjective word.
Member since:
2005-07-22
If you want to use Windows, go ahead. The same with Ubuntu, Linspire/Freespire, Suse, Redhat, FreeBSD, SkyOS, BeOS, Zeta. What ever you like and suits your needs. It is as simple as that.
Personally I used Windows until a few months ago. I have always had one flavor or another of Linux on my system, but it was only when Microsoft decided that on every update it would change the authentication method, that I decided it was time to get way from Windows all together.
As I am a software engineer, I have no trouble learning new things, so I changed to Suse and not an easier Linux Distro. However this is not the case with everyone. For a newbe or an occasional user (pc user that is :-) ) I would always recomend he uses the easiest possible OS that does all he wants.
There is no doubt that if you play 3D Direct X games you will need Windows, but what if you just need to occasionaly burn a few CDs/DVDs, or write a document and surf the net? Then almost any OS would do. So the choice is out there. Just choose and let others be.
Edited 2006-09-15 07:41
