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Apricot drops Linux from netbook line


spinynorman
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Apricot has pulled the plug on its Linux-based netbook, choosing instead to offer the pint-sized Picobook Pro only with Windows XP.

 

"Apricot believes that this will be a more attractive product offering for their target customers, because as soon as it is switched on, it is ready for use."

 

More at The Register.

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Or more likely that Microsoft spoke to them, and thus the price was dropped 20 quid to ensure that Windows was sold on it and nothing else.

 

Despite the fact it looks ugly, I wouldn't buy one anyway, but it annoys me that they dropped it so easily saying it's too complicated. I'd be tempted just to buy the thing and then make Linux exist on it and write and publish a howto to shame Apricot for the "too complicated" statement that they've made.

 

I'm wondering who the testers were. They'd have been better off linking with the Linux community to get some expertise on how to get it to go smoothly in the first place than inundate a "newbie" Windows user with a Linux distro.

 

My first outing in Linux I went back to Windows after a few days (back in 1998), so I'm sure it was a case of the newbie who didn't have time to do anything with it, and so wanted Windows back - a bit like I was in 1998.

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Oh, this is interesting:

 

OS, Web Server and Hosting History for www.apricotcomputers.com
http://www.apricotcomputers.com was running Apache on Linux when last queried at 22-Oct-2008 13:27:29 GMT - refresh now Site Report
Try out the Netcraft Toolbar! 	FAQ
OS 	Server 	Last changed 	IP address 	Netblock Owner
Linux 	Apache/2.2.6 (Fedora) 	22-Oct-2008 	87.106.145.48 	 1 & 1 Internet

 

for their website :D

 

So they didn't drop Linux completely then. Nice one lads :thumbs:

 

Oh, and joomla for the site content.

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I smell FUD, if Linux was pre-installed it should work out of the box, otherwise it isn't configured, by them, to the same standard as the Windows based device they are drawing comparisons with. This is an issue with the ineptitude of the supplier, not the consumer.

 

So they didn't drop Linux completely then. Nice one lads :thumbs:

 

I would not read to much into the server OS, the server is provided by 1&1 Internet, it's likely to be hosting managed by 1&1, not Apricot.

 

(P.s. Who is Apricot and why is their insignificance making such a fuss? :unsure:)

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I remember Apricot computers from years back, and I mean the early computers. Then they just re-appeared again.

 

Anyway, as for the server, it would be better to go for something more stable than bleeding-edge. Imagine a package update, then borking the server :o

 

And yes, I think even Windows require configuration, albeit only minor stuff now it's pre-loaded just to finish it all off. They could probably do the same with Linux. Like Mandriva, Fedora, etc. After the initial installation, just shut it down and ship it. When the user powers it up, they will have the start wizard asking them questions to finish off. How much more difficult can it be?!? :unsure:

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netbook computers preloaded with linux get returned not because its hard to configure but because people expect it to be windows, missed reading the OS part and concentrates on the price difference. gizmodo or engadget had a side comment that its a sorry state that people fail the basic reading comprehension and blame it on the operating system.

 

ciao!

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