Re: [SLUG] First Aol Computer

From: Robin 'Roblimo' Miller (robin@roblimo.com)
Date: Tue Nov 12 2002 - 14:41:11 EST


>
>
>It seems that AOL and Lindows is trying to strike a deal. To make the
>Walmart $299.00 PC and Load it with AOL settings. This may help the
>popularity take off how ever if the Xandros Distro is as good as Tina
>Gasperson wrote about then Perhaps they should look into that instead being
>loaded on the Wal-Mart Pc's
>Then they make a huge move forward to strike up more interest.
>

Nothing to see here. Move along. The MSNBC writer got snockered by
Robertson hype.

All Lindows did was make AOL.com the default home page. You're allowed
to do this if you fill out a little online form. No deal, nothing
special, no endorsement by AOL, which later screamed about Robertson's
trick to use their name to sell his computers.

Lindows can access AIM, AOL Hometown pages, and get AOL/Netscape
Webmail. Guess what? You can do that on any computer, in any operating
system, with almost any browser.

The *real* AOL/Linux deal will come when there is a real AOL client for
Linux, either for a specific distritbution or on some sort of
AOL-branded computer or computer-like device. That'll give Linux users
full access to all the cool AOL "inside" features -- the gay chat rooms,
special purchasing deals you can charge to the credit card you use to
pay for your AOL account, access to NFL scores through an AOL keyword
instead of through NFL.com, and all that over and above the famous AOL
"Start" page.

I dislike Lindows because of this sort of hype. I like people who
deliver more than the promise, not people who promise the moon, then
deliver nothing but its reflection in a pond.

I want to try Xandros, but the CD they shipped me wouldn't boot either
my HP or Thinkpad laptops, both of which are now happily running
Mandrake 9.0. Defective Xandros CD, I suppose. They're supposed to send
me another one...

- Robin



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