Novell SUSE Linux Scores At Big Retailer
It’s another small step for consumer Linux, and another giant win for Novell SUSE Linux. The VAR Guy was strolling through his local BJs Wholesale Club over the holiday weekend, when he spotted a Hewlett-Packard 2133 Mini-Note PC (pictured) with Novell SUSE Linux preloaded. Sweet … but not perfect. Here’s why.
First, the good news: BJs is a massive retailer that generated $2.65 billion in sales during its most recent quarter. It’s a powerful company that influences consumer spending, especially when it comes to impulse electronics purchases.
More good news: The HP 2133 Mini-Note PC stocked at BJs includes a Novell SUSE Linux logo — clearly differentiating the device from traditional Windows notebooks. Priced at $499 (US), the sub-notebook includes 1GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive and looks pretty nifty.
Now, an annoying little problem: The keyboard includes a Windows logo. Ouch. Is this a Linux laptop — or simply a revamped Windows device? When are PC makers going to get wise and start thinking about the total brand experience?
As big PC makers introduce Linux devices, they’ll need to think more like ZaReason — a small promoter of Ubuntu Linux PCs that focuses carefully on the total look and feel of its devices.
Another small concern: Is HP’s sub-notebook really pumping any profits toward Novell? In August Red Hat expressed concern that PC makers aren’t willing to pay a decent price for desktop Linux — which raises questions about the long-term viability of desktop Linux as a retail revenue generator for software developers.
Still, it was good to see a SUSE Linux-equipped subnotebook on retail shelves. And sitting right next to the HP subnotebook was an Eee PC sub-notebook — also equipped with Linux.
The times certainly are changing…
Great news.. however I think complaining about a little Windows key is lame. Imagine the cost and effort involved in changing the key for Linux shipments will push up the price of the Linux laptops until its has no cost benefit over windows. Thereby not motivating the “average user” to try it.
Better yet if they just stop calling it a Windows key and make it a generic “os key” no matter which OS is installed.
Rax: The VAR Guy knows he was splitting hairs over the Windows key. Still, you’d be amazed by all the positive energy ZaReason generates at trade shows when the company shows its own laptops and keyboards with an Ubuntu key. Small details like that, for some reason, impress customers.
When are you going to stop bashing Novl and pushing RHT?
Do you have security holdings with red hat, I think it’s time that you give Novell some credit for daring to buck the party linux and get in bed with MSFT. It’s paying off, and novl has shown growth in quite a few consecutive reports.
@Grabber: Huh? Where’s the NOVL bashing here? NOVL won a big desktop retail deal and The VAR Guy is the only guy who spotted the news and reported it. Also, The VAR Guy has no holdings in NOVL or RHT, though he did own a few Red Hat shares back in 2007 or so. Maybe it was 2006. Either way, he lost money on the investment, he seems to recall…
It doesn’t make sense to me why they have ANY logo on the meta key these days. Why not simply call it META, or create a new ‘open’ symbol that represents meta.
VAR Guy, please keep bashing Novell, they deserve every bit of it. Stick with RHAT or Ubunutu and you will be far better off and happier.
@KJB: Looks like The VAR Guy has lost control of his own blog. Somehow, readers are twisting this positive post about SUSE Linux into a negative post. Alas, that’s the risk you take when you’re a nameless, faceless blogger.
@Thayer #5: The VAR Guy is ‘open’ to the META idea.
It is good to see devices available with Linux “out of the box”, I just hope they do a good job.
I just got the eee 901 and the custom xandros linux blows! It is buggy, will not shutdown or update properly, programs and icons disappear and generally feels like a product that should still be on the drawing board, even the default display depth is set to 16 bit colour.
If this had been my first intro to Linux I would have avoided it on future devices! Lucky for me it wasn’t!
I now have Ubuntu on it, and it runs beautifully.
@ollie: Sorry to hear your eee 901 experience was so lousy. The VAR Guy is actually trading voicemail with Xandros and expects to interview the company CEO in the next couple of weeks. Generally speaking our resident blogger has heard good things about Xandros. Perhaps your experience was the exception to the rule?
@VAR Guy:Sadly it is not isolated, with plenty of forum posts by other people having the same issues with the eee 901. This was my first eee and first play with Xandros so have no point of reference for them other than my own experience with other linux distributions on laptops.
It is a shame, as the company I work for is thinking about selling these into a certain market sector, I have been pushing the Linux option, but sadly, I would not be happy to back the device in it’s default out of the box state.
Most painful thing is that the bugs and faults are more than likely easy fixes, and should not have got through QA.
My wife and I bought a mini note with suse. The mini note is hers, I use Ubuntu on my own laptop with all bells and whistles so I recommend her the mini note with linux, Also because of its great build and fantastic keyboard. (the processor is a bit slow… but that’s no big deal) However, this particular version of suse sucks… really its old and buggy, fonts are lousy – not sharp. No big deal either, just replaced it with xubuntu 8.04, fonts look beautiful, everything runs smoothly. So basically the mini note is a great looking smart laptop, but the suse version sucks. (nothing against suse… I tried openSUSE 11 and its looks fantasic and is so much better than the one used on the mini note) openSUSE 11, gnome and KDE versions are superb.
The image below is enough said. There is nothing good that can come from this deal and it makes me sick to just look at it. Giving Microsoft the ability to go around and say hey if you use Novell’s Linux we won’t sue you, but if you use somebody’s else Linux then all bets are off even though its the same freakin operating system. If you don’t see an issue here then you aren’t worth any further breath.
http://news.cnet.com/2300-1016_3-6132296-1.html
kjb:The look on Balmer’s face says “Can I eat him now? I need a little snack before my chair throwing work out”
I own a HP 2133. I threw away the SUSE 10 and loaded openSUSE 11. So far the only thing not working is the web-cam. I don’t need it but it would be nice to know it worked. My purchase was based on the size factor of the HP2133. I wanted something for travel. And I’m happy.
@John Fabiani: The VAR Guy is taking a hard look at the 2133. He likes the form factor a lot. But he also heard about some new devices from ZaReason.
“however I think complaining about a little Windows key is lame”
Think about it for just a second…
Do you see Ford logos on Chevy cars?
Do you see Target logos on Walmart stores?
Do you see a donkey on the Republican web site?
Linux and Windows are competitors. No one in their right mind puts their competitor’s logo on their products.
I think that could even be a Trademark issue. They aren’t defending their trademark of the Windows logo, and it is being used in a generic way on keyboards, so there could be repercussions from this sort of thing. Not that I think it is likely, but I suppose it isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
Carl: Microsoft protects its trademarks pretty darn aggressively. In this case, I think MSFT is pleased to have its brand distracting people away from Linux.
I know, they usually do, but have you heard of a single case about the Windows key being sued over? And it’s on most keyboards now (I haven’t seen one without such a key for a long time now anyways). I’d say that’s making it pretty darn generic, at least in the case of keyboards (I recall Xerox losing their trademark over photocopying because the term had become so generic).
@Skit: The sub-notebook comes with a SUSE Linux sticker off to the side, but a sticker on the keys will surely wear out.
I’m sure there’s contracts all over the place so that vendors must put the windows logo on windows PCs. and i’m guessing it’s not yet economically convenient to build linuk computers with their own keyboard.
or maybe HP just didn’t think about this.. that key being almost generic now days.
i do agree it shouldn’t be there though
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