100% Free Software Compatible PC Launches

crimperman writes "The Open-PC project has announced that its first PC will be available at the end of February for €359. They claim the mini-ITX desktop machine is energy efficient, consumer ready, easy to upgrade, and — significantly — uses only hardware that has free software drivers available. As you'd expect, it comes with GNU/Linux which is running KDE (a €10 donation to the KDE project in included in the price). Interestingly all the key decisions on design, pricing etc. have been made by the community via online polls. The spec of the machine is pretty reasonable for the price: Atom 1.6GHz dual-core processor, 3GB RAM, 160GB HDD, Intel 950 graphics."

Pricey

[Anonymous Coward]

I wanted to buy a Free PC, but I couldn't afford it.

Re:Mac

[Anonymous Coward]

the Mac Mini has USB ports for days

Does this mean that they don't work at night?

Re:950 video at that price why not ion or a real d

[Joce640k]

Came here to hear somebody moan about the graphics and am leaving satisfied.

Re:Failed slashvertisment

[RMS Eats Toejam]

You ignorant fool.... don't you understand that when you purchase a machine with Windows installed you are giving your money to a bloodthirsty, criminal organization bent on enslaving the entire world via proprietary software? Maybe you don't care about true freedom the way Richard Stallman does, but this machine is designed to provide just that. Proprietary software is like pedophilia, sodomy, card counting, or dog fighting. It's sick, immoral, and it harms society as a whole. If you want to enjoy using a computer with a clean conscience, this "Open PC" is the only way to go.

$500 (Monitor Sold Separately)

[coolmoose25]

Wow! A $500 Atom based desktop (monitor sold separately)... For reference, bought a $219 Acer netbook, with Windows and a smallish display (hey, it's a netbook). Now that only came with 1 gig of ram, but for $30 I can swap that to 2 gig. Fails worse that Coakley in MA!!!

Re:you are kidding right?

[derGoldstein]

You misunderstand: Linux doesn't need a fast CPU or graphics acceleration to be awesome. That's the point they're making here.

Re:Mac

[derGoldstein]

They're solar-powered. This is a green computer, after all. Also, those aren't cooling fans in the case, they're wind turbines.

Re:950 video at that price why not ion or a real d

[derGoldstein]

Man, if you're satisfied by people moaning on Slashdot, you must be one happy camper.

Re:Failed slashvertisment

[Korbeau]

Proprietary software is like pedophilia, sodomy, card counting, or dog fighting. It's sick, immoral, and it harms society as a whole.

But all that stuff ... pedophilia, sodomy, card counting ... can still do this with Open PC, right?

Re:Pricey - no, it's VERY PRICEY

[derGoldstein]

It'll be cheaper in the long run, since it barely draws power. I mean, sure, it may take it 4 minutes to launch a browser that would take a normal PC 2 seconds to launch, but you can spend that time thinking of how *green* you're being and how free and liberated your computer is while it breaks a sweat just from booting. You can also take a nap while you tell Gimp to adjust the contrast of a 2-megapixel photo, or spend quality time with your loved ones if you ever try to run Eclipse.

This computer is good for your life. Don't be so obsessed with stats.

Re:Failed slashvertisment

[derGoldstein]

See what happened here? You said "stupid mods" and you were modded "Redundant"! Get it??

Re:Benefits of Full-Spec Hardware?

[jackchance]

>Realistically, how much horsepower is actually needed for anything not involving heavy duty graphics or video editing?

Have you ever played a flash game?

Re:Why?

[Idbar]

Buuuuut, you're missing an important part!

The laptop came with a keyboard, a pointing device AND a screen... that you cannot remove!

wait...

Re:Mac

[lastomega7]

4 Ready-to-Use usb 2.0 ports? That is pretty sick!

Oh. I see what you did there.

Real Linux Users

[ZirconCode]

Real Linux Users build their own computers!

Predicted Reply:
"We used to compute with 5 ton stones and dead penguins, now get of my lawn!"

Re:Pricey

[pyrrhonist]

I just don't want to pay the "KDE tax". I wonder if I could get a refund if I refuse to accept the license.

Re:Real Linux Users

[Abstrackt]

>

Predicted Reply: "We used to compute with 5 ton stones and dead penguins, now get of my lawn!"

Luxury! Back in my day we used to use 5 tonne stones! Course back then the metric system wasn't invented yet, which made it pretty awkward since we were all using a measurement nobody had heard of. The important thing was that I had an onion tied to my belt, which was the style at the time...