CHUQ

An Atlanta company is cobbling together diverse software and hardware building blocks to create a $150 laptop computer that promises its users a common computing experience and avoids Microsoft software and name-brand PC processors like Intel and AMD.
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Called the "LiteComputer" by Lite Appliances, most of the pieces of the laptop have been developed and the firm hopes user models can be ready by mid-2007.


Ready To Demo: A $150 Laptop With A 'Complete Computing Experience' - Yahoo! News


What will this do to Dell or Gateway or whoever?

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Troianii

Nothing, really. Things similiar to this have been run before, but they never catch on. This is like the imitation Mountain Dew drinks. They were nice ideas, but they never caught on because Mountain Dew was already firmly established. Almost everyone uses a microsoft system, so I doubt much is going to change.

CHUQ

You maybe right, but several years ago Google was not given much of a chance to overtake Yahoo. I think if it is marketed properly, it could make a difference.

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drgoodtrips

Apples and oranges. Google is a server based company that essentially provides a service (and so is yahoo). To use google you don't need to install any software or hardware. It's just a question of whether you type "google" or "yahoo" in between "www" and "com".

When buying a home PC/laptop, the hardware and software on it are of great importance to compatibility issues. If you buy a laptop that "avoids Microsoft" and you are trying to communicate and work with people who exclusively use Microsoft, you're going to have a rough time of it. Sure, there are products like OpenOffice that help, to a degree, but they aren't as easy to use or understand in terms of integrating with others using Microsoft (you generally have to memorize some process for conversion, etc)

Otter

I remember hearing about something like this, but the plan was to provide them to schools in 3rd world countries. If you have a market where the brand name versions are unattainable, and everyone else around you is getting the same thing you are, the story might be a bit different.
I'll see if I can find out anything about it.. I think it was an NPR commentary.

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Otter

OK, here it is:
One Laptop per Child
There is a link, also, to a wiki page the organisation maintains that describes the machine and it's software, as well.

__________________
And I shall go as an Otter lank
and harry thee close from bank to bank
And I shall go in the Lady's name
all to bring thee home again