Google PC?

[Newby]

http://hardware.slashdot.org/hardware/06/01/03/0356246.shtml?tid=217&tid=190&tid=137

I call bullshit, but eh?

I'm confused as to where the price of the OS makes such a huge difference in the cost of a PC... don't the parts cost 90% of the computer? :P

It looks interesting. I'm tempted to go pick one up if it is just a few hundred dollars.... and install FreeBSD over it! Ahahaha.

Google cube? BSD cube! :)

[Chavo]

I think that Google Cube is referring to a seperate piece of software and not the rumored Google PC.

I'd agree that this is probably just a wild rumor, but it would certainly be possible to do this (look at linspire's cheap laptop and the MIT project for a $100 laptop).

[iago]

I'm confused as to where the price of the OS makes such a huge difference in the cost of a PC... don't the parts cost 90% of the computer? :P

Hmm, I think parts should cost 100%, but that's just me :)

[zorm]

I think the idea of a 'cheap' PC is way overblown. It might be cheap but it won't be worth using in the long run. What happens when the word processing mom decides she wants to play a FPS and kill some fuckers? She has to go and spend even more money to buy a real PC which should have been done in the first place.

As for hardware/software cost in a computer, it doesn't really matter if the software cost goes away. The hardware will be sold for the same price because people are already willing to pay that much for it. Much like how the Indian gas stations here sell gas for the same price as the non-Indian ones.

[Chavo]

I think the idea of a 'cheap' PC is way overblown. It might be cheap but it won't be worth using in the long run. What happens when the word processing mom decides she wants to play a FPS and kill some fuckers? She has to go and spend even more money to buy a real PC which should have been done in the first place.

As for hardware/software cost in a computer, it doesn't really matter if the software cost goes away. The hardware will be sold for the same price because people are already willing to pay that much for it. Much like how the Indian gas stations here sell gas for the same price as the non-Indian ones.

But how many people out there still don't own a computer because they can't afford one and don't want to 'waste' money on something pricier.  All they care about is checking their email or viewing their account balance for their checking account, etc.  Sure some of them may desire a better computer in the future and many of them will probably notice the sub-par performance but at least they can afford something. 

One of my grandparents is a perfect example of this.  She has an old 233mhz compaq peice running windows 3.1.  It gets used for reading email, printing the occaisonal flyer for church, and playing the occaisonal Mahjong game.  She can certainly afford a brand new computer, but doesn't buy one simply because it does what she needs just fine.  Since its so out of date, it also has the funny side affect of being relativelysecure :P

Another example: I needed a drill when I moved into my new apartment and none of my friends with one were in town.  I went to walmart and bought the cheapiest pos they had.  I knew I would regret it at some point before I even bought it.  The first time I used it I wished I had bought a more expensive, higher quality drill because I'm used to a better one.  However, it got the job done and I was happy.  Almost 6 months later I STILL have not replaced it with a better drill because damn't, its good enough!

/end rant, thats my two cents.

[MyndFyre]

I'm confused as to where the price of the OS makes such a huge difference in the cost of a PC... don't the parts cost 90% of the computer? :P

Hmm, I think parts should cost 100%, but that's just me :)

They do, unless you want to do common and useful things with your computer without having to write a script, in which case you might have to spend a little money on an operating system as well.

[leet_muffin]

I think the idea of a 'cheap' PC is way overblown. It might be cheap but it won't be worth using in the long run. What happens when the word processing mom decides she wants to play a FPS and kill some fuckers? She has to go and spend even more money to buy a real PC which should have been done in the first place.

As for hardware/software cost in a computer, it doesn't really matter if the software cost goes away. The hardware will be sold for the same price because people are already willing to pay that much for it. Much like how the Indian gas stations here sell gas for the same price as the non-Indian ones.

But how many people out there still don't own a computer because they can't afford one and don't want to 'waste' money on something pricier.  All they care about is checking their email or viewing their account balance for their checking account, etc.  Sure some of them may desire a better computer in the future and many of them will probably notice the sub-par performance but at least they can afford something. 

One of my grandparents is a perfect example of this.  She has an old 233mhz compaq peice running windows 3.1.  It gets used for reading email, printing the occaisonal flyer for church, and playing the occaisonal Mahjong game.  She can certainly afford a brand new computer, but doesn't buy one simply because it does what she needs just fine.  Since its so out of date, it also has the funny side affect of being relativelysecure :P

Another example: I needed a drill when I moved into my new apartment and none of my friends with one were in town.  I went to walmart and bought the cheapiest pos they had.  I knew I would regret it at some point before I even bought it.  The first time I used it I wished I had bought a more expensive, higher quality drill because I'm used to a better one.  However, it got the job done and I was happy.  Almost 6 months later I STILL have not replaced it with a better drill because damn't, its good enough!

/end rant, thats my two cents.

Just for when you do go out and buy a better one, I've noticed that moderately priced drills > uber expensive drills.

[skip]

http://science.slashdot.org/science/06/01/04/2248225.shtml?tid=167&tid=149&tid=95&tid=14

Google dispels PC rumors. JamesAlfaro writes "Google has spoken, and the rumors were merely that. According to a Google spokesman, the company won't be releasing a PC, Internet appliance, or web-enabled toaster anytime soon: 'We have many PC partners who serve their markets exceedingly well and we see no need to enter that market,' a Google spokesman told Times Online. 'We would rather partner with great companies.'"

Too bad.