gPC... will Wal-Mart see green?

I just recently noticed that Wal-Mart is to start selling a PC for $199. After a little Googling, it turns out that this PC is called a gPC running the gOS operating system. For starter let's look under the hood at the hardware specs: 1.5GHz, VIA C7-D Processor, 512MB DDR2 533MHz, SDRAM, 80GB Hard Disk Drive, DVD-ROM/D-RW Optical Drive, VIA UniChrome Pro IGP Graphics, Realtek 6-Channel Audio, (1) 10/100 Ethernet Port, (1) DB 15-Pin VGA Port, (6) USB 2.0 Ports, (1) RJ-11 Port, (1) Headphone/Line-Out Port, (2) Microphone/Line-In Ports, (1) Serial Port, (1) Parallel Port, (1) Keyboard, (1) Mouse, (1) Set of Amplified Stereo Speakers. One thing to note here is the VIA processor, and not the popular Intel or AMD processors that most computers come with. VIA is a leading chip-set manufacture for motherboards, and when you get right down to the nitty-gritty, it's the chip-set that controls how and what the computer does. The processor just does the work, it's the work horse so to speak. All-in-all the hardware specs are not too bad for a computer that cost less than 200 bucks.

The big deviation from the standard PC is the OS, so let's have a look. What in the world is gOS? OK here we go, gOS is based on Ubuntu 7.10 Linux system with an Enlightenment E17 windows manager interface. gOS uses Google applications to do most of your work. A dock bar runs across the bottom of the desktop with Google tools and services. With a single click from the desktop.... Mail, Calendar, News, Maps, YouTube, Blogger and Google Docs are at your service. Clicking the green leaf icon in the left corner of the dock bar will bring up the installed programs much like the start button in Windows. You will find all the software you need to browse the web, email, instant message, play movies, music, and edit your photos, documents, spreadsheets, presentations and databases. Also you will find a handy Google search box embedded in the top right corner of the desktop.

I decided to give gOS a spin around the block, and No... I didn't run down to Wally World and grab one of those PCs targeted at the infamous redneck Wal-Mart shopper. I simply spent about 35 minutes downloading a 694 MB iso file and burning it to CD, thus creating a LiveCD boot-able operating system. I booted that sucker up on my PC and was greeted with a nice refreshing green desktop and a dock bar with over-sized icons for the online Google services. This is not for a geek or power computer user, however for the first time user or someone just wanting to use Web services this is a nice clean OS. I can see many advantages to this system as opposed to a Windows system. With this system, no virus scans and updating anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Because it's a Linux box, no more time wasted defraging your file system.

There area few negative points with this system. Where's the monitor? Yep, it's extra. Next, while this is a nice Internet surfing machine you will need a broadband Internet connection using Ethernet. A RJ-11 Port is listed but dial up with Linux is not something a new or inexperienced user needs to tackle. Al-in-all it's a nice little box, but I have my doubts as to it's success.