Now Sears Will Sell Ubuntu Based PC for Less Than $200

We already have posted on Dell and Walmart started selling Ubuntu Linux based PCs. As I have said in a previous post, the market has learned that Linux sells on low-end PCs better than expected.

Now Sears has jumped in the game, but in an interesting way. They decided to go with a Linux distribution called Freespire, which is based off Ubuntu but is designed to work well with proprietary software.

The Price: $185 after a mail in rebate. It has pretty good specs, especially for a PC so cheap:

Intel Celeron 1.6GHz processor, 1GB of memory, 80GB hard drive, a CD-RW drive, a memory card reader, a keyboard, a mouse and speakers.

And the propriety software:

This Linux also includes every legal proprietary codec and program it can possible include, such as Windows Media, MP3, Real and QuickTime codices, ATI, Nvidia, Wi-Fi and WinModem drivers, and one-click access to legally licensed DVD playback software, games, Sun Microsystems' StarOffice, Win4Lin, CodeWeavers' Crossover Office, TransGaming's Cedega, and dozens of other commercial products. It offers the greatest range of proprietary software of any Linux.

I will be interested to see how this sells. For more information see Desktop Linux and Sears.