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Topic: Software

Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

Summary: Know someone who really likes Linux? These gifts might hit the spot for this holiday season.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

By for Linux and Open Source |

Is there a Linux lover in your life? Someone who loves to debate the advantage of Debian Linux over Ubuntu? Someone who wears a Tux the penguin t-shirt out to lunch? Then, these gifts might just be what they-or you-need to be happy this holiday season.

1. Linux Foundation Visa Card

The Linux Foundation Visa Card

The Linux Foundation Visa Card

Want to really support Linux but can't code your way out of a cardboard box? Then consider if you will getting yourself a Linux Foundation Visa Card. If you're approved for this card, the Linux Foundation, which supports Linux in all its forms, gets $50 immediately and then a percentage of your purchases. It's an easy way to support Linux without any pain, it's a spiffy looking card in its own right, and you can use it to buy other people Linux-related gifts. What a deal!

2. Chromebook

The Samsung Chromebook open and ready for work.

The Samsung Chromebook open and ready for work.

Samsung and Acer have dropped the prices for their Chromebooks. These lightweight netbooks running Chrome OS-which is the Chrome Web browser running on top of Linux-are a steal at $299.

I pay full-price for my Samsung Series 5 Chromebook and while I wish I'd only paid less for it, this computer has still become my grab and go laptop.

3. A powerhouse Linux laptop: ZaReason Verix

ZaReason Verix Laptop

ZaReason Verix Laptop

You, or your favorite person, want a real Linux laptop with all the trimmings? Look no further than ZaReason's Verix-17. This laptop comes with a 17" display, 2GBs of RAM, NVIDIA GTX 570M dedicated graphics with 1.5GB GDDR5 video RAM, a dual core i5 2.3Ghz processor, and your choice of Linux operating systems. Currently you can get the Ubuntu 11.04 family, Debian 6, Linux Mint 11 or Fedora 16.

I'm playing with one and while I'm not ready to review it yet, I can say one thing about it already: "It's sweet." At $1,499, it's not cheap, but it looks worth the money to me.

4. An Android tablet

Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire

Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire

Apple's iPad 2 may be the tablet most people lust after in their hearts, but if you love Linux, and you don't want to spend so much money, consider getting an Amazon Kindle Fire or a Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet. Yes, I know you think they're e-readers. They're not. Both are low cost, 7" tablets. The Kindle Fire costs $199 and the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet at $249.

Either one would be a good deal, but since Barnes & Noble is fighting with Microsoft over patents that Microsoft claims covers Android, I'm inclined to go with the Nook Tablet myself.

5. Linux t-shirts and odds and ends

An oldie but a goodie Linux t-shirt

An oldie but a goodie Linux t-shirt

Want something that will be appreciated but don't have a lot of cash? Well, there are always Linux t-shirts, mugs and other odds and ends. Check out CafePress, ComputerGear,and Zazzle for a nice selection of low-priced gifts.

Happy holidays shopping!

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Topics: Software, Linux, Open Source, Operating Systems

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Talkback

57 comments
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  • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

    For $1,500 that laptop has some lousy specs. You could buy a laptop with more of everything for less. Crap that's MacBook Pro pricing.
    jmiller1978
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

      @jmiller1978 That's what I was thinking. Seeing as how they are using Linux, this laptop should be at least half the price they are asking for it.
      statuskwo5
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        @statuskwo5 no not half the price. The hardware tehy have in there is really powerful. But still it shouldnt be that much. And that hardware is complete overkill for linux which has basically no software to take advantage of it.
        Jimster480
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        @statuskwo5 ... try doing some research.. heard of blender???? or Ardour?
        Aussie_linux_user
        Reply Vote

    • Just remember, Steven doesn't understand pricing

      @jmiller1978
      Steven has a very difficult time separating free linux from reality. He thinks anything with Linux is better, even if you can buy a really nice Windows machine with better specs for less. Gee, wait a minute!!! That means I can pay for Windows and Save money when I format the drive and load Linux!!!!!

      Steven really doesn't get it.
      Cynical99
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        @Cynical99

        "I can pay for Windows and Save money". The best joke of this day so far. Where the heck these clowns are coming from?
        Napoleon XIV
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        @matiasgerlich
        The PC Steven listed was $1500. Sort of spendy for a system with a free OS, considering you can buy a Windows machine with crapware, format it and save about half.

        When you wonder where these clowns come from, might want to look in a mirror
        Cynical99
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        @Cynical99 It's a boutique computer, like Alienware, so it's going to cost more than a generic Dell or HP laptop.
        jgm@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        jgm@
        A boutique computer? Well, that's quite humorous as Steven is the king of Linux is cheaper than everyone else, so here he's pushing a boutique computer that should be cheaper than an equivalent Alien Ware computer by a couple hundred bucks, yet, it's the same price.

        Funny how Linux is just as or more expensive than Windows and you aren't paying for Windows. Wonder where all that extra money is going? So am I!
        Cynical99
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        @Cynical99 Still counts as a Windows sale and boosts Microsoft's Marketshare numbers. It's easier to build your own and cheaper, or go to a boutique builder and order one without windows. Heck some OEMs may be able to sell some of theirs directly from their site without Windows.
        Win8AnUglyDisaster
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

      @jmiller1978 I was just thinking the same thing. Mighty expensine for those specs with a free operating system.
      RobertMoore12@...
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        The reason that PCs with Windows are cheaper, is because software vendors pay the hardware vendors to include the crapware on the Windows-based PCs. This drives down the cost to the consumer. I don't like supporting Microsoft either, but if I can save a considerable amount of money, I will probably opt for whatever is the best value.
        Chris_Clay
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        You can still by a PC with Windows pre-installed and wipe the drive and install Linux. At least you can until Microsoft pushes the "secure boot" hardware on the world.
        bartonphillips@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        @apexwm

        See my post above. The only thing I had to uninstall was McAfee. From taking it out of the box and watching HBO2GO took about 10 minutes. Does HBO2GO work in Linux?
        kyleoster
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

      @jmiller1978
      yes.... but no self respecting linux power user is going to buy a pre-configured linux laptop where's the fun in that??
      Aussie_linux_user
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

      @jmiller1978 <br>I agree. It's best to get a Windows machine and blow Windows off of it and put a 64 bit version of Linux Mint on there.<br><br>Hell, you even get the pleasure of seeing Windows [b]nuked[/b] after you reboot and watch your favorite distro load. That's part of the fun. <br><br>lol...
      ScorpioBlue
      Reply Vote

      • and save money at the same time

        @ScorpioBlue
        All those crapware subsidies go up in smoke! Nice way to take advantage of Windows marketing.
        Cynical99
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        @ScorpioBlue

        Um, Windows 7 is 64-bit and my laptop that was half the cost came with 6 gigs of RAM so what is the point of putting a 64-bit OS on a laptop with 2?

        You should see how fast 64-bit Photoshop runs!
        kyleoster
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

        [i]Um, Windows 7 is 64-bit and my laptop that was half the cost came with 6 gigs of RAM so what is the point of putting a 64-bit OS on a laptop with 2?[/i]<br><br>Well I never said or limited myself to 2GB now did I? <br><br>How many machines today only come with 2GB besides those tiny netbooks?<br><br>[i]You should see how fast 64-bit Photoshop runs![/i]<br><br>I wouldn't pay for Photoshop let alone see how fast it runs.
        ScorpioBlue
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Five Gifts for Linux Lovers

      @jmiller1978 <br><br>About two months ago I bought a Dell Inspiron at Best Buy for $799. Specs:<br><br>Core i5<br>6 gigs of ram<br>500 gig HD<br>HD Intel video<br>Full keyboard with a numeric keypad (no FN numlock stuff a real keypad)<br>Webcam<br>USB 3.0<br>HDMI out<br>eSata port<br>Windows 7 (upgraded it to Ultimate)<br>Very nice construction<br>Weighs about 5 pounds<br>Multi-card reader<br>DVD/CD RW<br>From pressing the power button to functional - 10 seconds<br>WiMax or whatever it is called<br>Bluetooth, same networking options as the ZaReason, same audio<br><br>The only difference is that my screen is smaller but the resolution is the same. Oh yeah and the 4 extra gigs of RAM and the fact that....<br><br>Skyrim runs perfectly with all graphics options turned up. Does Skyrim work in Linux?

      Heck, you could buy two top of the line iPads for what that thing costs
      kyleoster
      Reply Vote
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