[DC LoCo] Suggestions for Inexpensive, Linux-friendly mini?

[Michael Haney]

On Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 12:40 PM, Robert Simmons <rsimmons0 at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 12:22 PM, Michael Haney <thezorch at gmail.com> wrote:
>> If you're looking to make this a desktop system with a small footprint
>> you could go with this...
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883108536
>
> Not a bad choice, but with Lenovo you are paying a M$ tax for software
> that you are not going to use.  With Asus, you are getting a machine
> with Linux preloaded, and you can then load any other distro you want
> without putting food on the table of people in Redmond, WA.
>

I think the Asus machines and some others come with Express Gate
Linux. Its a Linux distribution that can only be installed from within
Windows. It boots within seconds and gives you access to only a few
applications, ie; web, email, Skype. It lacks the infrastructure of a
full distro and doesn't have a way to install any more apps. Express
Gate is intended to be used to get online quickly without booting all
the way into Windows.

-- 
Michael "TheZorch" Haney
https://sites.google.com/site/thezorch/

Corporations want to cripple the Internet and take your right away,
help stop SOPA and PIPA.
https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

Break some Windows, bring freedom to your PC. www.ubuntu.com