EBIZ Pushes Linux For the Masses

TheLinuxStore.com, a division of EBIZ Enterprises, Inc. (OTC BB: EBIZ), further fueled the Linux movement this week by offering e-commerce patrons a low-end PC that ships with a factory-installed copy of the open-source operating system (OS) by Wall Street sensation Red Hat (Nasdaq: RHAT).

A fully-configured Intel Celeron 333 MHz processor-driven system priced at approximately $400 (US$), the Element-L Ion system features 32MB 4×64 SDRAM, a 6.4 GB hard drive, the KDE and Gnome Graphical User Interfaces and Red Hat Linux 6.0. According to EBIZ, the Ion is the entry-level computer in a series of Element-L Linux-based systems distributed through their e-commerce operation. The line includes desktops, notebooks, workstations and servers.

The Spirit of Linux

“Element-L systems are priced with the spirit of Linux in mind, meeting the customer demand to provide more for less,” commented Jeffrey Rassas, CEO of EBIZ. On the other end of the spectrum, the Eclipse series of Alpha Linux computers, which are among the world’s first 64-bit microprocessor-based systems, will be available through TheLinuxStore for approximately $1600.

“Our organization is committed to providing a broad selection of products that meet the needs of the growing market demand for Linux systems and servers,” added Rassas. “At TheLinuxStore.com, we are continuing to push the envelope and lead the market by bringing quality Linux systems to market at the lowest possible price.”

Seeking to “accelerate the alternatives in personal and business computing,” TheLinuxStore.com offers Linux-based desktop PCs, workstations, notebooks, Alpha systems, servers, hardware components, peripherals, software and apparel.

The People’s Penguin

This offering is not the first time EBIZ has moved to bring a low-priced Linux-based computer to mainstream consumers. In June, the company released its Personal Internet Appliance (PIA), a sub-$200 system aimed primarily at consumers who are still net virgins.

“The PIA is designed to provide Internet access and basic computing power to the 20,000,000 households in the U.S. not yet serviced and hooked up to the Internet,” commented Stephen Herman, president of EBIZ.

“We have taken a quantum step forward in being able to provide reliable, low-cost computing and Internet access to every home, student and business professional,” added Rassas. “Linux has proven its strength, performance and reliability in the technical community, and within the server market where it has an estimated 17% market share, according to International Data Corporation (IDC). We are pioneering the market’s efforts to bring it to mainstream America.”

A Linux-based system will also allow EBIZ users to download thousands of freeware and shareware software programs for their computer off the Internet. EBIZ is a manufacturer and distributor of e-commerce systems.

Based on the UNIX system, Linux was created in 1991 by Linus Torvalds as a freely distributed alternative to Windows. According to IDC, there are more than 12 million Linux users worldwide.