Shopping For Linux Compatible Hardware

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Shopping For Linux Compatible Hardware

At the request of many Phoronix readers, we are looking at setting up an Internet shop to help those with shopping for Linux compatible hardware and computer parts that are open-source friendly. This would be a Linux store ran in conjunction with Amazon.com and their associates program.This Phoronix shop would allow individuals to easily find hardware that will run with modern desktop Linux distributions along with computer hardware that does or does not require the use of binary drivers and also hardware that we have personally tested at Phoronix or where there are performance numbers available through Phoronix Global...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=NzQ2OA

[maccam94]

Newegg

Another option is to add comments to Newegg product pages, and insert links to your website for more details. Maybe Newegg would be willing to add a "Linux Compatible" checkbox in their search tool, and you could tag items appropriately.

Amazon isn't a bad idea, but I will generally buy the hardware I want from the cheapest and most reputable store I can. Even if you create a great Linux hardware store, you might have trouble selling your inventory. People will just use the site to find what works, then buy it elsewhere.

[stan]

Excellent Idea!!!!! Good luck!

I love the idea of a computer vendor who cares about open source and allows shoppers to easily purchase a computer running Linux and open source drivers. The emphasis on open source hardware will set you apart from Linux vendors who don't give a hoot about Freedom (ie. System76, DELL and HP which sell Linux computers with FOSS-unfriendly NVIDIA and BroadCom devices).

[netsurf]

Love the idea but if i am completely honest i'd end up using the shop as a directory for stuff i can buy then once i'd decided i'd shop around. Amazon are not the cheapest of places to shop compared with dedicated hardware vendors like scan and overclockers.co.uk

Might be worth doing it so i can very easily filter by linux compatible games though. I bought ETQW a month ago from amazon.

A side note though on compatibility. With the current state of ATI hardware could you actually class them as compatible? The chipmaker supports them but the drivers aren't what i would describe as a usable state/linux compatible they are more like beta support!

you'd also need to describe which distros they are "certified" for since a newbie who wants to build a linux box doesnt want to buy this cutting edge motherboard with striped raid only to find out that it only works with.. gentoo, archlinux which are advanced (imho) distros and incompatible with ubuntu or suse until the next major release which is 6 months down the line. Hell if you wanted to you could make a PPA for these things and provide the necessary glue to get them running nicely *cough* intel IGP *cough*

[pvtcupcakes]

It'd be great for selling wifi cards. A lot of the time, you can't tell what chip a card uses until you actually buy it. I bought a Dell notebook, and when I turned it on I realized I had a Broadcom chip.

Motherboards might work well to in the store, but CPUs or Hard Drives and other components may not since they'll always work in Linux. Never seen a "Windows-only" CPU before.

[Dragonlord]

Nice idea but not an option for me ( shipping would kill :P ). Keep it up though for those who can make use of it.

[netsurf]

hmm how about your own price comparison site for linux? or like others said worth with one that already exists. Charge them a nominal fee for your services of putting it all together and doing the testing. Generating marketing statistics as well of what the linux community is buying would probably have some retail value too? would help driver programmers priorities their opensource efforts too. or maybe i've just forgotten to take my pills today

[satipera]

Supporting linux hardware

Excellent idea we should all support companies that support linux.

[maccam94]

Hardware Database

You could also just make a hardware database. Let users add new devices and add links to Newegg, Amazon, etc pages. If you review a device you could just add it in a special Phoronix Review section of the device page in the hardware database.

[deanjo]

Motherboards might work well to in the store, but CPUs or Hard Drives and other components may not since they'll always work in Linux. Never seen a "Windows-only" CPU before.

Actually there are few external hd's that will not work properly in *nix ( a few seagate and wd's IIRC). Also sometimes the USB to IDE/SATA chip can be incompatible with linux.