Computers that run the Linux operating system instead of Microsoft Corp."s Windows didn"t attract enough attention from Wal-Mart customers, and the chain has stopped selling them in stores, a spokeswoman said Monday. "This really wasn"t what our customers were looking for," said Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spokeswoman Melissa O"Brien.
To test demand for systems with the open-source operating system, Wal-Mart stocked the $199 "Green gPC," made by Everex of Taiwan, in about 600 stores starting late in October. Walmart.com, the chain"s e-commerce site, had sold Linux-based computers before and will continue selling the gPC.
This was the first time they appeared on retail shelves.
Paul Kim, brand manager for Everex, said selling the gPC online was "significantly more effective" than selling it in stores. Wal-Mart sold out the in-store gPC inventory but decided not to restock, O"Brien said. The company does not reveal sales figures for individual items. Walmart.com now carries an updated version, the gPC2, also for $199, without a monitor. The site also sells a tiny Linux-driven laptop, the Everex CloudBook, for $399.