ASUS breaking ground


Juicy bit of news: Within the next few days we will be stocking the ASUS Eee with upgrades. Most of the people who shop here are smart enough to build their own computers, but they purchase from us to save time and money. If you are looking for a highly portable 9", let us know and we'll ping you when it is available.

How open source gives us a more even playing field


Amanda McPherson at the Linux Foundation blogged about how Linux created a smoother entry point for start-ups. "I’ve worked at software start ups before Linux and the cost... of entry [was] so high, very few companies could innovate and build the products they wanted to build without burning through millions of dollars." Linux changed the rules of business. Read her entire: "Saas, Open Source and the Migration of Burden".

Shuttle & the Linux Action Show


The HomeBox 2440 and HomeBox 3, the MediaBox and the KPC have been flying out of the shop this week.

Many of them were built while listening to the Linux Action Show, a fantastic, upbeat podcast.

Making the world a better place


A sweet little piece on LinuxNews: Geeks Making the World Better

Which distro claims the title "Best"?


On Information Week today, Linux Shootout: 7 Desktop Distros Compared, "We tested openSUSE, Ubuntu 8.04, PCLinuxOS, Mandriva Linux One, Fedora, SimplyMEPIS, and CentOS 5.1. All performed well, and each had at least one truly outstanding feature."

We are so lucky

On our favorite blog:

"Linux is ready for the desktop
or
ZaReason is mother-in-law approved."

The more we ship out into the community, the more people we find like James. We love James. Everybody needs a James in their lives.

Word on the street


This is our favorite type of blog post -- someone (in this case, a guy named Mark Hinkle) saw our booth at a recent conference and liked what he saw.

While bigger, flashier companies are printing flyers for your mailbox, we are lucky enough to have people talking about us because they want to. We're big fans of self-driven motivation. That's what F/LOSS is all about.

Guerilla IT


On InfoWorld: Guerilla IT? Sounds like Open Source "Dan Tynan wrote a great story... about Guerrilla IT and how to leverage it by empowering your super users and implementing ways for folks to collaborate and share best practices. I couldn't help but think how so many good innovations have snuck into IT through the back door, the side door and under the radar of what management officially approved."

The video posted in this particular article is priceless.

Open Source is good for your career


Amanda McPherson posted a brilliant piece elaborating how your contribution to Open Source projects can spark even greater career opportunities for you. Working in such a transparent environment creates the ultimate resume, allowing you to leverage highly tranferrable skills. Read more: Open Source and Career Advancement

The Great Ubuntu-Girlfriend Experiment


On nearly every news feed today: The Great Ubuntu-Girlfriend Experiment. The article's author did a one-person focus group (his girlfriend) and gives great details on how well it went. It is a sparky piece that makes us at ZaReason want to write a Great-Boyfriend Experiment or a Great-Grandma Experiment, or even better, a Great-Kindergartener Experiment. We have actually done focus groups with little kids and found that Ubuntu's usability has reached the tipping point -- it is easy enough for the non-techie to navigate with a smile on his/her face.

Knowledge is power. Use it. Edubuntu.


Linux.com posted a sweet piece about "What Edubuntu can teach your kids". Note that we ship any system with Edubuntu and recommend the Limbo 2440 for use with wee ones.

It is highly enjoyable to "work" alongside your child, neice, nephew, any-under-four-foot little person. Plus, with our Open Hardware Warranty, you can show your little person the insides of the computer system without voiding your warranty.

Knowledge is power. Use it.

Screaming new Ubuntu and LinuxFest Northwest


We are finding Ubuntu 8.04 to be the most solid OS we have ever used. Feel free to order any laptop or desktop -- they all ship with 8.04.

If you happen to be in the US Great Northwest, come check out Linuxfest Northwest. We have a table on the exhibit floor and are really enjoying the day.

8.04 Shipping!


We are actively building and shipping 8.04, Hardy Heron. We have been impressed with the quality of upgrades to this version as it helps us get even closer to just works status.

The LightLapSR and the Limbo 2440 have been our most popular models so far.

Party Hardy! 8.04 is released


Mark Shuttleworth sent the following to the Ubuntu community:

"Congratulations all on a phenomenal development cycle. From planning to release this has been both our most significant, and our best executed, release ever. I hope everyone will take the opportunity to celebrate at a release party or wherever you find yourself this evening!"

At Za, we will be having a release party / installfest where we do an unusally large number of builds. We are thrilled at the level of enthusiasm for the upgrades in 8.04.

Achilles Heel no more


Suspend and hibernate have been the Achilles Heel of Linux systems, but thanks to a few particularly brilliant people, we now have suspend and hibernate working reliably on all our systems. Feel free to suspend and hibernate to your heart's content!

"Most significant" Ubuntu release ever


Ubuntu 8.04 is being touted as the best release by a long shot. Desktop Linux has a great little overview showing how utterly awesome 8.04 is, the upgrades, the new features, and a few teasers from an interview with Mark Shuttleworth. Read more.

New 8.04 features - Draft N WiFi

One of the great features of each new Ubuntu release is improved driver support. With Ubuntu 8.04 comes support for 802.11 Draft-N WiFi, with speeds up to 5 times faster than previous 802.11G. Look for it as a new option on systems such as the UltraLapSR.

Upcoming Events -- Hardy Heron and LinuxFest Northwest if you're around


This next release of Ubuntu, 8.04, is going to be a lot of fun. It is more solid than ever and will be ready to go as of next Thursday, April 24th. If you would like your system with 8.04, feel free to select it as your OS of choice.

If you happen to be in the Great Northwest, come by the LinuxFest Northwest in Bellingham on April 26-27 to see some of these systems in person. We donated a few items to the raffle. Hopefully we will see you there.

Want 8.04? Plus, time to register for Maker Faire


In case you are eagerly waiting for the Ubuntu 8.04 release, we are ready to go. We have beta running on all our machines and it looks like the gold version will be the best ever. Simply select 8.04 as your OS of choice and yours will be built and tested to work seamlessly with 8.04.

On a playful note, it's time to register for Maker Faire May 3 & 4 at the San Mateo fairgrounds. For Za people, it is the most enjoyable weekend of the year, getting to see all the crazy-fun projects that others think up.

Party Hardy!


On the Ubuntu Linux Help blog, "Why I quit Windows and switched to Linux"

If you want to order a new laptop or desktop but want to make sure that you get the final, gold release of Ubuntu 8.04, feel free to place your order now. We are in sync with the development cycle and will be shipping systems that have requested 8.04 within a day or two of release. We have built up a team that can handle the extra rush of orders and we are ready to go. Party Hardy! (Our idea of a party is an installfest.)

Ubuntu 8.04 making Linux ready for the masses


On ComputerWorld today: Linux Examined: Ubuntu Hardy Heron "Hardy Heron honors the Ubuntu tradition and carries it forward, freshening things up and making the install experience even simpler to get through. If there's a distribution ready for your neighborhood newbie, this is it."

Interestingly, most of our high-end systems go to Linux developers, the heavy-hitters in LinuxLand. Our low-end systems are going out to all types of users, including developer-types and their family members, friends, and colleagues.

The State of Linux Drivers


On Practical Technology, "Everyone grumbles about Linux driver problems, but kernel hacker Greg Kroah-Hartman actually did something about it...It turns out that there really isn’t much hardware that Linux doesn’t already support. Almost all new hardware produced is coming with a Linux driver already written by the company, or by the community with help from the company.”

In general, building a screaming Linux machine is easy to do if you have the time, determination, and muscle to make it happen. At ZaReason, our days are filled with building systems that just work well enough so you will want to send us fan mail. One of our favorites: "I got my laptop today. It took longer for my old Windows (expletive deleted) to shut down than it did for me to start up my new ZaReason machine for the first time. Thanks!"

The Next Release


Only a little more than a week to go before the next release, 8.04 of Ubuntu. You may wonder when we will begin shipping systems with 8.04.

Well, immediately.

We stay in sync with the development cycle so that on the day of each new release, your new laptop or desktop can be loaded with the new release if that is your preference. It isn't that hard to do. Ubuntu just works.

Open Source programmers earn more


On ITWire today, David M Williams: "Open Source programmers earn more" When hiring a programmer what do you look for? Probably someone who is self-motivated, driven, and experienced. You want someone who strives for the best. Of course, you look for programmers who have independently contributed to Open Source projects.

For our Za shop, we are mostly staffed by volunteers. We don't need to bump up the price of the systems to cover heavy executive salaries. We have a singular goal -- to build solid Linux systems that just work. Anything outside of that goal is fluff.

Wow at LUGradio


Come join us at LUGradio Live. It is a fun, social get-together. Free refreshments, great people. Perfect.

Our favorite part = having people walk up to us and say, "Hey, I bought one of your systems last year! I LOVE it!"

So, if you are a proud ZaReason owner and happen to be at LUGradio Live this weekend, feel free to gush.

We love it.

Come say hi at LUGradio Live


If you happen to be in the Bay Area, stop by LUGRadio Live this weekend to check out our gear first-hand. We get requests every day , "Can I please stop by your shop to check out the ___  in person?" We are currently shopping for a larger shop / warehouse where that can happen, but for now, we are meeting our friends and colleagues (customers = colleagues) at events like LUGRadio Live.

We hope to see you there.

Open source courses

Matt Asay, one of our favorite bloggers posted today, "Harvard starts teaching open source".

Face-to-face


Our CTO is currently at the  Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit, in progress in Austin, Texas. Linux.com today has a piece by Joe Barr explaining that it "...is a small event, with only about 300 invited attendees. Because it is small, you can find yourself face-to-face or in conversation with some of the biggest names in and around the Linux kernel, business, and open source scenes." Needless to say, he is having fun.

Play nice


Mark Shuttleworth's blog is sporting a new piece,  Playing nicely with Windows, where he states: "I believe in bringing free software to people in a way that is exciting and empowering to them, and one of the key ways to do that is to show them amazing free software running on their familiar platform, whether that’s Windows or the MacOS."

We want people to use whatever type of system works best for them, but for our company, we have chosen not to build or ship dual-boot systems (with both Windows & Ubuntu) simply because the Microsoft license adds significant cost to each item. By keeping our focus on Linux-only, we are able to splurge a bit on the highest quality components. It just works for us and we hope you find what just works for you. 

At the summit, much to be discussed


Our CTO is at the Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit this week, adding our two cents to the mix. At Za, our approach is two-fold:

1. to express that Linux has reached the just works tipping point, and
2. to position Linux as the sleek, sexy OS.

Pricing and Predictability -- the MegaLap

The Nixed Reporter put our MegaLap through a rigorous review.

One interesting aspect on our high-end systems -- most companies structure their prices so that you pay a much higher margin on the high-end parts. We don't. We have had price comparisons done by customers that show that the MegaLap would cost nearly double from other manufacturers.

Anti-theft laptops


On CIO.com, "Intel to Release Anti-theft Technology for Laptops"

Our Za laptops already have anti-theft technology built-in -- potential thieves don't recognize our name yet and if given a chance to between stealing a Dell / HP / Sony or an unknown name, a thief will choose the Dell / HP / Sony. This is possibly the simplest, most effective way to protect your investment.

Open software --> open hardware


One of our favourite parts of ZaReason is the Open Hardware Warranty. We respect your right to modify your own hardware. If you really enjoy hacking your hardware then you might also enjoy Maker Faire, coming up on May 3-4. If you do go, look for the people in the ZaReason t-shirts and say hello.

Ubuntu is growing up + the Za approach to competition


We saw it coming and you probably did too, but Ubuntu will soon be on par with Red Hat Linux and the other big players. On eWeek.com "Ubuntu Linux to be certified by Sun"

With our $100 off laptop sale we have been getting plenty of feedback lately that our prices are highly competative, often lower than the bigger, less personal stores. That's great, but our focus is not on beating the competition -- it's on building Linux hardware that just works.

Linux = cheaper + better support

From Andrew Hendry on ComputerWorld, "School districts in the US and Canada find Linux and open source offers better support, cheaper setup costs, and improved educational value."

Our top-selling system for schools is the Limbo 2440, at an ultra-cheap price point, high flexibility (lots of room inside the tower for upgrades, and plenty of power for typical use. Considering that the Limbo 2440 is the same cost as a few textbooks, it is easy for schools to ingegrate them into their budget. Plus, we do a 5% discount for education, non-profits, and bulk orders. Email us if you want more information.  

Richard Stallman, Live and Unplugged


By James Maguire:  Richard Stallman, Live and Unplugged "... the lecture hall here at Virginia Tech University is filled nearly to capacity. The students – many of them computer science majors – have come to hear Richard Stallman, the grand forefather of GNU/Linux."

Note that we are still running our sale for $100 off any laptop, but we switched it from being a coupon code to being automatically deducted. This way, you can't overlook the discount or forget to take it. Note that students, non-profits, and bulk orders get an extra 5% off, but please email us first for the coupon code for that discount. Thanks.  

Richard Stallman, Live and Unplugged


By James Maguire,  Richard Stallman, Live and Unplugged " It’s almost 8 PM on a Tuesday night, and the lecture hall here at Virginia Tech University is filled nearly to capacity. The students – many of them computer science majors – have come to hear Richard Stallman, the grand forefather of GNU/Linux."

Using your Linux box for volunteer computing

"Using your Linux box for volunteer computing" on Linux.com "You can do your part to help tackle such global issues as disease control and climate prediction simply by volunteering your computer's resources to solve complex computational problems. The concept, known as volunteer computing, benefits universities and research institutions around the world."

Diggn' Ubuntu


From Mackenzie at Ubuntu Tips & Tricks: "Digg users often complain about how many Ubuntu articles show up in the Linux/Unix section of Digg. Well, there's now Ubuntu Point, which is functionally similar to Digg, except it's just for Ubuntu."

If you want to take advantage of our $100 off laptop sale, please enter coupon code LAPTOP631 in the coupon code field during checkout. Enjoy!

What can't Linux do?

See a short list of things that Linux has done: "What Can't Linux Do?" by Jack Wallen. It sparked a vibrant discussion.

Note: We are having our $100 off all laptops sale, coupon code LAPTOP631. It is perfect timing for purchasing a system that will travel with you for the summer months. For those of you who need screen size on the level of a desktop replacement, the BigLap and MegaLap give you the expansive 17" screen that fits in your backpack. For those of you who want portability, the UltraLap and LightLap keep you light and still give you the computing power of a full-blown Linux laptop. 

Summer of Code


Google Summer of Code is on! And so is our sale on all our laptops, $100 off, use code LAPTOP631 when checking out.

Spring sale


Spring Sale

We are having our first ever spring sale, $100 off any laptop. If you have been considering purchasing one, now is a great time to do so. Use coupon code LAPTOP631 when checking out.

Sale time


If you are in the market for a new laptop, use coupon code LAPTOP631 when checking out to get $100 off the laptop of your choice.

Review of the UltraLapSR -- considering Za's first sale?


Joel Mclaughlin over at GearDiary did a review of our UltraLapSR. The review shows the laptop to be an "impressive array of equipment." Currently, we are considering doing a sale on the UltraLap so that we can show more people how wonderful it is. It would be our first ZaReason sale item, so let us know if you would be interested in seeing this one on sale.

For your pre-Linux friends

Possibly the best piece yet: "What's this 'Linux thing' and why should I try it?" from the Ubuntu Tips & Tricks author, Mackenzie.

Skype 2.0 for Linux

Skype 2.0 for Linux is released. This new version adds in video calling, which works great on a laptop like our LightLapSR.

Dual Boot

We have a guiding motto in our shop: Build systems that just work. To do that, we use Linux and only Linux. But sometimes people need dual-boot systems.

If you need a dual-boot system, please visit our colleagues in Austin, Texas, HeliOS Solutions are highly knowledgeable and will get your system working the way you need it. Not only are their rates very reasonable, but the dual-boot can be arranged by mail. Sounds like a system that just works.