Pogo Hops to Market With Preloaded Linux-Windows PCs

Pogo's Winux systems provide an easy way for Windows users to dip their toes into the Linux waters.

Jon L. Jacobi, special to PCWorld.com

If you're in the market for a new PC and are curious about open-source software, you might be interested in Pogo's dual-boot systems with preinstalled native versions of Linux and Windows. These systems also ship with VMware software so you can run Windows within Linux (which is why the company dubbed the product line "Winux").

The $1199 base Pogo Winux system we tested arrived in a sturdily constructed, wide-body case with plenty of room for expansion. Although it lacked a monitor, the PC included a 600-MHz Pentium III processor and a bountiful 256MB of PC133 SDRAM (limited to 100 MHz by the 600E processor's 100-MHz front-side bus). Among the system's other components were a 7200-rpm, 20GB Seagate Barracuda ATA66 hard drive, a Matrox Millennium G400 graphics card with 32MB of memory, a 10/100 Ethernet adapter, a Sound Blaster Live card, and a set of Mli-460 speakers with subwoofer. A 52X Samsung SC-152 CD-ROM drive rounded out the package. We liked the crisp, tactile response of the Logitech keyboard. The single 3.5-inch, floppy-only drive bay was the only thing we didn't care for.

Both Windows 98 Second Edition and Red Hat Linux 6.2 were preinstalled on the Winux PC we tested, though Pogo now ships its PCs with Red Hat 7.0 and a choice of either Windows 2000 or Windows Millennium Edition. (VMware does not currently support Windows Millennium.) But the company's offerings aren't limited to that configuration, as numerous other systems and setups are available on Pogo's site.

Pogo Performance

Our Winux test system was an excellent performer in official PC World lab testing, scoring 133 on our PC WorldBench 2000 suite--a point above average for a 600-MHz Pentium III system. (One note: Our test suite measures only Windows performance, but our informal hands-on testing showed this PC to be a sprightly Linux performer.)

For comparison, the most recent Top 10 Budget PCs chart (from the November 2000 issue) features a comparably equipped Micro Express MicroFlex 6A with a PIII 600-MHz processor, 128MB of RAM, and a score of 132. But for the same price as the Pogo Winux box, the MicroFlex 6A includes a 17-inch monitor.

Pogo Jumps From Windows to Linux

We were greeted by a somewhat confusing prompt when we booted the machine. (New systems that come with Red Hat 7.0 shouldn't have this problem, because the OS upgrade includes a graphical dual-boot screen that's friendlier than the one in the 6.2 version we were confronted with.) To start up in Windows, you type DOS, to start up in Linux, you type Linux. Once you've booted into Linux, you can choose to run VMware. But VMware does have some limitations: It doesn't offer joystick or 3D graphics acceleration support.

You could also be stumped by the prompt to choose your hardware profile, both in VMWare and the default Windows, because desktop users usually don't have to contend with this. If you inadvertently choose the hardware configuration meant for VMware, you'll sit waiting for what seems like an eternity while Windows "discovers new hardware," something this manual-ignoring author found out the hard way. But one look in the manual provided an explanation.

Alas, VMware is too slow for heavy-duty computing. (The apparent speed of VMware on our 600-MHz Pentium III Winux machine was what we'd expect from a much slower PC.) But the real power of VMware is that it lets you use applications Linux doesn't offer yet, such as Microsoft Word, and it allows you to run Linux as your primary operating system.

Pogo Protection

Pogo Linux covers system components with a two-year advance replacement warranty (replacement parts ship before malfunctioning ones are returned). Telephone support is available on weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Pacific time. Pogo's support covers both hardware and software, but you're limited to ten software incidents per year. An optional two-year, round-the-clock telephone support package is available, but its $594 price gears it to corporate customers. Red Hat offers its own support network on a subscription basis.

You don't have to buy a new PC to try out Linux: Most distributions provide partitioning software that is easy to use and that lets you keep your Windows files and applications intact. If you want to try VMware, it's available as a stand-alone application for $299. But if you're ready to upgrade, Pogo's Winux system is an excellent piece of hardware, and its preinstalled OS solution will allow you to discover Linux without fear. The high-quality hardware, dual-boot setup, and included VMware software make this PC a great value.