The revolution: untelevised,
but available at Wal-Mart

A viable alternative to Windows-based PCs has hit the streets: Everex gPC TC2502.

The unit is available at Wal-Mart for $200. A feature set of open source and web-based offerings make the purchase of Windows unnecessary, without deviating from user formats familiar to hardcore PC users.

According to The New York Times, the Everex gPC is built on open source OS Linux, more user-friendly today than it was when it was purely a domain for hardcore developers. (It is the platform of choice for the One Laptop Per Child initiative, and allegedly for the Google Phone.)

More importantly, the cost-efficient PC makes it unnecessary to purchase Windows.

The computer boasts an 80-gigabyte hard drive, a 1.5-gigahertz Via processor and 512 megabytes of memory. It's also special-made to support Google applications such as GMail and Google Documents.

The format of the unit encourages users to manage most of their heavy processing on the internet, rather than on the PC itself.

Word and Excel junkies needn't fear: the Everex also runs OpenOffice, the open source response to Microsoft Office, as well as multimedia applications.