OEM install mode?

OEM install mode?

Posted Aug 24, 2006 15:02 UTC (Thu) by jabby (guest, #2648)
Parent article: Which Free Linux Desktop Is Best? (CRN)

Test Center engineers focused on what aspects of a Linux desktop would most benefit system builders, including installation, setup, support, feature set and usability.

I expected to find at least some mention of the distributions' support for an OEM install mode (allowing the "system builder" to do the base install and ship a product which would then present the customer with a configuration wizard on first boot). Windows has had this for ages, but the only distro I've heard of that touts their OEM install option is Ubuntu. I imagine Linspire (Freespire) also has this feature, since their business plan is/was based on getting OEM install contracts. Not sure about OpenSUSE, but being the basis for an Enterprise product, you would expect that to be a priority. There's no mention of it in their documentation, though.

Needless to say, I was disappointed to see that this was just another desktop OS comparison. Can anyone comment as the OEM install capabilities of these and/or other distros?

Thanks,
Jason

PS:  This also affects people who are trying to heal the digital divide. Being able to send out systems that present a pretty welcome screen and a friendly configuration wizard on first boot goes a long way toward getting new computer users comfortable with and invested in a new system.

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