This is a partial list of vendors for Linux systems, or for computers on which you intend to run Linux. It is informal, conducted by Bill Sconce on behalf of GNHLUG during February and early March 1999. It is intended to complement vendors who advertise widely for mail order, as an aid to those who wish to consider local vendors.

Caveats:

It is interesting how many vendors are at least guardedly friendly to Linux. Many responses included a remark to the effect that although they didn't actively sell Linux systems their resident software expert had installed one in-house, and based on that experience they would informally help others. It's also interesting that the high-volume shops and chain stores were most likely to express a lack of interest in Linux. (Did Computer City really go out of business, by the way?)

A final note: althought Linux is free, no vendor should be expected to supply either hardware nor their consulting time for free. I made it clear to each vendor who expressed concerns in this regard that anyone contacting them on the basis of this survey would be expecting to do business as usual (with the possible exception of buying hardware without certain software, of course). The polite assumption should be that a desire on their part (if any) to support Linux would be tied to a hardware sale, or to a fee-for-service arrangement.
 

Happy hunting!

-Bill Sconce
sconce@in-spec-inc.com
for GNHLUG
10 March 1999

The Survey

Method

Each listing is the result of a verbal interview, either by telephone (the majority) or in person (on site or at a computer show).

This List Comprises Contacts With:

Classes of Entries

    Code

        5    enthused, has supplied more than a few systems, will do support
        4    willing or enthused, has supplied more than a few systems
        3    willing, has supplied one to a few systems
        2    (special case) willing, and specifically supplies under-$100 486 class hardware
        1    willing, has heard of Linux, would supply hardware to customer spec (no µ$)

        x    disconnected, did not call back, don't do PCs, etc.

        0    wants nothing to do with Linux or "would not sell system for Linux"

    Entries with the same code are presented alphabetically.

    Source

        GNHLUG - contact was the result of a specific recommendation by a GNHLUG member
        YP - contact was from calling a listing in the phone book
        PC Show - contact was at a PC show
 
 
Code and Source
Vendor
Remarks
 
5    Enthused / has sold many
5
GNHLUG
 PCs for Everyone
24 Charles Street
Cambridge MA 02141
617 868-0068		 Certainly will sell w/o Microsoft
Certainly will support
Contact: Peter Goodman
5
GNHLUG
 UMA Computers
76 Northeastern Boulevard #31B Nashua
603 880-1455		 Many installations with real customers
Contact: Bill Finley
 
4    Willing / has sold more than a few
4
YP
 American Knowhow Distribution Inc.
411 Nashua Milford
603 673-9617		 Have sold a few
Contact: Bob Young
4
GNHLUG
 PC Max
450 S Broadway Salem, NH 03079
603 893 5566		 Claims to have sold first Linux system in NH
Has sold lots
4
GNHLUG
 Portsmouth Computer Group
953 Islington Street, Portsmouth, NH
603 431-4121		 Good hardware knowledge
Contact: Dave Hodgdon
4
GNHLUG
 Sugar River Valley OnLine
Newport, NH area
603 863-4498		 "Certainly"
Contact: T. Parssinen
3    Willing / has sold some
3
YP
 Micro-Lan Computer Center
910 Columnbia Circle, Merrimack
603 429-2977		 Prefer Fortune 500 customers
Have sold Alpha and SPARC Linux systems
3
YP
 Rastech Inc.
Greeley Point Amherst
603 673-0883		 It's one engineer's specialty
The have installations from RI to VT
3
PC Show
 Techmate Inc.
4 Lown Road
North Reading, MA
978 664-6362		 "Certainly would"
Has sold Red Hat
3
YP
 Tsunami Systems
136 Route 101A Amherst
603 889-0995		 "Well, sure"
"All in favor of Linux"
3
YP
 Xinergy Microsystems
278 Daniel Webster Highway Nashua
603 888-8288		 Yes - web servers, e-mail servers
Would install
2    (special case)  Under-$100 486 class hardware
2
YP
 Computers for People
1 Chestnut Nashua
603 595-0111		 Has a tech who does Linux
Contact: Curt
2
YP
 Electronic Planet
441 Amherst Nashua
603 880-8584		 Sell 486s and PS/2s all the time
-to kowledgeable customers
2
YP
 Wollert & Sons Communications
120 Fisherville Road, #46 Concord
603 225-5717		 Hardware for cheap
Doesn't know Linux himself
1    Willing / will supply HW with no OS
1
YP
 A&D Computer
211 South Street Milford
603 672-4700
1
YP
 APT Computer Services
154 Broad Street Nashua
881-8766		 Contact: Frank Egbert
1
YP
 Acro Technologies
3 Commerce Drive Atkinson
603 870-9093		 Would do, happily
Doesn't know Linux
1
YP
 CTS Computer Hardware Discount
Route 16 - 303 Watertown Street Newton
617 964-8927		 Doesn't sell software
1
YP
 PC Depot
254 Daniel Webster Highway Nashua
603 888-1001		 "Which distribution would you like?"
1
YP
 R&M Computers
96 Route 101A Amherst
603 882-9633		 Contact: Bruce
1
YP
 Rich Allen Data Systems, Nashua, 603 888-8123
1
YP
 SC Computers
210 Daniel Webster Highway Nashua
603 888-3078		 Has sold a lot of hardware for Linux
Does no software or installations
1
YP
 Sitek PC Outlet
199 Lowell Road Hudson
603 889-0066
1
YP
 White Mountain Computer
11 Caldwell Drive Amherst
603 889-0800		 Yes to hardware
No support
x    No information - call not returned, etc.
x
YP
 A Value Systems, Keene, 603 352-6555
x
YP
 American Imaging Technologies, Londonderry, 603 437-1116
x
YP
 Brailsford & Dunn Custom Computers, Merrimack, 603 424-7130 Telephone not in service
x
YP
 CEJ Computer Business Systems, Merrimack, 603 424-3117
x
YP
 Cocci Computer Services, Nashua, 603 889-2266
x
YP
 Computer City, Nashua, 603 891-3400 Telephone not in service
x
YP
 Corporate Computer, Derry, 603 434-5700 Telephone not in service
x
YP
 Emerald Business Systems, Nashua, 603 595-5200
x
YP
 New Hampshire Micro, Hudson, 603 595-6325
x
YP
 Prine Systems, Amherst, 603 672-0218
x
YP
 The PC MD, Milford, 603 673-3956
x
YP
 Yankee Data Group, Merrimack, 603 424-1866
0    Prefers not to be involved with Linux
0
YP
 Apex Computer of Nashua, 603 888-6828
0
YP
 CompUSA, Nashua, 603 888-2007 Contact: Dave
0
YP
 Computer Hut of NE, Nashua, 603 889-7625
0
YP
 Computer Town, Nashua, 603 891-0101 "Didn't know Macs run Linux"
0
PC Show
 Cyber Computer Technology, Woburn, 781 376-9325 "Too busy"
0
YP
 DKNT Systems, Inc., Newton, 617 244-1836
0
YP
 Jan-Paul Computers, Nashua, 603 578-9090
0
YP
 One-Stop Computer Services, Londonderry, 603 889-0187 "Haven't heard of Linux"
0
YP
 On-Site Techs, Manchester, 603 622-1830
0
PC Show
 PC Authority, Manchester, 603 622-6191 Not just "no", but "NO", vehemently
0
YP
 PC Connection, Milford (sic), 800 800-5555 "You could run Partition Magic..."