Are there still any versions of Linux sold in a box like in the 90s / 2000s?

janNatan@lemmy.ml to Linux@lemmy.ml – 104 points –

I've tried to find them to no avail. I'm guessing the box sets just aren't made anymore, but I figured it's worth asking in case there's some obscure one out there somewhere.

To clarify, I'm looking for a more recent Linux version. I know the older ones can be found on auction sites and the like.

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Do you want the box to display or a hard copy of the installer?

If the latter I'm sure I've seen them for sale in the past couple of years on distro websites. Click "get [distro]" and its some secondary item to downloading which is what most people went. Might be a USB key or disc.

If you want an actual box idk how they are shipped.

Actual box for display.

How curious. Are you doing a play?

You might have to DIY one if you don't want an old one. Certainly there are websites you could upload a PDF to that would print for you.

I think the boxes made sense when they were for sale in a brick n mortar store because they are harder to steal and make the person feel like they are buying something when digital goods weren't such an instinctive idea. I doubt they would be shipped because they are big for no reason and would require a lot of packaging to keep from getting wrecked in transit vs a USB key in a bubble envelope.

To buy linux in a box, you would have to find somewhere near you that is selling it in person. A computer store, a book store. Maybe a campus bookstore? They have a captive audience so sometimes can get away with stuff that doesn't otherwise make business sense.

A play? No, I just saw an old Linux box and wondered if anybody still made them.