The FCC and Department of  Justice recently approved the Comcast NBC/Universal merger.  There are conditions. You can read some of  those conditions here.

Of note is this passage from the linked report:

“The deal requires Comcast to provide “approximately” 2.5 million low income households with high speed Internet for less than $10 a month. To this population the ISP must also sell PCs, netbooks, or similar computer equipment at prices below $150, and offer a host of “digital literacy educational opportunities.”

“In addition, Comcast must grow its broadband networks to about 400,000 new homes, get fast Internet service to six additional rural areas, and offer free video and ISP offerings to 600 new “anchor institutions” in low income regions (“anchor” here means schools, libraries, and such).”

Well, this got me to thinking.  If the government REALLY wanted to serve low income households, they would also build into this condition that all the computers come without an operating system.  Why pay a premium for Windows?  The absence of Windows would further lower the cost of the computer to the ISP.   Next, they could supply Linux for those computers.  Linux is free! Now, use those “digital literacy educational opportunities” to teach the communities how to install and use Linux on their new system.  Believe me, it’s easy.  So easy, anyone can install Linux!

In addition, users would have a system more secure and stable than Windows.  They would also have no need for anti-virus software. Linux is immune to Windows viruses, Trojans, and spyware.

It’s a win-win.  Lower equipment costs to ISPs and a free operating system (and software) for the user.