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Can't you just buy a Dell with linux

The most obvious [problem] is deciding which version of Linux to offer.

Seriously, how stupid are you? How have you not heard of the Dell n series? - http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx /nseries?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&redirect=1

Dell has been selling linux desktops, not just servers for a long time.
Would a google search featuring "Dell" & "linux" be too much to ask?

Funny...when I went to the link in the posting I'm replying to I saw a link for purchasing Dell's with Linux installed -- RedHat for that matter. Looks like Dell is already doing this.

Funny...when I went to the link in the posting I'm replying to I saw a link for purchasing Dell's with Linux installed -- RedHat for that matter. Looks like Dell is already doing this.

Many MS users don't know what a driver is or where to find one, what do they do when their new printer doesn't come with linux-compatible drivers?

You mean like this one?
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.a spx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&sku=222-5573&redirect=1

Compatible Operating Systems
Compatible with Microsoft® Windows VistaTM , Windows® 2000, Windows XP and Windows XP 64 Bit

What's wrong with the existing open source series from Dell, provided there is a genuine reduction in price for the absence of MS software?

If Dell is hesitant about offering Linux what the Free Software community forming a third party company and approaching Dell with a proposal that Dell simply contract the entire Linux support operation out to them?

...Dell, HP, etc. Dell even offers Linux on This article is about Linux _desktops_.

Dell has offered Linux for a long time. You could get Red Hat installed from Red Hat 6.2.

It's also not difficult to find a n series system (one that does not come with Windows preinstalled).

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/all iances/en/linux?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=anavml

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/ide astorm/ideasinaction?c=us&l=en&s=gen

Linux Options
It's exciting to see the IdeaStorm community's interest in open source solutions like Linux and OpenOffice. Your feedback has been all about flexibility and we have seen a consistent request to provide platforms that allow people to install their operating system of choice. We are listening, and as a result, we are working with Novell to certify our corporate client products for Linux, including our OptiPlex desktops, Latitude notebooks and Dell Precision workstations. This is another step towards ensuring that our customers have a good experience with Linux on our systems.

As this community knows, there is no single customer preference for a distribution of Linux. In the last week, the IdeaStorm community suggested more than half a dozen distributions. We don't want to pick one distribution and alienate users with a preference for another. We want users to have the opportunity to help define the market for Linux on desktop and notebook systems. In addition to working with Novell, we are also working with other distributors and evaluating the possibility of additional certifications across our product line. We are continuing to investigate your other Linux-related ideas, so please continue to check here for updates.

To read about the recent addition of Latitude notebooks to our n-series family, read Direct2Dell from one of Dell's Linux solution architects, or visit http://www.dell.com/linux and http://www.dell.com/nseries.

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/ide astorm/ideasinaction?c=us&l=en&s=gen

Linux Options
It's exciting to see the IdeaStorm community's interest in open source solutions like Linux and OpenOffice. Your feedback has been all about flexibility and we have seen a consistent request to provide platforms that allow people to install their operating system of choice. We are listening, and as a result, we are working with Novell to certify our corporate client products for Linux, including our OptiPlex desktops, Latitude notebooks and Dell Precision workstations. This is another step towards ensuring that our customers have a good experience with Linux on our systems.

As this community knows, there is no single customer preference for a distribution of Linux. In the last week, the IdeaStorm community suggested more than half a dozen distributions. We don't want to pick one distribution and alienate users with a preference for another. We want users to have the opportunity to help define the market for Linux on desktop and notebook systems. In addition to working with Novell, we are also working with other distributors and evaluating the possibility of additional certifications across our product line. We are continuing to investigate your other Linux-related ideas, so please continue to check here for updates.

To read about the recent addition of Latitude notebooks to our n-series family, read Direct2Dell from one of Dell's Linux solution architects, or visit http://www.dell.com/linux and http://www.dell.com/nseries.

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/ide astorm/ideasinaction?c=us&l=en&s=gen

Linux Options
It's exciting to see the IdeaStorm community's interest in open source solutions like Linux and OpenOffice. Your feedback has been all about flexibility and we have seen a consistent request to provide platforms that allow people to install their operating system of choice. We are listening, and as a result, we are working with Novell to certify our corporate client products for Linux, including our OptiPlex desktops, Latitude notebooks and Dell Precision workstations. This is another step towards ensuring that our customers have a good experience with Linux on our systems.

As this community knows, there is no single customer preference for a distribution of Linux. In the last week, the IdeaStorm community suggested more than half a dozen distributions. We don't want to pick one distribution and alienate users with a preference for another. We want users to have the opportunity to help define the market for Linux on desktop and notebook systems. In addition to working with Novell, we are also working with other distributors and evaluating the possibility of additional certifications across our product line. We are continuing to investigate your other Linux-related ideas, so please continue to check here for updates.

To read about the recent addition of Latitude notebooks to our n-series family, read Direct2Dell from one of Dell's Linux solution architects, or visit http://www.dell.com/linux and http://www.dell.com/nseries.

Nice troll asshat (hey, ad hominem is the way to go right Mr brain transplant buddy?). Also did you even try to search for "Linux workstations" on Dells site and go from there? Follow your own advice and try it. It lands you on a results page with some Precision Desktops that can be configured with either Windows Vista or Windows XP -- NO LINUX OPTION. Not to mention I didn't say anything about searching their site, I mentioned navigating their site. You should learn to read.

"Your lack of any fundamental understanding of basic business principles is exceeded only by your the "badness" of your writing."And that my friend is the definition of irony.

And it looks like that they are already selling workstations with Linux pre-installed:

http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx /precn_n?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

they could even call it 'dellinux'

and control updates.

and control package sets.

they already have a bunch of linux stuff: http://linux.dell.com/ so why not just make the final step?

theres a ton of completely open source distros managed and maintained entirely by volunteers, so why couldnt a multinational like dell do the same?

Doesn't matter to the community if they can't find a distro that has support for all their hardware. Doesn't doesn't matter if Dell can't offer any support yet.

That may be the cheapest you could find at that moment, and at that level, but Dell has discounts all the time on various models. Perhaps I don't want a Sempron, maybe I want the Athlon X2. Go here:

http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx /dimen_e521?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

The far right model is typically around $419 w/ free shipping. I doubt that you can build it for cheaper than that (adding the X2 instead of the Sempron, a 160GB HD instead of 80GB, and an extra 512MB DIMM is more than $57).

And yet it is highly similar to a $400 Dell. Same processor (AMD Sempron) same HD space. No, it's not a great computer. It's a cheap computer.

http://configure.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c= ca&CS=CADHS1&l=en&oc=C521SB_R_E

Meanwhile, Dell has a system that uses a SATA drive rather than your outdated IDE drive, a faster processor, a DVD-ROM (which you did not include), faster memory, and a 1 year warranty for only 20 dollars more.

http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx /dimen_essential?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

I build my own systems for the same reasons noted above: for high end stuff, I can build a nicer box for less money than Dell can. Plus, the cases you buy off the shelf tend to be easier to work with than Dell's, which seem designed specifically to discourage tinkering. For the low end, though, might as well just stick with Dell.

• processor - $53
• RAM - $38.99
• Hard Drive - $55
• DVD-ROM - $24.99 (new)
• Chasis (with power supply) - $42.80
• Motherboard - $124 (new)
• USB mouse and keyboard - about $25

*sigh* Do we have to do this every time, twit?

Rather than quote your paragraphs in their entirity, let's just number them for your convenience.

Paragraph 1: You're asking completely the wrong question. It isn't, nor should it ever be, what does X have that isn't useful to Y. The question is, what does Y have that can't be supported by X. In business terms, OSX is an incredibly locked-down system, far more so than you claim Windows to be. What specialist hardware has OSX support that Apple didn't make? Close to none. You get what you're given and if you want anything more you're shit out of luck.

Paragraph 2: Microsoft fits what big companies need because everyone else uses Microsoft, and they already use Microsoft. You're right that this perpetuates itself but there is no incentive to any company to retrain their staff at their own expense and convenience on new systems and interfaces when they're currently on a system that works, however poorly your imagination wants to paint it. No matter how much you say it's a jump in usability from XP to Vista, XP to Linux is a chasm that no company wants to jump, and distro choice is a minefield that no company wants to pick their way through.

Paragraph 3: Legacy doesn't just go away because you wish it to be so. Your rhetoric about dollars spent on non-free software rings true, but your claims of compatibility do not. I also direct your attention to the post I replied to you with where I pointed out the problems of supporting free software on the same scale that Windows is supported at the moment, and how the increase in the marketshare that you espouse is completely unworkable. You responded to that by quoting a single line that tried vainly to make me sound like I hate users and open source, which is not only not true but completely avoided addressing the issues I raised. Your second attempt is welcomed.

Paragraph 4: They can sell Linux or Windows PCs, and I believe Dell now do. Nobody is getting screwed and people have the choice. If the choice isn't taken, it says more about the alternative than it does about the status quo.

Because Best Buy, Fry's, Circuit City, Dell, and any other retailer that matters don't have a demo unit setup nor do they advertise that is is sold.

Don't give me this BS that Dell offers Linux because if it isn't here, it doesn't exist.

I'm about as anti-MS as one can get but I also reailze their importance in the marketplace.
MS is obviously crippling 3rd party malware protection yet their own package fails to make the mark even though they have the advantage.

I've consistently said that MS has crappy programmers and this proves it. That comment is not an attack on the employees but a dig at the finished product which is a reflection on the programmers.
The individuals who program may have talent but when it comes to the committee that puts it all together, it's a mish mash of crap.

I setup an OEM Vista installation last week which was my first exposure to Vista.
Is it better than XP SP2? Didn't seem so to me.
Visually appealing theme wise? I think so. Much better than the default XP theme.
I didn't get all those annoying permission popups when trying to create and delete files that was reported earlier. The popups I did get I didn't feel like it was an intrusion as I didn't get too many unless I was trying to install something.
With 2Gigs of ram, it did seem to perform slower than XP SP2 with 512MB of ram. Wow. That's the perception that matters to the end user too.

What's wrong with Vista is that it's too wordy.
The security center is too confusing for the end user and too wordy.
The popups are too wordy and not intuitively selectable. You get 2 or so choices on popups that don't appear to be decision making selections yet it is asking a question and awaiting an answer.

The other thing that really never bothered me before but Vista does it wrong (on my first impression) is the left-mouse/right-mouse selections.
I don't remember exactly but I was trying to look at network properties or something like that and double left click was different than right click > properties. Much different than XP and before.
What I remember was that what I wanted didn't happen when I selected it making me to have to remember how to get the proper properties of a particular object.
At that moment I finally realized why the Mac had only 1 button on their mouse.

A dell inspirion starts at $599.

But you're talking about retail vs OEM. It's kinda like how a car is actually worth more parted out than sold as a single unit.

It's probably also a much better unit than the 15" model on the $600 laptop.

I originally posted that article, and I will NEVER buy from Dell again. I also own a small corporation. It is so clear that Dell is violating the antitrust settlement with Microsoft here, it's not even funny. I buy all my gear from TigerDirect.ca now, and NONE of it is Dell. I just loved the Indian call center by the way, nice touch not being able to understand a god darned word of what the people supporting you are saying.

Three links for you Dell, consider these the 3 ghosts of Christmas from a Christmas Carol

1.
https://membership2.dell.com/macanada/signin.aspx? s=gen&l=en&c=ca&cs=cadhs1

Server Error in '/' Application.
The resource cannot be found.

I can't even log into my dell account because of Windows.

2.
http://www.linuxworldcanada.com/
I asked Dell on camera at Linux world in Toronto 3 years ago why they wouldn't preload linux on inspirons, and off camera they told me about the deal with Microsoft. LITERALLY. I turned the dv cam back on shortly after and chronicled it. I will publicly republish this film in a short time.

3.
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/05/26/185522 5&tid=109

Offering rebates to AMERICAN companies to keep competitors off of affordable retail hardware is not within the bounds of the DOJ settlement, and Dell KNOWS it.

This is in clear violation of a settlement your partners took with the US DOJ.
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/f9400/9495.htm

Dell can pound dirt and cry for all I care. They deserve it for helping Microsoft to destroy our freedom of choice and diverse American tech.

The Ghost of Xmas future is here Dell, do you want to right some wrongs, or do you want to make love to Steve Ballmer? You decide.

Hey Dell, DUDE, I'm getting apache! https://membership2.dell.com/macanada/signin.aspx? s=gen&l=en&c=ca&cs=cadhs1 Server Error in '/' Application. The resource cannot be found. Yes, I am a customer, wait no, I was a customer. I just tried logging into my Dell.ca account to file an official complaint but the frail and fragile IIS and Windows server couldn't take the ASCII HTTP POST beating that the login button seemed to present. Who the hell runs critical applications on Windows?

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx ?config_data=&c=us&cs=04&fb=1&kc=9&l=en&oc=bwcweg6 &X=9&Y=6

now you can have all 4 gb
(check the os)

Dell is paying consumers to use Windows! The exact same Dell Latitude D520 Notebook costs $48 MORE if it comes with no operating system than if it comes with Windows.

The laptop loaded with Windows XP costs $699, while the same laptop and configuration loaded with no operating system costs $747. Note that you must change the following two hardware options on the web page showing laptop without an OS so that they match the hardware options found by default for the Windows laptop: Hard drive=60GB 5400RPM and Modular Bay Optical="8X DVD".

So it seems that Windows has a negative price tag as far as Dell is concerned! It looks like Dell is still subsidizing Microsoft for every Windows-free laptop they sell. I'm getting my laptop from System76 -- they sell excellent quality Linux laptops, desktops, and servers. They also have a great support team that cares about Linux and open source.

Dell is paying consumers to use Windows! The exact same Dell Latitude D520 Notebook costs $48 MORE if it comes with no operating system than if it comes with Windows.

The laptop loaded with Windows XP costs $699, while the same laptop and configuration loaded with no operating system costs $747. Note that you must change the following two hardware options on the web page showing laptop without an OS so that they match the hardware options found by default for the Windows laptop: Hard drive=60GB 5400RPM and Modular Bay Optical="8X DVD".

So it seems that Windows has a negative price tag as far as Dell is concerned! It looks like Dell is still subsidizing Microsoft for every Windows-free laptop they sell. I'm getting my laptop from System76 -- they sell excellent quality Linux laptops, desktops, and servers. They also have a great support team that cares about Linux and open source.

This is the third or fourth posting about this in the last couple weeks and it is a total waste of time. DELL ALREADY SELLS COMPUTERS WITH RHEL. Go to Dell and check out their "n" series. We have over 200 Dell 450n/470n/490n Precision workstations that came with RHEL on them (we wiped them and install our own custom Debian build). We also have two racks of their blades (PowerEdge 1855) that are running 64-bit Ubuntu. Dell only provides hardware support for these systems. If you have RHEL problems, you call Dell and they transfer your to Red Hat (since we wipe RHEL off the systems, we are own our own).

Please, please, please Dell and Slashdot editors: just admit it, Dell already sells Linux. Stop these nonsensical postings about corporate posturing.

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetail s.aspx/xpsnb_m2010?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19/

Might fit the bill.

They sell those in the US now.
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/e 510_nseries?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn
There is a lot of the whole "eh? linux, say no more" wink wink nudge nudge going on there.
Still seems like they are affraid MS is going to bite them on the ass for this though.
I wish MS would try it, then Dell would just be like "Shit guys, we have to go ALL Linux now or fold up shop"
Would be the best called bluff ever.

Because they're ridiculously overpriced.

You should really be looking at lunchbox machines. It's a portable form factor that puts a more-or-less-standard motherboard behind an LCD panel, with a bunch of slots and usually a few drive bays. Next Computing's offerings seem to top out at 16GB, but that's at least a little headroom.

If you're stuck on the traditional battery-powered laptop form factor, Dell even offers a 4GB-capable machine, though like all 32-bit machines, it sets aside some of that for device address space, leaving you with about 3GB for apps.

nope 599. http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx /dimen_e520?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

Try configuring a Dell D520 with Windows and a Dell 520 without Windows. Select the same hardware options on both. (Note that the default for the non-Windows machine is a 40GB hard drive and a CD drive only, but the default for the Windows machine is a 60GB hard drive and a DVD drive. Adjust options to match.)

With Microsoft: $699. Without Microsoft: $747.

And Dell won't even install Linux. They give you FreeDOS.

Try configuring a Dell D520 with Windows and a Dell 520 without Windows. Select the same hardware options on both. (Note that the default for the non-Windows machine is a 40GB hard drive and a CD drive only, but the default for the Windows machine is a 60GB hard drive and a DVD drive. Adjust options to match.)

With Microsoft: $699. Without Microsoft: $747.

And Dell won't even install Linux. They give you FreeDOS.

The laptop loaded with Windows XP costs $699, while the same laptop and configuration loaded with no operating system costs $747.

The laptop loaded with Windows XP costs $699, while the same laptop and configuration loaded with no operating system costs $747.

Being as how Alienware is now owned by Dell and all.

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetail s.aspx/precn_390?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04

From the link:
Operating System

Microsoft Windows Vista
Genuine Windows Vista(TM) Ultimate
Genuine Windows Vista(TM) Business
Genuine Windows® XP Professional
Genuine Windows® XP Professional x64 Edition
Red Hat® Enterprise Linux WS v.4 (EM64T)

Idiot Slashdot readers indeed. This has been available on Precision desktops for YEARS people!

Dell is paying consumers to use Windows! The exact same Dell Latitude D520 Notebook costs $48 MORE if it comes with no operating system than if it comes with Windows. Here are the specs and links to Dell's online shop:

Processor: Intel® Core(TM) 2 Duo T5500 (1.66GHz) 2M L2 Cache, 667Mhz Dual Core
LCD Panel: 14.1 inch XGA LCD Panel
Memory: 512MB, DDR2-533 SDRAM
Hard drive: 60GB 5400RPM
Modular Bay Optical: 8X DVD
Wi-Fi Wireless Card: Dell Wireless(TM) 1390 802.11g Mini Card
All other options: set to "none".

The laptop loaded with Windows XP costs $699, while the same laptop and configuration loaded with no operating system costs $747.

So it seems that Windows has a negative price tag as far as Dell is concerned! That's hardy Linux friendly or even consumer friendly. It's downright rotten, and I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't going to end up in an anti-trust lawsuit against Dell and Microsoft.

Dell is paying consumers to use Windows! The exact same Dell Latitude D520 Notebook costs $48 MORE if it comes with no operating system than if it comes with Windows. Here are the specs and links to Dell's online shop:

Processor: Intel® Core(TM) 2 Duo T5500 (1.66GHz) 2M L2 Cache, 667Mhz Dual Core
LCD Panel: 14.1 inch XGA LCD Panel
Memory: 512MB, DDR2-533 SDRAM
Hard drive: 60GB 5400RPM
Modular Bay Optical: 8X DVD
Wi-Fi Wireless Card: Dell Wireless(TM) 1390 802.11g Mini Card
All other options: set to "none".

The laptop loaded with Windows XP costs $699, while the same laptop and configuration loaded with no operating system costs $747.

So it seems that Windows has a negative price tag as far as Dell is concerned! That's hardy Linux friendly or even consumer friendly. It's downright rotten, and I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't going to end up in an anti-trust lawsuit against Dell and Microsoft.

As if anyone needs reminding, the caption in Dell's ideas in action page says "Dell recommends Windows Vista(TM) Business." Will Dell soon be recommending Novell's distro, together with its nonesensical patent-indemnification FUD?

Actually, sir, you do. Dell's 3007WFP was one of the first monitors to support HDCP over DVI.

Look under Ports: http://accessories.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx ?c=us&cs=19&l=en&sku=222-0863&~section=specs

95% of my friends meet the minimum requirements. But as anyone with less an A+ cert knows the minimum requirements aren't actually enough to run the program productively. They always complain how slow XP is, even though they more than exceed its min requirements. Take a look at Dells little chart, you'll notice that the recommended is a dual core chip, none of my friends will ever buy one of those things. Their computers are closer to Vista "capable" so they'll only be able to, and I quote, " Booting the Operating System, without running applications or games." So don't tell me Vista doesn't have ridiculous hardware requirements.

http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/sol utions/en/winvista?c=us&cs=&l=en&s=dhs

Heck, even Dell says 512MB is enough for a Vista "Capable" system!

Umm... just ignore that "Great for..." bit in the table. It's still *capable* damnit!

But the iPhone is less than 1/10th of a PowerEdge 2900 ($7k)! And the PowerEdge doesn't even come with a touch screen!
But the iPhone is less than 1/100th of a 2007 BMW M5 ($80k)! And it's 1000th of the size!
But the iPhone is less than 1/100000th of No. 5, 1948 ($140M)! And the iPhone can take pictures!

And finally...

The iPhone is as expensive as a Boba Fett Blaster Signature Edition Prop Replica ($679.99), and 10 times as functional!

How can you pass??

• Optiplex desktops
• Latitude notebooks
• Precision workstations
• Precision mobile workstations

• Dimensions and Inspirons have lower-cost outsourced support (last time I checked) while the "real" business models get North American-based support (3 years by default for desktops).
• Dims and Insps have more bundled "shovelware" which some novices appreciate but business buyers abhor. It's also rumored that Dell gets paid by shovelware companies, which lowers prices and makes novice buyers happier.
• Business models are supposed to be more stable and reliable.

• Optiplex desktops
• Latitude notebooks
• Precision workstations
• Precision mobile workstations

• Dimensions and Inspirons have lower-cost outsourced support (last time I checked) while the "real" business models get North American-based support (3 years by default for desktops).
• Dims and Insps have more bundled "shovelware" which some novices appreciate but business buyers abhor. It's also rumored that Dell gets paid by shovelware companies, which lowers prices and makes novice buyers happier.
• Business models are supposed to be more stable and reliable.

• Optiplex desktops
• Latitude notebooks
• Precision workstations
• Precision mobile workstations

• Dimensions and Inspirons have lower-cost outsourced support (last time I checked) while the "real" business models get North American-based support (3 years by default for desktops).
• Dims and Insps have more bundled "shovelware" which some novices appreciate but business buyers abhor. It's also rumored that Dell gets paid by shovelware companies, which lowers prices and makes novice buyers happier.
• Business models are supposed to be more stable and reliable.