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The interesting thing to me is that the Linux version costs the same as the identical Windows version. In past Linux system offerings from Dell, the Linux system was actually more expensive than the Windows system!

The interesting thing to me is that the Linux version costs the same as the identical Windows version. In past Linux system offerings from Dell, the Linux system was actually more expensive than the Windows system!

Just for fun and to see if it existed, I tried http://www.dell.com/linux/ and it brought up a page full of information about Dell Linux products and information.

But it is interesting to note that on the http://www.dell.com/ page, there is nothing about Linux.
Maybe Dell could add a link to Linux on their root page? Just a thought.

Just for fun and to see if it existed, I tried http://www.dell.com/linux/ and it brought up a page full of information about Dell Linux products and information.

But it is interesting to note that on the http://www.dell.com/ page, there is nothing about Linux.
Maybe Dell could add a link to Linux on their root page? Just a thought.

They are called "Open Source Desktops" or "n-Series" -- I see a link right on the Small Business Desktop page.

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/compare.a spx/desktops_n?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

Apparently, you can get a $449 Dell laptop (Inspiron B120) with free shipping & handling till 3/1

Apparently, you can get a $449 Dell laptop (Inspiron B120) with free shipping & handling till 3/1

I've been using Eagle, but with the board size limit of 3x4 inches in the free version, and a $400 price tag to exceed this limit, it is time to consider a Free Open Source Software alternative.

Be a man! Build the next great super computer but, build it on a 3x4 inch board. Make it cheap ^H^H^H^H^H cost effective too! You'll be rich. You'll keep using the Eagle software you're familiar with. It won't cost you anything. I'll finally have a computer that is an acceptable size.

Seriously. Look at mobile phones like the Motorola Razr and SLVR then why the hell is my PC a big old honking box. Even the ultraslim Sony Vaio laptop is large by today's standards. Make a SMALL PC you bastards!!!*&^%$$##!@#$%^&*

I'm sorry. What was your question?

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx ?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=DB110RF1&s=dhs

celeron D 325 / intel extreme graphics 2 /512MB DDR / 80GB HD/ 15in flat panel /XP home

however one huge and lame problem would be only 3x PCI slots (no agp or PCI express slot for video upgrades)

but if you didn't need a gaming pc.. this thing is like $437.94 shipped (free shipping right now) when it comes to low end pc's ... I usually steer clients towards OEM boxes ... because It is impossible for me to make it worth my time to build a budget box for them.

that said if the computer was for my personal use... i would build it rather than get the dell.

I love Minis (I own 2) but Ars' $525 price includes a 15" Acer LCD ($178) and $16 for keyboard & mouse. (Also, $81 of that is for XP Home.) And Dell has boxes for $249. ($349 minus $50 MIR minus $50 for no monitor.) Improving its specs (512 MB RAM, DVD burner, 1 year warranty) still brings it in at $408. I won't split hairs about FireWire, modem, keyboard, OS, etc. if you won't. :-)

How about the case where Dell sues Paul Dell?

That because you keep focusing on Servers. A couple of servers without windows won't hurt the numbers, but the bread and butter for volume sales is the consumer level hardware. With that made clear, I want the Dell Ultimate Gaming Rig.

I can customize it 6 ways from Sunday, but I CANT get it without Windows.. This is not a unique example, pretty much the only consumer level boxs available without windows are the Dimension 5150, 3100 or 1100 series. Why? Because Dell is pushing Windows on majority consumers to keep its volume high and margin more profitable.

This is not conspiracy or even some hidden MS coercion, it's just plain business.

Amazingly enough for the first time ever that I've ever seen, you can get a real discount of $30 by going linux from Dell (but only the previously mentioned models). Last time I checked (about 6 months ago), the linux boxs had the exact same price as an equivelant hardware version with Windows XP home (you have to fiddle with the customization to get them the same) indicating that even the Linux box had the price of Windows tacked on.

I'm going to echo other's observations that your friend's laptop was likely defective. The 600M is, at least as of today, based on the Celeron M processor, and that should actually run pretty cool.

I was somewhat amused by this article because I actually read it on an Inspiron 6000, running on a Pentium M, which I use as a true laptop (i.e., on my lap) for many hours a day. I run Gentoo on it, so I'm often compiling and such. I have no idea why anybody would need a "Lapinator" for this laptop; if I max out the CPU and burn a DVD and everything else all at the same time, it takes about an hour to get to "slightly uncomfortable".

Many, many other laptops get much warmer just idling, such as my POS Compaq Presario 600, than the Inspiron 6000 gets going flat out. No exaggeration, as I can handle the Inspiron going flat out, whereas the Presario on idle after half an hour has to get off my lap.

I definately recommend the 6000 to anyone interested in a cool laptop. (Although it's a pity they seem to have discontinued the 1650x1050 option; jeeze, people, won't somebody buy the higher resolution options? They're getting harder to find every month...)

Of course, I can always stay late, take the PC apart, remove the hard drive, take it home and copy it, come in early the next day and re-install it. But that's just naughty.

Plus, a company like yours is probably using the chassis intrusion detection system that comes with most corporate PCs. Oops. :-)

Will they get XP if their system does not meet the requirements? Surely Dell will sell a low-end machine that might not have the hardware to run Vista? Or worse yet, they sell a machine that meets the minimal requirements, and performs like a dog.

However, when Vista is finally sent to manufacturers for their Christmas shopping season PCs, I don't think this will be a problem. The current low-end chipset with integrated graphics, the 945GZ, will have no problem running Vista. However, even six months from now, this platform will undoubtedly be a little more expensive than what Dell pays today. So Dell PCs will probably start at $300-$350 instead of $250-$300.

Another cheap option for Dell (assuming they stick to Intel) is to use an old legacy AGP chipset without integrated graphics (like the 848P) and use a cheap Vista-capable AGP card like a GeForce FX5200 or Radeon 9500. I think this is less likely, even if it is cheaper, because of the added support costs of a platform without integrated graphics.

1. Solid reliablity.
2. First choice of corporate America.
3. You're in control. Windows 2000 doesn't talk to the Internet unless told to do so.
4. Works fine with Firefox and Thunderbird.
5. Fully supported by Dell
6. Runs under Xen, for casual Windows use in Linux shops.
7. Compatible with existing hardware.
8. No annoying update pop-ups from the operating system.
9. Interoperates well with Linux and MacOS X.
10. All files can be backed up to tape and restored.

Windows 2000 - the all-business operating system for the new millenium.

Well, Dell, Gateway, and IBM certaintly do [have Dial-A-Geek tech support for the life of the warranty].

Prove it. Just about any one of the major vendors will have a 90-day, 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, and 4-year warranty. There are a number of quid pro quo issues with warranty information, and if you're concerned about fairness, then let's be fair. Actually, you smell like trollbait to me, but anyway...

Dell's one-year limited warranty.
Here's how you can contact Gateway with your Technical Support issue. Notice the convenient link for upgrading your warranty. Wonder where it goes...DOH!
Here's the Gateway 1-year limited warranty (pdf).
And, for the record, here's Apple's one-year limited warranty.

Just compare and contrast the three warranties for a moment. They're mostly just legalese, but as far as legal documents go, I like something Apple's warranty lists in the first paragraph:

If a hardware defect arises and a valid claim is received within the Warranty Period, at its option, Apple will either:
(1) repair the hardware defect at no charge, using new or refurbished replacement parts, or
(2) exchange the product with a product that is new or which has been manufactured from new or serviceable used parts and is at least functionally equivalent to the original product, or
(3) refund the purchase price of the product.

Nice and easy. And not all that hard to read, considering it's legal information. By the way, I'm not going to waste my time surfing the horrid IBM website to pull up warranty information. Suffice to say that you ain't gonna get one year of free Dial-A-Geek access just because you bought a ThinkPad. You want to study more truth, go here and find the relevant warranty.

Dude when is the last time you have delt (sic) with Apple? The way you claim to be treated has NEVER been a policy with apple (sic).

The last time I dealt with Apple was November 2005, when I went into an Apple Store in Chicago to get replacement feet for my 14" iBook. Like I mentioned before, I walked out with two sets of replacement feet (that's 8 feet), still in the ServiceSource packages. I paid zilch (that's $0.00). I didn't fill out any paperwork, and I didn't get a receipt. All I did was bring my laptop and my request. Walked out satisfied.

And you're probably right. "Policy" is a strong word -- it would suggest that everyone should expect to be treated the same way. I rather think of it as "courtesy." Maybe only those who give courtesy get it, I don't know. Maybe I'm lucky. Or witty, clever, and charming. Or not. All I know for sure is that anytime I've needed anything from Apple (and that's been quite a lot -- I've been an Apple customer since 1981), I always came away satisfied. Maybe it's because I'm knowledgeable enough to avoid buying crappy Performa stuff or consumer-branded (read: low-end) also-ran products. I buy best-of-breed, and I've always gotten a satisfactory return in Apple's support response and product quality. And I really don't think my anecdotal experience is in any way unique. You and that other fellow, however...

You must be a master of persuasion.

Well, thank you. I am also rather good-looking.

I personally know several authorised service providers and none of them would offer this level of service. They pay for these feet. And they are giving them to you for free? Did you even buy the laptop from them? If it was an apple store, do you see what is going on here?

Uh, yeah. Free feet. Actually, that's no

You are hallucinating.

1. Business purchasers are consumers. Deal with it. IBM has millions of TPM systems deployed with software that actually makes use of the TPM module. Using your definition, educational institutions and the publishing industry are also not "mainstream consumers." Frankly, you're also ignoring the large numbers of individuals that buy IBM laptops because they're high quality and nigh indestructible.

2. The number of Windows based systems with installed TPM modules dwarfs anything that Apple has shipped in the last few months, even if you exclude IBM. Dell sells them. Fujitsu sells them (E8000, S7000, P1500, ST50XX. B6000, T4000). (Here's a whole list of manufacturers that have shipped TPM modules in Windows based machines.

3. Really, knock off the drugs. Intel invented USB. Intel pushed USB. Intel rammed USB down every whitebox manufacturer's throat well before Apple introduced its USB keyboards and mouse with those candy colored iMacs in January 2002. I have Microsoft USB keyboards that are older than that. Roundup of USB optical mice from August 2000.

Now that I've addressed the specific points therein, I'd appreciate external references to things that give sales numbers, introduction dates, and other points that prove that Apple got either of those technologies on the market before Windows PC suppliers. Otherwise, have a nice day, and seek counseling.

Dell offers this service. Dell Download Center

Not sure how good it is, but it's there, and they offer a lot of products. Not everything is there, but a growing number of things are.

The Dell XPS 600 Renegade has a dual-core intel 955 @ 4.26 Ghz:
        http://www.dell.com/html/us/products/ces/index.htm

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features. aspx/inspn_9400?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

Maybe not for consumers yet, but it is on their small business store. HP has a model listed too, but it only has Intel Graphics Accelerator chip using shared RAM, so probably won't be good for Vista. Dells at least has an NVidia offering that is decent, a 256MB GeForce Go 7800.

Ack...wrong link. Here's the product page.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82 E16813188002

Also.. check out some of these:

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productlisting. aspx?spagenum=&category_id=4347&brandid=&k=&c=us&l =en&cs=19&mnf=&prst=&prEnd=&mnfsku=&orderby=&searc htype=&pageb4search=&page=productlisting.aspx&inst ock=&refurbished=

Does it run Linux....

I don't know if the rocket itself runs Linux, but Dell's website cites SpaceX as an example of a company which uses Linux for high-performance computing. From Dell's site:

SpaceX uses an eight-node cluster of Dell PowerEdge 1855 blade servers with Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Infiniband switches to further the company's mission to dramatically reduce the cost and increase the reliability of access to space. With this cluster, SpaceX should be able to reduce the time needed to run computational aerodynamics simulations, structural analyses and trajectory optimizations. More information on SpaceX is available at www.spacex.com;

Are you serious? You want a multi-monitor gaming rig, but you'll use ethernet between them? Wow.

For under $1k(decimal) US, I'll set you up with an SLI or Crossfire rig with 4 DVI outputs. You can span displays to your heart's content.

Personally i'd like to get 4 of these in a 2x2 wall mounted configuration.

You can get a new computer with operating system for $328 or .

And Win95/Win98 will run Firefox just fine. So they don't have to upgrade their OS or spend a penny. They just have to give a crap enough to spend 10 minutes to stay semi-current (within the last 5 years would be nice).

for example: Dell Axim X51v

... and I just ordered a Duo laptop about 2 hours ago from here

(I know these bugs probably won't affect my system all that much, but its just funny spending $3k on a laptop, only to read about "issues" a couple of hours later).
 

So actually I did check Dell's site because I couldn't really believe there were no PS2 ports ... it looks to be true amazingly enough, although on some systems you can get them as an option. I don't see a serial port or par. port either on this cheapish model.

Agreed. I'm glad to see that there is some competition amongst the processor companies, even if that competition is just x86s and all of the other architectures are dead (some of us are still a bit bitter over the loss of MIPS, ALPHA, PowerPC, etc.). AMD has done a great job with the x86-64 extensions (so great, the Intel adopted them to design their own x86-64 chips), and AMD is committed to raw performance per dollar. Intel, as you stated, has done an outstanding job with chips for laptops and other low-power computers, and are committed to performance per watts. If I had the money, I'd buy myself a nice dual-core Athlon 64 desktop and a nice MacBook Pro or Dell Inspiron 9400. I have a desktop that burns through heavy tasks, and a laptop that is powerful yet doesn't roast my organs. The competiton helps drive improvements in both performance and in power consumption in PCs, and also drives prices down (especially their low end stuff).

A decently packaged dual-processor laptop for Windows XP for $2000 doesn't sound like a bad deal to me.

As much as I hate to counter my Apple-centric views in a public forum, I'm obliged to point out that the Dell Store Canada (NOT the US store) is selling the Inspiron 9400 - a laptop with the same price as the Macbook, but with a (marginally) better configuration.

Anyone know why the Dell Store US seems to not be aware of this laptop? I would think they'd want to push this pretty hard with all the fanfare around Apple's new system, but as far as I've seen, no one's mentioned this yet.

I was going to make a snarky comment about how I haven't seen a non-upgradable OEM ystem in years.

Then I did my research, and here's the $299 system (after $50 rebate), the Dimension B110. According to Dell's site, it has integrated Intel graphics. According to this guy, the board has no PCI-E or AGP slot, making it virtually a dead-end system.

I stand corrected.


On the flip side, I've built decent Athlon systems, with 256 MB RAM, decent HDD, and on board (but upgradable video) for under $350. They weren't computing powerhouses by any stretch of the imagination, but the box has served as a fairly decent workstation for almost 3 years now, and video and RAM has been upgraded.

It's difficult to get the monitor comparison exactly fair since Apple doesn't elaborate on their monitor technology and I don't have time to research it, but you can at least get them the exact same size (15.4). Even then, with Intel's best CPU and Apple's best dual core Yonah, Apple offers a better price, ceteris paribus (roughly):

Dell Latitude D810 PERFORMANCE (from Dell Small Business Store): $2,592
Ideal owner: Customers requiring maximum performance and advanced features for demanding applications
15.4 inch UltraSharp Wide Screen WSXGA+ LCD Panel
Intel® Pentium® M Processor 780 (2.26GHz)
ATI RADEON X600 128MB
1.0GB 533MHz, DDRII SDRAM, 2 DIMMS - Dual Channel
100GB Hard Drive, 9.5MM, 7200RPM
8X DVD+/-RW w/ Sonic Digital Media and Cyberlink PowerDVD
Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200 802.11b/g WLAN miniPCI Card
Windows® XP Professional
Starting at 6.49 lbs6 and 1.6" thin; 1.6"(h) x 14.2"(w) x 10.3"(d)


Apple MacBook Pro: $2,399.00
15.4-inch TFT display with 1440x900 resolution
1.83GHz Intel Core Duo with 2MB shared L2 Cache
667MHz frontside bus
1GB 667 DDR2 - 2x512 SO-DIMMs
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 256MB GDDR3 memory
100GB 5400rpm Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-load SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
AirPort Extreme Card & Bluetooth
Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
OS X 10.4 Tiger
5.6 pounds
Footprint 14.1 x 9.6 inches
Thickness 1.0 inches (2.59 cm)

Another example of the Mac Cult, are the people who buy the Apple cinema views, when Dell is selling the same basic model for much cheaper. Why? Again, style and name.

I just kinda screwed up and gave the lower-spec Inspiron page... it looks like you can't really get the 'full specs' page for the higher-end Inspiron on it's own. Very much to Dell's credit, probably ( though I know some like their notebooks smaller, and MacBook is smaller ), it has the larger screen size in fully-decked-out-mode. But it is also actually more expensive, by over $190, and I'm not sure everyone would agree that the larger screen and 4 more USB ports are worth that, especially if you factor in the OS X/iLife difference...

But my point is this: as much as many of us think of it as expensive, it's not. It's *exactly* comparable to a similar laptop from Dell. It's time for folks like the original poster on this thread to wake up and realize that Apple is simply re-branding Intel hardware like everyone else, and surprise, surprise, charging the same mark-ups on that hardware as everyone else.

BTW, I'm not overly fanatic about Apple *hardware*, although I do think it's above-average; I'd be very happy for someone to point out a Core Duo laptop with all the stuff the MacBook has for less. It's just that I saw the OP's claim, noticed that it lacked anything to back it up, and decided to check Dell's website for Core Duo laptops... and did not find anything that made the MacBook look really overpriced. Really, I'm a bit shocked I found that to be the case... I thought for sure the Dell would be $200 cheaper, not $200 more expensive.

What's really interesting to me is that both Dell and Apple have exactly one laptop using the Core Duo processors ( the Inspiron and MacBook, respectively ), and that they're priced almost identically in two different configurations ( $1999 and well, almost identically : $2690/$2499 )... the only difficulty in comparing the laptops really is that the Dell has a larger screen, doesn't come with DVD+-R in the $1999 version, uses only the 1.8Ghz speed, and... who needs six USB ports on their laptop, what's that all about??

In the end, the truth is, comparing 1.8Ghz Core Duo laptops from Apple and Dell... the DELL is more expensive, even though it gives you less software! All that you can say in Dell's defense is they give you a larger screen ( and a heavier laptop ) and more USB ports... am I missing something, or are those the differences ?

Are you saying this Dell Inspiron is priced too high? Because it looks somewhat comprable to the specs of the MacBook, except that it includes much less software ( nothing at all like iLife, for example ), no Bluetooth, and that $1999 price doesn't give you a DVD-R drive even. I mean, you can quibble about the details, Apple's ATI X1600 vs Dell's Invidia 7800, etc, but... they look like comprable offerings at... the *exact* same price!

Did I check that right? I can order either a Dell top-of-the-line notebook, or an Apple top-of-the-line notebook, and they cost EXACTLY the same amount ? Damn, now what do I do?!?

Well can we distinguish a workstation from a "desktop" by the CPU architecture (Intel/AMD/ppc for desktops, sparc/IBM etc for workstations)? This wouldn't be canon, of course. As far as performance is concerned, the distinction seems blurred nowadays:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workstation

Paragraph 2 below:
http://www.quepublishing.com/articles/article.asp? p=366538&rl=1



This one's a bit shady, but I'll put it in anyways:
http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/topics/topic.aspx/ ap/topics/popup/en/ws_vs_dimen?~lt=popup

We were slipstreamed into it, but I *think* the general requirement is: Pay a nominal fee and take a (completely irrelevant) test for individual certification.

See http://warrantypartsdirect.dell.com/us/program/T00 00000.asp for info. We were effectively pushed into it by our Dell rep who recognized that our needs weren't being met by their standard support programs.

If you can pony up the $$, their 4-hour replacement/on-site tech gig works wonders. They have parts depots and techs all over the world.

Now, I know you will reword your statement, for the future, to be more specific. The question is, will you still claim that you've been saying it for years?

Dell will not ship an AMD CPU.

Really?

Wow.. they must be fortune tellers.. or something.

How's this one?

No, according to this chart. It also lacks the picture-in-a-picture feature that I did not realize that the less huge Dell monitors have.

Still, it's a really cool product, and I am still leaning toward requesting one.

Cheaper to buy it from Dell Canada at $1,999 AKA $1665US or so.

http://accessories.dell.com/sna/ProductDetail.aspx ?sku=222-0863&c=ca&l=en&cs=CABSDT1&category_id=619 8&first=true&page=productlisting.aspx

http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/products/productde tails.aspx/monitor_3007wfp?c=ca&cs=CABSDT1&l=en&s= bsd

Worst of all: It's uglier and more expensive than Apple's 30 in Cinema Display.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/A ppleStore?family=AppleDisplays

against

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/productde tails.aspx/monitor_3007wfp?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx ?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=W3007&s=dhs

There's more expensive cables and cards from Dell, too.

I'd rather buy the Apple with my educational discount (just $2,299 with the cable) and works with my Powerbook's graphics card.

No dead pixels on my Dell 24", thank &deity;. No idea how reliable the 30" is there (I don't plan on getting it anyhow).

I wonder how ATI takes it when Dell only recommends five specific nVidia cards for the screen.

(Interestingly, nothing on TV inputs, if any; actually seems to pass the "no HDCP to pay companies to restrict how I see video in full quality" test.)

Unless I'm missing something, Apple's 30" doesn't have HDCP, while Dell's does. If I'm going to drop this kind of cash on a monitor, I'm going to want it ready for Vista...

The laptop I have is an old Dell Latitude CP M233XT, circa 1997. It runs Debian Sarge... you know the one... released 5 years after Microsoft WindowsXP. I wasn't willing to shell out 200 bucks to buy XP just to find out that it would be awful, but you, me, Bill Gates, the mailman, and his dog knows that it would most likely be unusable. The machine's by no means fast, but it works fairly well and I get close to 5 hours out the 2 batteries I have for it. I use this laptop everyday for my business and I have zero complaints about usability.

Apple's most popular laptop, the iBook 12" only comes with a 20GB drive, and all of Dell's laptops start at 20GB too.

O RLY?