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I doubt they pay $200 for it, but thats what they charge

If you buy a blade server without OS specified It comes with something called "No Operating System Microsoft Configuration [Included in Price]" and is counted as Windwos servers

Look for yourselves Dell Bladeserver"

Compared with the alternatives, such as IBM's entry-level system http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/C onfiguratorDisplay?storeId=1&catalogId=-840&langId =-1&site_type=public&oiId=null&currency=USD&base=1 722-6LU&x=11&y=12/, Dell http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/compare.a spx/das_storage?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd/ or NetApp http://www.netapp.com/, add the cost of the redundant power and cooling, and ignoring the cost of trying to maintain a Linux system alongside their OS-X, Apple's price is not bad for the storage supplied.

Sometimes, it really is time to call in professionals, and spend the money to do it right. I've built some storage solutions on my old job, to support our compute clusters. They worked from an OS point of view, but even buying what were supposed to be well-regarded components resulted in more downtime than we considered acceptable, mostly from heat. In the end, as soon as we had the money, it was entirely worth it to be able to call IBM, buy their servers for disk storage, and get the better engineering in terms of cooling, drive access, and remote management, as well as the three year warranty with onsite service.

It is highly unlikely that you can screwdriver together a system with as good of airflow as major vendors who employ real engineers. As the poster said, it's a business, therefore when your data matters is not the time to hack something together with parts from NewEgg.

Really, it is easier, cheaper, unless you want AMD - then you are on your own

1. Ad-Aware SE
2. Spybot Search & Destroy
3. SpywareBlaster
4. Microsoft Anti-Spyware
5. Some Anti-Virus Program that you like (at my work, we install Norton even though it is a resource hog, but never Norton Internet Security since it eventually always fucks a computer up)

Set your Anti-virus program to scan at least weekly, and automatically update itself, Update and sca with Ad-Aware and Spybot weekly at a minimum, and update and protect with SpywareBlaster weekly at a minimum.

It is absolutely ridiculous that a person should have to do this to keep their computer running decently. We get so many Windows machines in the shop that it isn't even funny, but thusfar, whenever we have managed to convince someone to upgrade to a MacOS X machine (Typically when their Dell, Compaq, HP, E-Machines has a motherboard failure). They have came back completely excited and astonished that they don't really have to worry about spyware and viruses so much.

My reccomendation on keeping your WIndows XP machine in top performance. Go buy a high-end Mac and run VirtualPC if it can run whatever program you NEED to run (Note: Games do not count), if you cannot run your Prorgram under VPC, buy a low-end PC and keep it off the network.

Top return when searching for "AMD" on Dell's website:
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/ProductDetail.a spx?TabPage=overview&sku=A0558333&spagenum=1&categ ory_id=6197&brandid=&k=&c=us&l=en&cs=04&mnf=116&pr st=&prEnd=&mnfsku=&orderby=mfg_name%2c+short_descr iption&searchtype=&pageb4search=&page=productlisti ng.aspx&instock=&refurbished=

Also, the claim that workstations were their "first step in Linux" isn't true - I'm pretty certain that their well-hidden Linux desktops (yes, can you find a Dell desktop that runs Linux?! They do actually sell them, but it's almost impossible to find them on their site) came out years after they starting shipping Linux on their PowerEdges.

Dell to a degree are lucky because their inventory is built from off the shelf components [...] but if you look at shortages of devices such as the Sony PSP, you find that there's a trade-off between time-to-market and component availability.

There's no shortage of PSPs. They may have sold out at launch, but they are in plentiful supply now. EBGames will ship you a PSP within 24 hours, Dell will ship you a handheld next working day. And you forget the similarity between the products. Compare the Dell Axim to the Sony's PSP:

Axim: 624 MHz to 416 MHz CPU (depending on the version)
PSP: 333 MHz CPU

Axim: 64MB RAM, 128MB to 256MB ROM
PSP: 32MB RAM

Axim: Compactflash (8GB+), SDIO storage slots
PSP: Memory Stick, 1.8GB UMD disk drive

Axim: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0
PSP: Wi-Fi, Infrared, USB 2.0

Axim v51: 480x640 screen with hardware 3D acceleration (mobile Direct3D).
PSP: 480x272 acreen with hardware 3D acceleration.

Axim: Touch-sensitive screen with stylus for input.
PSP: Joypad and a couple of buttons for input.

Axim: Windows Mobile 5, Microsoft Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, etc.
PSP: 0 to 3 software titles, depending on the bundle.

Axim: $269.00 to $621.00 depending on configuration and bundle.
PSP: $249.99 to $379.96 depending on the bundle.

From a standpoint of "the components that go into them", there's not much difference between the two besides the design of the case, buttons and ergonomics (although Sony's use of an optical drive is just insane). Dell Axims certainly should be capable of running any type of software that the PSP can (hence the Quake 3 port for the Axim v50/v51 which initially runs slowly but I'm sure will improve).

Buy a consumer desktop from Dell without an OS and we'll talk.

Dell's current high end machines come with 512,

Dell's high end come with 1024k ram.
For example, Dell's Poweredge 1855 blade server doesn't even have a 512 option Here

Dell's lowest server (PowerEdge 850) which uses Intel Celeron processor sports 512. While the server that is one step (poweredge 850 enhanced) up comes with two 512 ram sticks. Here also

Dell's lowest tower server, PowerEdge SC430 which is considered entry level for first time buyers up to 10 employee's comes with 512

Dell's current high end machines come with 512,

Dell's high end come with 1024k ram.
For example, Dell's Poweredge 1855 blade server doesn't even have a 512 option Here

Dell's lowest server (PowerEdge 850) which uses Intel Celeron processor sports 512. While the server that is one step (poweredge 850 enhanced) up comes with two 512 ram sticks. Here also

Dell's lowest tower server, PowerEdge SC430 which is considered entry level for first time buyers up to 10 employee's comes with 512

Reading past the marketing words, the report is calculating the R&D expense of Intel, Oracle, EMC and RedHat.

In Dell's latest quarter, the company spent $122 million on "Research, development and engineering". Maybe I'm cynical, but I read that as a bunch of technicians testing parts and software to see if they're compatible. Not really R&D.

If my engineering experience with Dell is any indicator, the "unique knowledge and expertise" that they share is a list of requirements that their vendors have to meet. And, now and then, some of those requirements show a serious lack of understanding of the way that computers work.

-h-

Look at Dell - no R&D

The result is we are able to deliver a collective research and development investment of more than $20 billion annually to meet real customer needs. Dell engineers share their unique knowledge and expertise with counterparts at Intel, Oracle, EMC, Red Hat and other leading innovative companies. Then they assemble technologies from those companies and add a significant layer of innovation to create more powerful, more reliable and less expensive products and services.
[...]
For Dell, the approach is pragmatic and sustainable, generating more than $9 in operating income for every dollar invested in research and development.

Gretchen Miller, director of world-wide marketing for mobile systems at Dell Inc., said she didn't think a $100 laptop would be powerful enough to meet students' needs. "We don't believe it's feasible at this point to manufacture a $100 notebook that meets our quality performance standards. Those things are all customer driven," she says.

Sure Gretchen. And how much does your cheapest laptop cost?

About $499 it turns out, after rebate.

well, dell sells amd.

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productlisting. aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=04&category_id=6197&first=true&m nf=116&k=

Click the View Linux Workstations link

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

How come nobody likes the news? The 'n' series (3000n, 5150n) is $30 cheaper than the standard counterpart (3000, 5150).

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features. aspx/dimen_3000?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features. aspx/dimen_3000n?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd
You save 30 bucks if you don't need Windows. It's a good thing. Many /.ers have been complaining about prebundled Windows for years. Be happy and give some love to Dell for doing this!

No, I don't work for Dell.

How come nobody likes the news? The 'n' series (3000n, 5150n) is $30 cheaper than the standard counterpart (3000, 5150).

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features. aspx/dimen_3000?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features. aspx/dimen_3000n?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd
You save 30 bucks if you don't need Windows. It's a good thing. Many /.ers have been complaining about prebundled Windows for years. Be happy and give some love to Dell for doing this!

No, I don't work for Dell.

you can buy the same system with a hard disk twice the size with a 17" LCD monitor and Windows Media Center Edition for the same price.
Really?
According to Dell website, Dimension 3000 Base System with Windows XP Home Edition, with no monitor, is at $349.
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features. aspx/dimen_3000?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd
While 3000n, the same hardware without installed OS, is at $319.
5150n is also cheaper than 5150 by $30.

Otherwise this just comes across as a slimy legal trick to aid Intel in their defense against AMD's lawsuit.

we can't even order them with less than 3 years warranty here at columbia (through our premier site). plug u'r serial # below and check. i'm guess your still covered. http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx /support/my_systems_info/en/details?c=us&cs=19&l=e n&s=dhs&~ck=mn

http://linux.dell.com/projects.shtml#dkms --- good for vendors, okay enough for customers

I believe you answered your own question there cap'n. Welcome aboard the USSFn Troll.

If you look at online stores of Dell and Apple and build out similar systems (as close as possible, similar substitutions are allowed!) you will find their prices are essentially the same - sometimes Apple will even have a price $50-$100 better, sometimes the other way.

The main exception is that Dell *also* sells an additional lower class of systems that no one should be stuck with -- their "Basic PC". It's still in the same field as a Mac mini, but stripped to the max and with few options. This is the PC that nobody in this forum would buy for themselves unless it was the last PC in the universe for sale.

If you exclude the *garbage* bottom end systems that Dell sells, over time, there's little difference in price or components.

At least by any conventional definition, Mac's are not overpriced - haven't been for a long time.

(You build it yourself-ers are working a different equation. Possibly much cheaper (or much more) than either Dell or Apple, but not an apples to apples comparison, and not what 99% of people are going to try.)

chips as accessories: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productlisting. aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=04&category_id=6197&first=true&m nf=116&k=

even though, why would anyone buy anything from Dell?

i guess you haven't heard of their iPod line killer :p

Dell sells/makes alot of stuff other than computers also. But I do agree that they will be in big trouble if they the computer market dries up tomorrow.

"Maybe they'll even use AMD processors, for a change (though I still think that Intel has an ace up their sleeve). Regardless, the next five years should be interesting to watch."

I don't know about use, but they sure sell them!

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productlisting. aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=04&category_id=6197&first=true&m nf=116&k=

Despite what the freakin' article says, Lindenhurst (Intel E7250 chipset) is not the latest Xeon DP chipset (the often-cited GamePC benchmarks also use this chipset). Intel's latest Xeon chipset, the E8500 (Twin Castle), features dual independent FSBs running at 667MHz each. It's available now (e.g. Dell PowerEdge 6850 and PowerEdge 6800). The dual buses will be increased to 800MHz each in January (E8501 chipset). These new Paxville Xeons were released ahead of schedule (rushed in response to dual-core Opteron), so I think that's why the dual 800MHz bus chipset is trailing Paxville (which is capable of 800MHz FSB) by two months.

So I think the freakin' article is wrong when it says:

HEXUS have an article coming that evaluates the latest Intel Xeon DP platform, codenamed Lindenhurst... Lindenhurst (at its most basic definition) is the combination of the new Paxville Xeon processor in DP (dual processor) form (there's a multi processor version hosted by Truland), along with Intel E7520 core logic.

Despite what the freakin' article says, Lindenhurst (Intel E7250 chipset) is not the latest Xeon DP chipset (the often-cited GamePC benchmarks also use this chipset). Intel's latest Xeon chipset, the E8500 (Twin Castle), features dual independent FSBs running at 667MHz each. It's available now (e.g. Dell PowerEdge 6850 and PowerEdge 6800). The dual buses will be increased to 800MHz each in January (E8501 chipset). These new Paxville Xeons were released ahead of schedule (rushed in response to dual-core Opteron), so I think that's why the dual 800MHz bus chipset is trailing Paxville (which is capable of 800MHz FSB) by two months.

So I think the freakin' article is wrong when it says:

HEXUS have an article coming that evaluates the latest Intel Xeon DP platform, codenamed Lindenhurst... Lindenhurst (at its most basic definition) is the combination of the new Paxville Xeon processor in DP (dual processor) form (there's a multi processor version hosted by Truland), along with Intel E7520 core logic.

That would be because Apple does make the best computers, at least in their price range. Of course, considering the flimsy, fragile shit that the Dells and Sonys of the world make, that's not very hard.

Wow hold on there now. Apple makes the most overpriced computers on the market. For example . Now here's Dells.

Note: Dells computer on the left cost about half as much as a VERY similar apple machine... Im pretty sure 80 gigs of HD space doesn't cost 1 grand. But the odd thing is, you attribute this to the cases for each. I hope someone shoots me if i spend 1,000 bucks on the case alone.

Wait, wait, wait. Your telling me in Soviet Russia computers' secure humans while in America humans' secure computers?

Shit, those Soviet Russians must have really smart computers to be able to do this crazy stuff.

While you Americans must have really dumb computers that even really dumb humans' can secure.

Dunno why,

But then again I have a Dell 2405FPW 24" in front of me running at 1920 x 1200 so I am happy :-)

But you don't have to spend $999 on a laptop. You can spend $499 on this dell laptop and not have to worry about what media formats it plays. Also, it has tons more features that the ipod doesn't have. Mind you I think this whole argument of comparing ipods to laptops is kind of useless. They are completely different devices, meant for completely different things. I really don't get those people who carry around laptops. There are very few times when a laptop would provide better results than a good desktop + a good PDA.

They already do that. Nobody here seems to understand they do do that kind of thing for
systems preloaded with RHEL if you buy it that way.

Also, they even have a mailing list for the Precision line where you can get Red Hat Linux support. John Hull (A DELL employee) actually answers a lot of admin's questions when they run into problems. They have a whole staff that works on LInux issues and write whitepapers and stuff. Its a big company you know. #1 PC maker and all that in the world...

My guess is that that they don't support Linux on the Dimensions and consumer models you see in the paper ads and the TV commercials is becuse they figure ther's not much interest. I also know that many Distro's work fine with DELL Dimensions. You just might have to get an audio card...
(`Till the onboad gets supported at some point. Might want to get a NVidia graphics card, etc...)

They even work to get their newest stuff into the kernel at kernel.org. And usually when a new
DELL Precision model comes out they have this funky "DKMS" thingy (RPM) to keep your modules patched and compiled until the stuff makes into the "offical" kernel. I'd say they support Linux on systems where their customers are willing to pay a premium for it.

Oddly enough they also will put freeDOS on the systems. Go figure.

"Dell was added to the S & P 500 on September 6, 1996. According to the S & P, Dell was the best performing stock of the S&P 500 for the decade of the 1990s. Dell is currently ranked No. 28 among the Fortune 500 companies and No. 84 in the Fortune Global 500." Frequently Asked Questions

The default OEM Windows install has very, very, suceessful for Dell.

From what you said, the following is true:

1) Make technology and take it to market
2) Make something better and expect everybody to replace previous one
3) ????
4) Profit!

Sorry, but your point is completely bogus, 1.2 and 1.44MB Floppy Drives were not introduced to market just fifteen years ago, that was in 1984 and 1987, respectively. And guess what? They are still in production. Some pretty big manufacturers still offer them in top of the line models. Are they great? Not anymore, but there's still a market for them.

The Compact Disc was introduced in 1982 and the CD-ROM format in 1985. That's not 10-15, but more than twenty years ago.

DVD was introduced in 1996, almost ten years ago, and I don't see it going anywhere anytime soon.

It's not about bringing new formats every couple years, the formats need time to mature and penetrate the market, they need a long time for both manufacturers and content companies to get ahold of the technology, offer enough content and really take advantage of economies of scale. Changing factories, manufacturing technology and playback equipment just because you could make it one order of magnitude bigger would be a horribly myopic and stifling thing to do.

It's perfectly fine to expect Blu-Ray or HD-DVD to be around 2015 and beyond, if any of those formats take off in the first place. If they don't, well, they weren't good enough from the very beginning.

dell sells computers with linux on them http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/compare.a spx/precn_n?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

Those are small business workstations. The machine in the article is a Dimension machine for the home user. The E510 does not appear to be offered in the US market without Windows at this time: http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/productde tails.aspx/dimen_e510?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~tab=s pecstab#tabtop

DellTM DimensionTM n Series1 desktops offer affordable, everyday small business computing power. Extra economical because they come without a Microsoft® operating system; a copy of FreeDOSTM open-source operating system is included in the box, ready to install.

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/compare.a spx/precn_n?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd See that link for workstation with Linux and graphics card choices.

Dell has been selling machines with FreeDOS for some time.

Yep

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

Took less than 5 minutes of looking. Hit *customize* and make it your dream machine.

-everphilski-

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/features. aspx/featured_desktop2?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

$679
After $50 Off Instantly!
Only an 80GB HD, but there's the bonus of a 17" LCD..

the controlls look pretty fiddley. I operate my lanyad ipod worn under my shirt while bike riding or skiing. I dont think I could quickly operate those teeny controls. The volume knob looks especially crappy. All of them look like great pocket lint collectors.

Look at the seems. Even in the demo-model they can't get them to line up! this is chunk of crap.

And then where's the connectivity? just a couple jacks.

It's all exactly like Steve Jobs predicted: cramming a screen and controls on to a small device compromises the usefulness of both. Here's the concrete realization of something with a uselessly small screen and awful human interface.

One of the major marketing insights by Apple is their understanding that people don't want a piece of hardware that looks and feels cheap or unstylish. All Apple iPods 'feel' smooth and strong in your hands, and their designs are avant garde and intelligent. Dell's 'Ditty' (dropping the fact that the name sounds like a two year old is doing their market research) is an ugly and unstylish hunk of technology. Look at these screenshots of the controls http://img.dell.com/images/global/products/dj/dj_l eft_ditty.jpg It looks like Dell found a surplus of 1980s tape players and decided to reuse the buttons. Not to mention their use of a potentiometer for the volume controls!? This looks like an mp3 player my Grandma would use and I'm doubting that she'd even buy it considering that without a seamless integration into iTunes or a similar program, most of the less computer-savy customers will be overwhelmed trying to manipulate Napster and get their songs uploaded.

File Management : Windows Explorer

Proprietary? Yes. I suspect, however, that it just mounts as a mass storage device, and therefore compatible with other operating systems. It seems straight forward to me, and I don't have to install any third party software*.

OK, the Dell DJ Ditty has a 512MB storage capacity, one of the Shuffles has a 512 MB storage capacity. The Dell site says "...the DJ Ditty's 512MB of storage can hold up to 220 songs..." encoded in WMA at 64kbps. The Apple site says "...the Shuffle's 512MB of flash memory is good for storing up to 120 songs..." encoded in AAC at 128 kbps.

"Gretchen Miller, director of mobile product marketing at Dell..." claims that "...Windows Media Audio format...""...doesn't take up as much space as Apple's encoding format."

If Gretchen is telling the truth then why isn't the capacity of the Ditty reported to be more than double the number of tracks of the Shuffle when encoding at half the sample rate? If you record at half the sample rate and your encoding algorithm produces smaller files than another encoding algorithm shouldn't you be able to store more than double the files on the Ditty than on the Shuffle?

Could it be the FM?

Before you freak out, you should know that they have compensated for the Dell logo by making the other side have an equally obnoxious DJ logo.

>said that the AAC/mp3 format of the ipod is a tie in and this way suggesting that WMA is not a tie in.

Wrong. The Dell device supports WMA _and_ MP3.

Which one is more of a tie in?
I would say they referred not to supported file formats but to peripherals and interfaces.
That's why I think iPod is in fact more of a tie-in because of the way how you upload/download music to your device.
The Dell device seems less particular how you access it.

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/productde tails.aspx/dj_ditty?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~page=1& ~tab=specstab#tabtop