Slashdot Mirror


Dell To Offer Windows-Less PCs

An anonymous reader submits: "As a follow-up to the Slashdot story Dell No Longer Selling Systems w/o Microsoft OS, News.com is reporting that Dell will sell systems without Windows. Microsoft's new licensing terms stipulate they can't sell PC's without an OS (hence the removal of the NoOS option), so Dell will be offering FreeDOS as an option for some computers. It will come with the computer, but not installed, so that users may install any other OS that they wish. It's a very creative interpretation of Microsoft's licensing terms, and one I imagine Microsoft didn't have in mind."

14 of 547 comments (clear)

  1. Wonder how many Lawyers it took by Trichrome · · Score: 2, Funny

    How many lawyers does it take to find a loophole like that?

    1. Re:Wonder how many Lawyers it took by hoop33 · · Score: 2, Funny

      It's also a lot easier to support FreeDOS than Linux . . . .

  2. What we'll be hearing... by x311 · · Score: 1, Funny
    "You can take my life, but you can never.....take.....my......FreeDOS!"

  3. Dell should take the moral high ground here. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    Instead of doing what Microsoft does, and interpreting every contract to the letter, Dell should have gone with the SPIRIT of the contract, not the letter. If everyone started to do this, the world would be a much better place.


    This interpretation of their license agreement can only lead to more money for the lawyers!

  4. Re:Go Dell! by Col.+Klink+(retired) · · Score: 4, Funny

    > Who appointed Microsoft as the regulatory agency for the computer industry anyway?

    Bill Gates.

    --

    -- Don't Tase me, bro!

  5. Re:Two key points from the article by unoengborg · · Score: 2, Funny

    As the systems costs the same with or without windows,
    it's easy to figure out the real value of windows

    --
    God is REAL! Unless explicitly declared INTEGER
  6. Re:Go Dell! by rknop · · Score: 3, Funny

    I saw your message with .sig attached:

    Bill Gates.
    --

    -- He's dead, Jim.

    If only!

    (OK, I don't really wish him dead. I just wish him and every other Microsoft exec and lawyer to retire to a quiet life of recreation and contemplation, out of the public eye and completely away from the computer industry.)

    -Rob

  7. Re:The obvious move by gabec · · Score: 2, Funny

    kinda like those AOL CDs? ;)

  8. Re:The obvious move by jeffy124 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Get this --

    FreeDOS is GPL'd!!! That's REALLY showin it to MS!!

    --
    The One Rule Of Chess You'll Ever Need: Don't play someone who carries a kit in their bookbag.
  9. FreeDOS! by Eil · · Score: 3, Funny


    Ha! Of all the systems they could have shipped, especially to include Linux and the *BSDs they picked FreeDOS. That's just funny. Okay, the dumb little Dell kid just got a slight bit more tolerable in my mind.

  10. Re:Go Dell! by argStyopa · · Score: 5, Funny

    I thought this is what the /. community believed in? If you buy a product, since you've paid for it, you can do anything you like with it.

    Why shouldn't the same hold true for MS? If they've bought the Justice Dept, then they can use it as they wish.

    Is a government agency open-source or GPL?

    --
    -Styopa
  11. Re:Go Dell! by Xenographic · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's like exiling Napoleon. They'd just come back, stronger than ever, and be radioactive and fire-breathing, to boot.
    ---

    I'm pretty sure that you mean Godzilla... Or did you say Napoleon to avoid being sued by the people who just went after Davezilla?

  12. Must buy PC by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Funny

    Dell wouldn't sell me FreeDOS unless I bought a PC also! Thus I have to pay for a PC just to get FreeDOS from them. Those Bastards!

  13. Re:So the real question is... by cloudmaster · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah, it'd be as interesting as last time MS went to court...

    MS: "We're not guilty of evil things."
    Court: "Yes, you are. Change stuff."
    MS: "OK, we'll change stuff in such a way that nothing changes."
    Court: "OK, you have until the end of time to make said changes. We'll keep pretending to argue so lawyers can make more money."
    Lawyers: "Yay!"