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Finally A Major-Brand Desktop With Linux, Not Windows

Posted by timothy on from the ask-darl-first dept.

Fugwidzard writes "Sounds like an okay box from HP at an okay price, the NewsForge review says, but no modem, and even optional modems are Winmodems although they say they have Linux drivers for them. Plus it's not a true Linux preload - they give you a couple of Mandrake CDs and you're on your own, no support. Better than paying Microsoft tax, anyway, and a step in the right direction for HP. Supposedly they're going to have all their PCs 'Linux certified' in the near future. I hope other big PC mills do the same."

11 of 422 comments (clear)

  1. Evesham did this ages ago... by bigHairyDog · · Score: 5, Informative

    Evesham supply a preloaded, supported, all nicely configured system.

    mmmmm... taste the preloaded goodness...

    --

    foo mane padme hum

    1. Re:Evesham did this ages ago... by squaretorus · · Score: 4, Informative

      Bugger! - so all my kick ass funny posts which get 80% Funny 20% Overrated are actually BURNING Karma :O

      If only I had something informative to say!

  2. Finally? by fetus · · Score: 4, Informative

    Is dell not a major brand?

  3. Modem Support by Damn_Canuck · · Score: 5, Informative

    The modem issue is not a big one, I don't think. Many people today are using broadband, so as long as there is a network card in the box it should be all right. Also, in case they do want a modem, at least they are providing Mandrake. After installing Mandrake 9.0 and 9.1 on my box at home, I was amazed that 9.0 told me I had a Winmodem and gave me a URL to find out how to make it work, and 9.1 even installed the Winmodem drivers! (If only Dell had not given me a Winmodem in the first place...)

    --
    Given that God is infinite, and the Universe is also infinite, would you like some toast?
  4. Re:The question is . . . by Brahmastra · · Score: 5, Informative
    And the answer is
    HP told me that an identical unit to the one I reviewed -- except for substituting either a 48X CD-ROM or CD-RW for the combo drive -- would cost $467 with Linux, $519 with Windows XP Home, or $589 for Windows XP Professional
    Never mind
  5. What is the point of Major-Brand PCs? by daBass · · Score: 4, Informative

    To me they always seem to require expensive memory for it to be guaranteed to work, un-upgradable components, and arcane BIOSes that run a version of windows to configure it.

    This is all well and great for big companies that want 1000s of the same PCs for easy maintainance and vendor support, but for the average geek it is nothing but trouble.

    I'll just stick with buying components or bare-bones PCs, those have always been without M$-Tax as well, thank you.

  6. So instead of the Microsoft tax... by Galvatron · · Score: 4, Informative

    ...you pay the HP tax? Dell's got a much lower cost operation and can afford to undercut HP by a substantial amount, you might as well just buy from them, and get your copy of Windows for free (relative to the price of the equivalent computer from HP w/o Windows).

    --
    "The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
  7. Dell does this already by cptgrudge · · Score: 5, Informative
    Why is this such big news? Dell already does this with RedHat. Despite what the article says, Dell hasn't taken them off the market. I know /. users don't like Dell for some reason, but they've done this for a while, and you get support, too. Their marketing doesn't scream Linux loudly enough, I guess.

    Of course, you do have to order them with RedHat, but they do give you the option.

    Right off of the Dell site:

    Linux Products

    Dell Linux Overview

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    Qualitas edurus commercium, nullus penitus net rimor, nullus deus beneficium
    1. Re:Dell does this already by cptgrudge · · Score: 3, Informative
      Oops...mangled the link...so it points to a huge Word document on Dell Linux. Classic.

      Dell Linux Overview

      Don't be a lamer like me kids! Check those links!

      --
      Qualitas edurus commercium, nullus penitus net rimor, nullus deus beneficium
  8. Re:Not much cost savings by drunk_as_in_beer · · Score: 5, Informative

    But why not offer a dual-boot Linux/Windows machine for the price of a Windows-only machine?

    Rumor has it that Microsoft licensing prevents a dual-boot Linux/Windows machine. Supposedly there is some clause that prevents it, but we won't know for sure because the license is supposedly a trade secret.

    But you're right, dual-boot would be best for consumers.

    --
    --Drunk as in Beer
  9. Dell's been doing this for a whle now! by mwfolsom · · Score: 3, Informative

    Hmmmmmmmmmmm!

    Dell has been selling systems with Linux on 'em for a while now. HP seems late to the game.

    Support is via RedHat.