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Dell to Ship Linux Desktops in Europe

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the somebody-stop-the-insanity dept.

Anglophile writes "Looks like Dell has launched a new line of desktop computers. The Dell Optiplexes will be sold in Europe, come with the Linspire operating system and include a one year free membership to their download warehouse. "

13 of 207 comments (clear)

  1. great by fr0dicus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Something wrong with the big distros?

    1. Re:great by clester · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I agree... Although I prefer Debian, Something like Mandrake would be more suitable for the average joe. The tools that come right out of the box are great for anyone that wants to use linux. Not to mention a decent package manager...

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      -- Real programmers don't comment their code. It was hard to write, it should be hard to understand.
  2. Finally we have someone like DELL doing it by SlashingComments · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is great ! If DELL is putting their weight behind that will be a major policy shift for *many* corporations.

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    - People who believe other people have no right to live, got no right to live ...

    1. Re:Finally we have someone like DELL doing it by pretzel_logic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Dells work-around is to sell the machine without a OS installed. Dell has offered Linux solutions for about 5 years. Dell.com/Linux

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      pretzel_logic
  3. Dell & Linux Try #2? by jo42 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A few years ago, didn't Dell ship desktops, laptops and servers and sich with Red Hat Linux on them, nyet?

  4. Who gets the savings by MrMojado · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Do they still pay the microsoft tax? I would assume Dell passes the savings of not paying for an OS right into their pocket. Consumers will not see lower prices.

  5. Re:No, try $25 cheaper. by jdhutchins · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "could basically shut down Dell by not selling to them"

    Microsoft COULD do that, but it'd be a blantant violation of their slap-on-the-wrist agreement with the DoJ. They probably couldn't get away with it, and would be forced to start selling to Dell again.

  6. Re:No, try $25 cheaper. by Unnngh! · · Score: 4, Insightful
    They could do a lot of damage to Dell this way, but it wouldn't be smart for either party. How is average joe computer buyer going to respond when he sees that half the PCs at Bestbuy are running some thing called Linux, proudly embossed with the Dell name, when the salesman tells him it's just as good as Windows only cheaper? He'll probably buy the Dell Linux system.

    MS is dependent on its oem retailers probably more than the other way around.

  7. Re:Linspire!?!!... why not? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Linspire is Debian-based and one of the most windows-like distribution. Besides, it has an excellent software upgrade system that is esy to use for everyone. It makes sense.

    And I am a Mandrake user and apologist :).

  8. Re:linspire? by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "That's what Microsoft said too; that's why they sued Lindows. But of course, anyone who suggested that they might just be right about the confusion got flame broiled..."

    What really irks me about the anti-MS sentiment on this topic is that it's WAY too late to do anything about it. MS owns the trademark regardless of whether or not they can put a (R) next to it. It'd take years to un-weld it from people's minds. At this point, setting it 'right' would potentially put a LOT of consumers out there in a position where they have to be unnecessarily careful. That's exactly why this whole trademark system was put into place to begin with. Oh, but we MUST SCREW MICROSOFT! BUAHAHAHA!!

    Lame. The really really really stupid thing is that Lindows could never ever claim they landed on that name by accident. Their maliciousness in this case needs to be a factor in this as well. They cannot possibly ignore that even if MS had no legal right to trademark Windows years ago they would still be confusing people. You don't want Lindows to win this. It would set a precedent that would give MS the power to do the same thing to somebody else (i.e. Palm). Bad bad bad.

  9. Tinfoil helmet ON by cosmo7 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    2003: Dell asks MS for bigger discount. MS declines.
    2004: Dell starts selling PCs preloaded with Linspire.
    2005: MS quietly increases discount for Dell.
    2005: Dell quietly withdraws Linspire PCs, claims no market demand.

  10. Re:No, try $25 cheaper. by bechthros · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "Microsoft COULD do that, but it'd be a blantant violation of their slap-on-the-wrist agreement with the DoJ."

    And?...

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    They will never stop until somebody makes the
  11. Re:Less is more? by jayaramk · · Score: 3, Insightful

    yes but only if Dell agrees to ship AMD chips too. I fail to understand why a major like Dell continues to remain the last holdout when companies like HP and Compaq have started shipping AMD powered systems. Having used AMD for a long long time now..I can atleast say that it does not lack in any manner...give the customer the choice and let him decide rather than some corporate honcho somewhere deciding that NO AMD

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    http://students.iiit.net/~jayaram