HP Will Ship Systems With Novell Linux Desktop

Ted Haeger writes "Two weeks after Novell ships the Novell Linux Desktop, HP announces that they are certifying their hardware and allowing customers to order systems with NLD pre-loaded through HP "Factory Express.""

Comments

This is what's new

[base_chakra]

nothing really new.... you can buy hp desktops with mandrake for a while already.

If you had read the article, you would've seen this:

"In the past, HP shipped Linux desktops from Mandrakesoft SA and Turbolinux Inc. Those programs will be phased out, and the Novell product will become HP's Linux desktop offering."

Most of the Mandrake and Turbolinux sales went to Asia and (to a lesser extent) Europe, and not all HP hardware was Linux-certified. The Novell program extends to workstations, desktops, and laptops. HP is also taking more steps to address demand in the US market. I bought an HP Pavilion notebook less than a year ago, and all sales people explicitly told me that Linux was not an option.

The Novell program also gives Linux customers another indemnification protection option as an alternative to HP's.

I would really like to know how much of a savings is available to customers who choose Novell Linux Desktop over Windows XP Home Edition. I resold the OEM copy of XP that came with the Pavilion, so if there's more than a US$75 price difference, it would be a win-win situation.

Re:I wonder how..

[Anonymous Coward]

The Microsoft tax was created when Microsoft started selling bulk licenses to computer manufacturers. They gave the manufacturers cheaper rates if the manufacturer would pay Microsoft for every computer the manufacturer sold, regardless of whether it actually shipped with Windows or not.

So MS goes to HP and says "You can either pay us $20 for every non-mainframe/server you ship, or you can pay us $50 for every machine you ship Windows on."

It used to be worse. MS used to say "You have two choices: You can pay us $20 for every non-server and promise that every non-server ships with Windows, or you can pay us $70 for every machine you ship Windows on."

The promise of every machine shipping with Windows (and locking out competition) was part of the DOJ anti-monopoly suit against Microsoft. It meant as soon as you shipped a machine with linux installed you lost the cheaper rate for Windows on all your machines (which would often drive your price up to the point of being uncompetitive)

So manufacturers who want to ship Linux machines still often end up paying Microsoft for every non-server they ship, even if the machine does not ship with Windows. This is called the "Microsoft tax".