Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Dell's Open Source Desktop Systems

Posted by Zonk on from the unfamiliar-frontier-for-penguins dept.

An anonymous reader writes "An article at XYZComputing goes over Dell's open source line of desktop computers and workstations. The N line is something which Dell began to sell recently, but the situation is much more complex that it would seem. There is often little or no discount given if consumers opt to go with FreeDOS as their operating system. There is also a great link in the article showing how Dell is selling AMD processors in their Accessories section!" From the article: "A major hurdle preventing the growth of Linux with non-professional users has been installation the operating system and dealing with the resultant compatibility issues. An ideal solution to this would be a major manufacturer which is willing to sell computers with Linux preinstalled. This would not only make it easy for users to buy a computer and have Linux running after simply plugging it in, but it would theoretically allow the manufacturer to lower the cost of a computer because software licensing costs could be minimized."

4 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Dell and Linux support by unsung · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Dell could never pre-install linux on their systems - unless if it was a paid version. If they did, they'd have to support it which would level their margins - if not pull it into the negative.

  2. Sadly, not likely to happen soon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We live in a capitalistic society (especially here in the "United" States). Since M$ can apply large amounts of financial pressure against vendors by saying, "if you pre-install Linux at any large scale, we'll pull our preferred customer discount for your OEM Windows prices", they effectively can coerce third party vendors to ignore Linux on a large scale.

    What is *needed* is a start-up company to get capital venture funding and start a hardware store to compete with the likes of Dell... but to ONLY use Open-Source, and spend their captial funding on ADVERTISEMENT of the advantages of FOSS.

    Something like a televised "Get the Factual Facts"...

    I'd buy a computer from that kind of company on principle, and I'd CERTAINLY suggest that my less-than-technically-saavy friends would do the same.

    G.B.Y.L.B.T.,
    PastorEd

  3. The real problem by PatrickThomson · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Have you ever set up a brand new dell for someone? There's so much shitware installed, free trials of dvd players, etc, etc, that it's faster to format and reinstall straight away than to uninstall it all. Each of those bits of bundled wankware earns dell money, it more than offsets the XP bulk license cost.

    What would be good is a way to buy a dell and immediately sell the license on to a reseller.

    --
    I am one of many. My idea is not unique, nor do I expect my voice alone to sway you. I speak in a chorus of opinion.
  4. Non-Dell Companies selling Linux (and No OS) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.addonshop.com/
    http://www.emperorlinux.com/
    http://www.ibexpc.com/
    http://www.linare.com/
    http://www.linspire.com/
    http://www.linuxcertified.com/
    http://www.microtelpc.com/
    http://www.outpost.com/
    http://shoprcubed.com/
    http://www.sub300.com/
    http://www.systemax.com/divisions.htm
    http://www.walmart.com/
    http://www.xandros.com/

    http://tuxmobil.org/reseller.html
    http://www.us.debian.org/distrib/pre-installed
    http://www.linux.org/vendor/system/index.html

    http://tuxmobil.org/ (general information)

    No OS

    (Sabio made by Quanta, like Dell-latitudes)
    http://www.avadirect.com/
    http://www.asimobile.com/
    http://www.powernotebooks.com/