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Dell Sells Open Source Computers

Posted by kdawson on from the ahhhhhh dept.

Lo5 writes with the excellent news that Dell is selling desktop computers without Windows preinstalled. They are called "n Series"; you can choose from Dimension E520, E521, or C521 desktops. The hard drive comes unformatted.

5 of 341 comments (clear)

  1. This isn't "open source" computers... by CaptainTux · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Apparently, the submitter and editor don't truly realize what "open source" is. Selling a PC without anything on it isn't open source; it's selling a computer with nothing on it. This isn't a move to support open source, it's a move to save money by not having to pay the MS tax.

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    Anthony Papillion
    Advanced Data Concepts, Inc.
    "Quality Custom Software and IT Services"
  2. Re:This isn't "open source" computers... by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You have the source code for your BIOS?

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    Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
  3. How is this news?! by Trelane · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They've been doing this for years. News would be if "No OS" and "Linux" options were available for every system, and even more so for notebooks and the "Home" section. As it currently seems, however, this is not news.

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    Given enough personal experience, all stereotypes are shallow.
  4. Dell does not support non-Dell ... by AHumbleOpinion · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Note: Dell does not support non-Dell installed operating systems. In short: "We won't even give you tech support for the FreeDOS that comes in the package. All we'll do is replace your hardware if it breaks."

    That sounds like support to me. They support what they assembled/installed. Dell support is not a uniform thing, it varies quite a bit from product to product and segment to segment. Give them more money, they will give you more support. Give them even more and they'll send someone to your home/office. Give them alot of money and they'll help you setup your enterprise with custom software and help you keep it running.

  5. What they _Could_ be doing. by robbak · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Companies like Dell are in a unique position to break the Windows monopoly.
    The main problem Open Source developers are having is the near-impossibility of getting hardware documentation. The manufacturers are unwilling (which is something I do _not_ understand!), and we lack the marketing clout to force them.
    Dell, Hp /et al/ have that clout. A simple decision - only use hardware for which full specs are available - would force the manufacturer's hands. The developers of xorg, linux, BSD etc would use that to produce full support, and everyone would have a real choice. The companies would not have to pay the MS tax, MS would have an incentive to actually make their products useable, DRM would take a heavy thwacking as people can choose not to have it.

    Ah, a perfect world. Well, I can dream, can't I?

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    Prediction for end of Universe #42: Fencepost error in Quantum_bogosort.cpp