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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.

7 of 341 comments (clear)

  1. This is not news. by harks · · Score: 5, Informative

    Dell has been doing this for a long time.

    1. Re:This is not news. by wellingj · · Score: 5, Informative

      Ubuntu laptops. http://system76.com/.
      Cheapest linux laptops around although R Cubed
      is a litte bit more pricey but had better OS selection.
      http://www.shoprcubed.com/

      --
      Money is the root of all evil?
    2. Re:This is not news. by ph43thon · · Score: 5, Informative

      Not sure where everyone is doing their cart comparisons... but I'm getting cheaper n-series with direct comparisons. 520n ($509) vs 520 ($589) (through smallbusiness which is a little cheaper than home) with:

      Pentium® D Processor 820 with Dual CoreTechnology(2.80GHz,800FSB)
      1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz- 2DIMMs
      256MB nVidia Geforce 7300LE TurboCache
      No Monitor
      48X CD-RW/ DVD Combo Drive

      The big difference in them would be HDD upgrades since the n-series had a free upgrade to 250GB, but I just left the Windows 520 with the default 160GB HDD. Also, the n-series forces you to buy a FDD and a modem. The Windows 520 did not.. if I'd added them to make it more even.. that'd be an extra $50 on the Windows system.

      Either way, this is better than in the past when the n-series did appear to cost more no matter what you did. Also, this is a system that's $80 cheaper and it comes with 100 more GB on the harddrive and has an FDD, modem. (not sure what to do with that though).

      If you run a cart through the Home section, the price comes to about $609 for the 520 (using the above mentioned setup) with Windows though you do get a 320GB HDD in the deal.

  2. 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.

    --
    Anthony Papillion
    Advanced Data Concepts, Inc.
    "Quality Custom Software and IT Services"
  3. The real question by milas · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Has anyone figured out how much cheaper these computers come than those with OEM Windows? Dell's pricing/models are so scattered I don't even know where to begin.

  4. Re:This isn't "open source" computers... by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You have the source code for your BIOS?

    --
    Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
  5. Re:how PCs shipped without Windows will destroy yo by KillerBob · · Score: 5, Informative
    is there a web archive somewhere of http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/nakedPC.htm ??


    Why yes. Yes there is.

    http://web.archive.org/web/20000818081805/http://w ww.microsoft.com/OEM/nakedPC.htm
    --
    If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb