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Hewlett-Packard Brings Linux To Select Desktops

Posted by Zonk on from the fun-for-the-whole-family dept.

Tatey writes "Hewlett-Packard, one of the world's largest PC manufacturers, has announced it will start selling Linux-based PCs aimed at the consumer market ... in Australia. For the time being it appears the HP Linux models will only be available down under, with prices starting at $AU600 (just under $500 USD). 'This PC is a low-end business PC. It comes powered by any of a variety of AMD processors. These range from the 1.60 GHz AMD Sempron 3000+ processor to the speedy 2.8 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 5600+ processor. The dx2250 can hold up to 2GB of RAM. For storage, it maxes out with a 250 GB hard drive. It comes with a variety of optical drive options, ranging from ordinary CDs to a DVD+/-RW LightScribe, Double Layer/Dual Format drive. At this time, it is not clear exactly what options HP will be offering with the RHEL-based system. Previously, HP had offered this desktop computer with a choice of Vista Business, XP, and FreeDOS. In the latter case, this was almost always replaced by users with a Linux distribution.'"

13 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. Talk about condescending by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    >>Hewlett-Packard, one of the world's largest PC manufacturers ...

  2. What I want to know is... by VE3OGG · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What is the cost of this computer with XP/Vista in comparison. We have seen this happen before where Dell shipped FreeDOS systems that actually cost more than with Windows (which means there is definitely malarky going on there).

    I must applaud both DELL and HP however, for starting to realize that they should offer the customer what they want, and not what some third party dictates them to.

    1. Re:What I want to know is... by Skapare · · Score: 2, Insightful

      ... Dell shipped FreeDOS systems that actually cost more than with Windows (which means there is definitely malarky going on there).

      The "malarky" is some combination of bulk deal with Microsoft for a lower per-unit price, money received to insert tryware and other junk, and economy of scale of both sales and support for Windows based products ... passed on to the buyer in the form of lower costs. Compare that with Linux where the software is mostly free, cuts off the tryware and junk revenue stream, and requires a more expensive smaller scale sales and support department (or subset of sales and support trained to handle Linux).

      Once Linux becomes as popular as Windows (if that ever happens), we'll see: even lower pricing from Microsoft (possibly even free, bundled with more tryware for Office, etc), tryware actually designed to run on Linux (binary only, most likely), equivalent sales teams, and quite possibly for the average consumer an even larger support department, given Linux's propensity to be friendlier to geeks than other people.

      And even if "Linux machines" always cost more, Linux users will be better off because more hardware manufacturers will have to make sure their stuff actually works on the Linux kernel, etc. Then I won't have to deal with machines like the HP DC7700 which couldn't boot the Fedora, Slackware, or Ubuntu install disks without disabling ACPI which caused the sound card and on-board ethernet to not be found.

      And of course, with fewer Windows users online, there will be fewer spam zombies ... at least for a while.

      --
      now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
  3. FC works by mdsolar · · Score: 2, Insightful

    One of the systems sounds close to mine. FC works on this with just a few issues with the video driver (answered here on slashdot). This sounds like a smart move.
    --
    Rent residential solar power: http://mdsolar.blogspot.com/2007/01/slashdot-users -selling-solar.html

  4. 2008 year of Linux desktop after all ...? by suv4x4 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I used to laugh at people who kept saying Linux for desktop is coming, and I'm not that big of a fan of the Linux desktop as well (I'm a fan of the Linux servers).

    But what I kept saying is they need vendor support. No support, no lunch.

    Now HP and Dell, the hardware vendors, offer desktop support. Those are big players, we know the smaller players will follow though quickly.

    Something's definitely going on, I remember the same excitement as Firefox was making its first steps eating at IE's market share.

    1. Re:2008 year of Linux desktop after all ...? by enrevanche · · Score: 4, Insightful
      I think that this is allowing PC manufacturers to learn how to support Linux on the desktop.

      With windows, manufacturers really can't distinguish themselves that much. With Linux, in the long run, this will allow them to become more like Apple, allowing them to provide a product that they have more control of. Microsoft requires that most of the branding of the PC be MS branding. Linux will allow a PC manufacturer to make this branding more their own.

      They've been under the Microsoft whip for a long time now. They've helped stop a large a part of the server market from going to Microsoft. The next step will be to take control over the desktop. Even if they will eventually just use Red Hat or Ubuntu, they will be able allowed customize them substantially more than with windows.

      Also, this will allow them to negotiate better with MS.

    2. Re:2008 year of Linux desktop after all ...? by myrdos2 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yeah, but I remember this excitement last year... and the year before that. In the last few years, I've seen tremendous improvements in the ease-of-use of Linux, and yet there has been no corresponding increase in the number of users:

      http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp

      The number of Linux users has been roughly flat for the last three years. To me, Linux is ready for the desktop, and has been for quite some time. However, the simple truth is that most people buy a computer to run software, the vast majority of which is for Windows. Sure, Linux comes with a TON of its own stuff, which makes it useful to many, many people.

      But even more people want to run commercial software that is Windows-only. Like games. Or business apps. Or the CD that came with their camera. Face it; if Wine worked with 100% reliability, Windows would be dead.

      You can rant and rave about improvements in reliability, security, efficiency, GUI elements, and so forth, but at the end of the day what people care most about is: "Will it run my software?".

  5. So sometime this week... by bealzabobs_youruncle · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Steve Ballmer will line up the Windows Vista development team and break chairs over their heads... While I love reading stories like this, and no doubt it is partially due to the massive improvements in desktop Linux over the last couple years, a great deal of the inertia behind this is likely PC makers frustrated with Vista and consumer indifference. Dell showed just enough success with Ubuntu on consumer machines that now all the larger PC makers have to dip their toes in the pool.

    In theory we should now started seeing more and better drivers and more Linux versions of popular applications. If the right approach is taken I think some companies will provide code/docs/etc.. Any way you slice it, it's good news.

  6. Linux on all models by nukem996 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What Dell and HP really need to do is install Linux on all, or at least most models of their computers. They currently only install Linux on a cheaper model that many power users(which is the majority of the Linux user base right now) don't want. We want the high end stuff. As long as the system has drivers for everything(free as in freedom or free as in beer), and most systems do, you should be able to select Linux just like you can select what ever version of Windows you want.

    1. Re:Linux on all models by kabz · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Respectfully, I disagree. If Linux depends on customers (the power-users) who already know about Linux, then no progress will be made beyond where we are now.

      HP is putting Linux on lower-end machines selling to people who probably don't really care about Windows, **providing** that all their documents still open and their music plays.

      If this comes off, and they sell enough machines, then maybe we'll see them roll it out across some other countries.

      --
      -- "It's not stalking if you're married!" My Wife.
    2. Re:Linux on all models by Skapare · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If you want high-end power machines that run Linux, build them yourself or go buy them pre-configured here or here. In the mean time, the more non-geeks we can get to be using Linux, the more hardware manufacturers and applications developers will have to consider Linux compatibility. Once we get to the point where all hardware works in Linux (either because they make it use an existing interface, or fully and openly document the new one they design, or provide kernel license compatible open source drivers) and all useful applications have native Linux versions, then I really don't care how many people use Windows. But until then, I see expanding the Linux user base as a means to the desired ends.

      --
      now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
  7. Re:Technical support expenses by cp.tar · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I.e. the same reason Windows comes pre-installed as well.

    --
    Ignore this signature. By order.
  8. Re:People like their OS preinstalled. by God+of+Lemmings · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And despite all of that certification, they still ship their laptops with microsoft compiled DSDT tables that don't meet the ACPI spec.

    --
    Non sequitur: Your facts are uncoordinated.