What is Digg?78 Comments
- jaytek13, on 09/10/2009, -1/+45Except they sell for the same price as those netbooks/laptops that come with Windows. Sorry to say but the main selling point of Linux for the average consumer is that it's free, and if this isn't reflected in the price then Dell and all the other companies who offer Linux counterparts can't wonder why they aren't selling so well.
- master69better, on 09/10/2009, -0/+23Dell will do anything to move as many of their their beige boxes in this economy as they can - a free high quality OS is the not the worst idea
- Thue, on 09/10/2009, -2/+25"the main selling point of Linux for the average consumer is that it's free"
I use Linux because it is better than Windows, and I don't think I am the only one. - tnoy, on 09/10/2009, -0/+22You mean they're going to release a version of Ubuntu that is going to be fully tested with the hardware they're selling it with?
Those *****. - bstock, on 09/10/2009, -2/+23Heh, nice of them to update to 9.04, when 9.10 comes out next month.
- ptFoe, on 09/10/2009, -0/+18still none for Australia, bastards
- P373Y, on 09/10/2009, -1/+14obviously you havnt used linux if you think that it is "skimping on an os"
- gizram84, on 09/10/2009, -1/+14good!
- gahal, on 09/10/2009, -1/+13Their
- cport1, on 09/10/2009, -0/+11one small step for mankind
- arobar, on 09/10/2009, -0/+7It takes a long time to certify an OS against a full line up of hardware and all the different options/configurations that could exist. It may be outdated, but at least you know there will be drivers available to work with the hardware you buy. Plus, the OS is free. If you want to upgrade, go for it. Dell won't stop you.
- Antananarivo484, on 09/10/2009, -2/+8"Despite Microsoft's claims that there's no customer support for Linux, you can find Dell's support numbers, along with other support information for your Ubuntu-equipped Dells, on this Dell Ubuntu support page."
There's this pretty handy thing called the internet, which they have with the Dell Ubuntu support page, but Ubuntu forums probably tons more information. - rolf, on 09/10/2009, -0/+6Do you have any numbers to back this up? I'm sure that the crapware brings in money, but does it nullify windows cost or actually just counteract it by a fraction?
- Dude12, on 09/10/2009, -1/+6I bought an Ubuntu laptop from Dell 2 years ago and it's still going strong. Pleased with my purchase, I wanted to buy an Ubuntu Desktop from Dell, but the offering at the time lacked the stuff I wanted. So I bought a Studio XPS core i7 desktop from them and loaded Ubuntu right after FEDEX came to the door; everything worked fine and still does after the 9.04 upgrade (Except ATI drivers were buggy with Compiz, but I had a spare Nvidia card, problem solved). Kudos for Dell for still offering Ubuntu, I even bought a Mini 9 netbook off them. However, I had to send the mini back in for repair, it came back fixed, but they still sent me the old battery which was bad. The new battery came in a few days after, I just really would of appreciated it better had they sent me back my mini 100% good to go.
- inactive, on 09/10/2009, -1/+6Features:
Centralized updates
Centralized backup and restore through apt-get and and apt on cd. I.e rebuild the system in under an hour.
Whatever you plug in it will almost always work.
Easy language configuration that takes a system wide effect changing all text and dialogs
Centralized security - no special requirement for third party utilities. Though you should use them if you download and share windows software.
Easy system reporting.
Flat configuration files - no more risky registry tweaks for the brave of heart.
No more configuration slow down through orphaned registry entries at start up.
No need to reboot after every single update
No nag screens
Genuine security password clearance when installing special software not emulated like windows when the software still runs with administrator privileges regardless.
Easy user management and software / file distribution.
Secure file share and networking
no more painful system hijacking through third party applications, even simple things like a USB stick attempt to install tracking software.
Customizable themes
Don't like the window manager? install a different one.
Access to a vast number of free and open source applications.
- Phrea, on 09/10/2009, -1/+6I cant wait.
Tried a few of the alpha's, but they wont work on my machine [live session] while my [installed] Jaunty is working perfectly. But that's why it's an alpha... - roazena, on 09/10/2009, -0/+5No OEM gets Windows for free. Not a one. MS' largest and most solid revenue stream, bar none, is the $50-$100 they gouge from PC vendors for every copy of Windows. Office comes second, and they're watching OO.o erode that revenue stream outside North America. XBox is third.
Retail copies of Windows are so far down on the list it's miraculous that WGA even exists. - theaceoffire, on 09/10/2009, -0/+5 cool whip bro
- T8erT0T, on 09/10/2009, -2/+7Yeah that doesn't make too much sense--but hey, it's not like you have to buy the upgrade.
- inactive, on 09/10/2009, -4/+9thats how they get you. first you buy the computer and then they come out with a new OS. its a well thought out plan by linux$ and it will probably cost dell to much money to get the licensing needed to sell 9.10./s
- inactive, on 09/10/2009, -0/+5cool meme bro
- Phrea, on 09/10/2009, -1/+6I'll assume you are correct in this, and that is indeed a bit weird, to say the least.
- InThePants, on 09/10/2009, -2/+6Oh I get it, your name is ironic because you reference things that happened a decade ago.
- ChromaVita, on 09/10/2009, -3/+7cool story bro.
- Ellipsys, on 09/10/2009, -0/+4That's true, but I was to understand that most of the crapware deals were to cover that $50-100 Windows key, plus a little more. That is why for the CUSTOMER, they rarely see the additional "Windows money" and thus linux and windows boxes are about the same price for the same spec, rather then Linux being cheaper by that $100.
- inactive, on 09/10/2009, -0/+4we are still working kangaroo riding seat belt technology
- sango, on 09/10/2009, -0/+4i agree, i wish theyd sell in australia
- nextekcarl, on 09/10/2009, -0/+4I own such a Dell and it comes clean of such crapware. The only extra software installed was a DVD player.
I've heard the story about the subsidizing of the computer with the crapware and although I don't have any hard numbers there tends to be so much I wouldn't be surprised if it reduced the cost of the OS to zero (remember Dell doesn't pay close to retail for each copy since they are an OEM and sell so many computers) - ethana2, on 09/10/2009, -0/+4Screw price, I paid MORE for Ubuntu the first time and I'll do it again.
- eqisow, on 09/10/2009, -0/+4You're not. I've got a perfectly legit Windows 7 key and I don't even have Windows installed except XP in a VM.
- rolf, on 09/10/2009, -0/+4I don't think it reduces the cost of the OS to zero. Here is why: Microsoft's revenue is around two major things: their OS and Microsoft Office, although things like Xbox and Zune probably started adding to that. But anyway, most OS copies are sold through OEMs, not retail or builders. That means that the crapware community have to have enough cash to supply Microsoft with a huge chunk of its revenues from OS sales if they were to negate the cost (subsidize every copy to $0). That is billions upon billions of $$.
I simply don't believe they have that kind of cash. But I may be wrong. - ethana2, on 09/10/2009, -0/+4In my family that was 2 years ago.
- warp99, on 09/10/2009, -0/+3That's because MS is giving XP away for almost free, so with marketing kickbacks the price is the same. What happens when Windows 7 comes out and the price jumps back up to $60-$100 dollars more?
The only way your going to get a netbook at a competitive cost is with Starter Edition, which nobody is going to want. You can't even change the wallpaper for crying out loud. People are going to buy either the Ubuntu version or spring the extra for a full Windows version.
With the Ubuntu buyers some will keep Ubuntu or install a different distro or install XP or install OS X or install a full version of Windows 7 they just happen to have. In all these case the buyer got to save some money going with Ubuntu.
See how competition works? Even if you don't use the product you still benefit from it being in the marketplace. This is what MS fears the most, which is that every single PC sold will not have a tariff attached. - tomarocco, on 09/10/2009, -2/+5This can only mean that this is the year of the Linux Desktop!!!
- theOster, on 09/10/2009, -0/+3http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=/s
- pgm_01, on 09/10/2009, -0/+3No CompleteCare for those of us in the US, either.
- danielwsmithee, on 09/10/2009, -0/+3The problem is Dell gets a pretty good deal from MS for Windows. Then they also get payed by other companies for all of the crapware they load on machines, this offsets the cost of Windows. So in the end Windows is essentially free to them too, since there isn't any crapware to install on Linux.
- jaytek13, on 09/10/2009, -0/+3I said "average consumer", you know, the people that go to walmart/best buy and use their computers for sending email and reading websites and not much else, not techies running vmware and testing Windows 7 beta.
- paulsmith288, on 09/10/2009, -0/+3I've got a dell box bought specifically at work with ubuntu on it. Dell wouldn't have had a sale from me otherwise- it worked fine out of the box.
Good to see dell upgrading their lines. - tomarocco, on 09/10/2009, -0/+2If you Sheilas don't like it you can always start your own OEM.
- TimtheTaxMan, on 09/10/2009, -1/+3I think the challenge will be getting the word out about what Ubuntu is. Outside of the techy world, few people even know about Ubuntu. Most folks will stick with what they know, unless they are convinced that Ubuntu is a better choice. The lack of advertising is one of the key factors inhibiting the growth of Ubuntu.
I think most people’s needs would be met with Ubuntu, but they would also need to be made aware of certain limitations. I think most people would find that the price difference outweighs the limitations. - Naidel, on 09/10/2009, -0/+2Cool hwip?
- Ellipsys, on 09/10/2009, -1/+3The major thing I dislike about Dell's Linux offerings is that the hardware is usually lacking. Why can't I get ANY Dell system with Linux? Selling a system with a hard limit of 4gb/RAM? Craptacular Intel graphics, or low end ATI? I know ATI has been making great progress with Linux drivers, but I would imagine for the average dell-buyer they don't want to be hacking around with ATI when Nvidia would give a much smoother experience at current. Why could I not get the highest XPS or Alienware model with Linux?
The other suggestion I can make is to provide more value. Linux boxes don't seem to be any cheaper than Windows ones even through it is a free and open source operating system. This is likely because Windows is likely free because of all the deals that Dell has with MS and trialware crapware vendors. Ideally they could just drop the cost of Linux boxes, but if that's not possible I would suggest adding more value. "Normal" consumers will buy PCs with all the trial and crapware, thinking they're getting a good deal with McAfee says "A $99 value, yours free!" Why don't we emulate this with Linux. Pick some of the best of the best Linux applications and preload them. Put all of the normal Ubuntu/Gnome apps on there - list Evolution as compared to Outlook, Open Office as compared to MS Office, Rhythembox, Totem, F-Spot, even things like AWN, Compiz fusion, and WINE could all be listed as "value added" applications. People would realize that they would not have to buy Roxio's CD burning software,or a virus scanner, or MS Office etc... Windows based PCs list every major program (mostly crap) that it comes with - lets to do the same for Linux and show how great of a value it can be! - inactive, on 09/10/2009, -0/+2Actually, the last time I did the number crunching the Dell Linux laptops came out a little cheaper. Not the $130 dollars cheaper you'd have to spend without buying Windows at the OEM price (so buying the Windows machine and putting on Ubuntu later is still more economical like you say), but it's not like Dell's trying to rip you off. They are charging the base price they feel is necessary for hardware and labor.
- Gavagai80, on 09/10/2009, -0/+2I use linux exclusively, I haven't used Windows since 2003. If you actually used linux, you'd know what a pain drivers can be. ATI completely dropped linux support for my 3 year old video card, so I have 2D only. Bought a usb wifi receiver and never could find a working driver, it's collecting dust. Most distributions -- like SUSE -- won't even boot graphically or connect to the internet when installed on my computer. Even regular Ubuntu didn't work right (login just kept redirecting to itself), Kubuntu is my only reliable distro.
I like linux enough to put up with it all, but I'd be much happier with a Dell that I could know was tested to actually work out of the box without trouble. - MrPatriotMan, on 09/10/2009, -0/+1Choice is always good!
- xutopia, on 09/10/2009, -0/+1A lot of companies will chose Linux over Windows because of cost but not individuals. I think the guy didn't express himself correctly.
- arobar, on 09/10/2009, -0/+1Wow, someone's bitter today. How do you know it would "work just as well"? Have you tried it? I have. Didn't have a good experience. Hardware video acceleration didn't work at all, sound didn't work. It took me almost a week to get my hardware working at all, let alone to a usable state. Two different Dells I've tried Ubuntu on had major hardware problems. Dell is making a really good effort here. If you don't think that effort is worth your time, then just don't buy from them.
Your comments sound like they're coming from someone who was frustrated by the mic problem you mentioned. I'm sure it was frustrating, but it doesn't mean Dell doesn't test. Testing is a HUGE process. Maybe it worked for them in the lab. Who knows? Also, Dell just seems to suck at mics in general (even on Windows, which you seem to think they test better than Linux): http://www.howtofixcomputers.com/bb/ftopic134316.h ... - willfe, on 09/10/2009, -0/+1Um, by Microsoft? They're offering up a gigantic discount to OEMs that ship Windows. Note I did say "essentially free," not "free."
Good to see I was right, though -- people *are* ignoring the "so cheap it's nearly free" Windows subsidy, and focusing on the "hey, I thought Linux was cheaper!" thing.
Exactly the kind of thinking MS wants. - willfe, on 09/10/2009, -1/+2I'd rather not have to deal with an OS I'll never use being preloaded on the machine. Don't pay for what you don't use. Even though the dollar amount in this case is the same, buying it with Ubuntu instead of Windows means I spend less time setting things up. Formal support from Dell for Ubuntu means I can still apply BIOS updates as they come, will have drivers available for the gear in the machine available, etc.
It's still a bargain to me, and it means Microsoft doesn't get to claim it "shipped" another copy of Windows, since for my purchase, they won't.
The funny part is this supposed outrage at the price not changing by switching to Linux -- are folks missing the point entirely that Windows is now so heavily subsidized that it's essentially free? Microsoft really *are* getting desperate to keep their stranglehold on the desktop market, eh? -
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