[GRLUG] Dell gives the go-ahead for Linux

[Benjamin Flanders]

I have seen laptops with Linux pre-installed and all the prices are so
much more than the windows prices.  I heard that the reason for this
is all the advertising and placement deals the oem's have for the
windows desktop.

If the price is really that much lower with the linux machine than I
would get that, but if it isn't I'd just get the windows and to a
complete wipe and put my distro of choice on it.

I'd like to say I'd spend the extra to support Linux, but I am a cheap bastard.


On 3/30/07, Ron Lauzon <rlauzon at gmail.com> wrote:
> Bob Kline wrote:
> >
> > Dell sold Linux before,  and quit.  No explanations.  I suspect M$ put
> > on the squeeze.
> >
>
> Very probably true.  Microsoft asserts that any computer sold without an
> OS means that the person buying the PC will pirate Windows (yet they
> have no facts to back that up).  So they tell OEMs like Dell "if you
> sell a PC without an OS, we won't sell Windows to you at the OEM
> price."  The OEM price is significantly lower than what you would pay
> for the boxed Windows at the store.  So the OEMs gave in to Microsoft's
> demands - otherwise they would be at a significant price disadvantage.
>
> I think that Dell has enough ammo so that if Microsoft comes back with
> "Selling a Linux PC is like selling a PC without an OS" that Dell can
> take Microsoft to court if MS tries to up the price on Windows to punish
> Dell.
>
> > The only question now as I see it is how long Dell will sell Linux
> > this time,  and whether it will promote the feature at all, as in
> > "save $60 ( $75? ) on your next machine,"  since M$ doesn't
> > automatically get loaded.
>
> I expect to see at least a $100 price drop for a Linux PC.  Especially
> when Dell says that they won't support the Linux PCs they ship (they
> will support the hardware, but if you have Linux problems, you need to
> go elsewhere).
>
> --
> Ron Lauzon - rlauzon at acm dot org
>    Homepage: http://7lauzon.home.comcast.net/
>    Weblog: http://ronsapartment.blogspot.com/
>
>    DNRC: Lord of All Things That Are Fattening
>
>    "To be sure, conservative radio talk show hosts have a built-in
>    audience unavailable to liberals: People driving cars to some
>    sort of job." - Ann Coulter
>
> Microsoft Free since July 06, 2001
> Running Mandriva Linux 2007
>
>
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