News Dell to sell Linux PCs

[WilHarris]

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/02...ell_linux_pcs/

[_DTM2000_]

Yay, this is good news. I hope they have a wide range of systems available with a Linux option soon. This would give lots of good options to us consumers. Plus, if Dell can force better driver development then this will help the open source community on a whole. Well done Dell. Lets hope more big system builders start to move in this direction.

[bilbothebaggins]

Nice move (Let's see if it'll work out.)

I think many low level computer users are well served by a pre-installed linux (and I think the distro doesn't really matter).
* browser ... check
* email ... check
* (Open) Office ... check
* printing ... check
* mp3 ... check
* movies ... check(?)

Of course the same people will rant about Linux the very instance they want to use program xy and notice it won't run on Linux ...

[antiHero]

Thats a great thing from Dell todo.
I know that they already offered PC with a own Dos distro if you dont need Windows.
About joe bloke ranting:
I installed Ubuntu on my parents pc and its all they need. For surfing the web and writing emails the genuine linux install is enough. So far they didnt need to install anything couse everything you need is there.

[yakyb]

i think its fantastic news however i can see a lot of people being caught out
i.e why won't X game work on my new dell laptop or i want to run Y Program why will it not run

i cant access my home computer running Win Xp from my new Laptop running Linux

i personally think this is great news as i use a laptop running linux anyway surely this will drop prices as you wont have to pay for a windows license

[mikeuk2004]

Ok i dont know much about linux and as I can gather there are lots of different versions.

I downloaded one to try and install on my main pc which had a very nice graphic interface on the installer which failed when it came to installing SATA drivers. Anyhow thats as far as I got. I dont rember which version it was but it was a DVD if that means anything.

Anyhow I was thinking of trying to install a linux on my Sony laptop. can someone recomend the right one to install?? Also if I install it will it eat up the image on the hard drive and prevent me useing my recover disc to get windows back if needed?

Apart from that it will be good for joe public to see linux and realise there is something out there other than windows.

[Krikkit]

This is a great day for Linux. The biggest PC manufacturer around (mainstream at least), has finally decided to support an OS.

People will, no doubt, whinge that there isn't any sense in having Linux made by one company - but don't forget that these things HAVE to work as well as possible.

Lots of people will be tempted by the price reduction that not having windows brings, and you have to have a reliable distro for Joe Public to get used to - you can't have the need to drop to a CLI to fix bug problems, or fiddling about with loads of settings and switches.

Another poke in the eye for M$, who might start to understand that people won't keep paying if it's overpriced and gimmicky.

[Freedom]

If they gonna make sure it there systems work with suse then it should work with most other linux distros so if it only comes with suse not much of a lost realy. should be easy to install other linux distos

[DarkLord7854]

Originally Posted by Krikkit

Another poke in the eye for M$, who might start to understand that people won't keep paying if it's overpriced and gimmicky.

Specialy when OSX is only 90$ and is nearly the same


Linux sounds good, I always avoided buying from Dell and tuff because I'd have to buy another stupid Windows license for a "cheap" 99$ >.<

[r4tch3t]

I have just recently started using Linux, Ubuntu for a family friend who is clueless around computers, its easier to install, cheaper, and practically no configuration to do. Everything is included. I for one would prefer a Linux laptop as I wont be needing a windows license or any windows programs.
This is a good thing for Linux.

[BioSniper]

This is indeed interesting. On the one hand it's great as it give choice and the possibility of lower prices (though I'm not sure it will amount to much as you have to pay specialist techies to actually support it) and on the other hand it's a terrible terrible idea.
I'm all for Linux but when mummy and daddy buy a new PC for the kids at crimbo which has Linux on it only to find out that some really obscure piece of software required for little Timmy's school work doesn't work in Linux or that new Cbeebies cd-rom from the Daily Mail doesn't work they are sure to question why they bothered with the alternative when for a couple of quid more Windows would have just "worked out the box".

I am by no means a MS/Windows fan but I'm not a Linux zealot either (unless it's for web servers), just trying to look at it objectively really.

[Buzzons]

Me agrees with BioSniper

Also, open office is (and please, no arguments here) rubbish in comparison to Office XP/2k3/2k7 - the integration is not there, the advanced toolset is not there, if you just want to edit a basic word file, then fine, but anything more advanced and it falls flat on its face.

Also -- what if it goes wrong? it could be many different reasons compared to the one windows error message you usually get. Will PC world help you? will you have any techie mates that know their way around it enough to help you? what if they want a different distro?

why will all consumers want to buy an OS that wont run 100% of the software they have already bought?

When they get a new bit of hardware, what is hte chances it will be supported - Windows XP - 100% nearly // linux? I know the support is going up, but it's no where near the XP driver scale.

[supermonkey]

Originally Posted by Buzzons

Also, open office is (and please, no arguments here) rubbish in comparison to Office XP/2k3/2k7 - the integration is not there, the advanced toolset is not there, if you just want to edit a basic word file, then fine, but anything more advanced and it falls flat on its face.

Open Office actually works quite well. I've been using it on my home machine for quite some time now, and have had no compatibility issues. Further, how many general home users require more advanced features?

-monkey

[DarkLord7854]

They might require to use a digital camera but nowadays you can buy those printers where you just snap the camera or memory card into it and print from there.

Also, I think Dell would give support for their Linux supplied hardware just like they give support for the Windows ones.

And I seriously doubt that anyone will ask for a different distro is they don't even know how to fully use it. Many people will just see it as Windows with a funky GUI I bet

[Tyinsar]

My main hope from this is that this leads to better driver support (as has been mentioned by others) and gets more hardware and software companies looking at Linux. Now, if Dell got on board with an Ubuntu variant and Linspire's Click'n'Run I think it would push for an even better and unified Linux standard.

[evanbraakensiek]

hmm, they could curb the warranties a little and allow for a greater variety of distros. If ubuntu isn't one of the distros supported then they want shot

[Brooxy]

I'm not normally one to be civil about Dell, but it seems for once they've made a step in the right direction, and hopefully, this will shunt some other computer companies into Linux more, meaning more support, and eventually, more money being put into Linux drivers.

And to whoever claims open office is a pile of poo...think back to the time of Mircrosoft Word 6.0, back on Windows 3.1, and how ugly it was, and featureless......as with Microsoft Office, OpenOffice will improve with age, all it needs is a little time.

[evanbraakensiek]

Originally Posted by Buzzons

Me agrees with BioSniper

Also, open office is (and please, no arguments here) rubbish in comparison to Office XP/2k3/2k7 - the integration is not there, the advanced toolset is not there, if you just want to edit a basic word file, then fine, but anything more advanced and it falls flat on its face.

Also -- what if it goes wrong? it could be many different reasons compared to the one windows error message you usually get. Will PC world help you? will you have any techie mates that know their way around it enough to help you? what if they want a different distro?

why will all consumers want to buy an OS that wont run 100% of the software they have already bought?

When they get a new bit of hardware, what is hte chances it will be supported - Windows XP - 100% nearly // linux? I know the support is going up, but it's no where near the XP driver scale.

You fail on so many levels its unreal, makes me think you've never even used linux before. Come back and talk when you've actually used a computer.

[randosome]

you can already configure laptops with Linux from dell now

however they are even more expensive then their vista counterparts, absolutely absurd, probably because dell cant shovel their crapware (which they get money for) onto a Linux laptop, however i would have thought that would break even with the cost of XP at least

[Nix]

Maybe this will get more people trying and/or using linux.

I think it could be good for the linux community to get more users, as more users can mean more generated content and apps for linux. Also more companies (such as game companies) might start making apps that run on windows, mac and linux