DELL NEWS: New Open-Source Ready Consumer Desktop [LWN.net]

From:		<Liem_Nguyen-AT-Dell.com>
To:		<lwn-AT-lwn.net>
Subject:		DELL NEWS: New Open-Source Ready Consumer Desktop
Date:		Tue, 4 Oct 2005 07:57:18 -0500


DELL TO SELL OPEN-SOURCE READY DESKTOP COMPUTER FOR CONSUMERS


 

On Oct. 4, 2005, Dell launched the Dimension(tm) E510n1 desktop computer
to meet growing customer demand for open-source ready systems.  

            The Dimension E510n desktop computer offers a balance of
value and high performance, and is ideal for tech-savvy customers who
prefer systems without a pre-installed operating system.  The new "n
Series" desktop computer comes with a blank hard drive with no operating
system installed.  Dell provides a copy of the FreeDOS operating system,
which can be installed by customers when they receive their systems.
Additional features include:

*	Intel(r) Pentium(r) 4 6xx processors and up to 4 GB2 shared3
DDR2 memory provide mainstream performance
*	Multimedia features include up to two CD, DVD or combination
drives; optional dual TV tuner; optional 13-in-1 media card reader; and
optional 256 MB graphics cards 
*	Integrated Sound Blaster Live 24-bit Advanced HD audio and
10/100 network controller
*	Silver and white tool-less chassis blends in with home and
office environments
*	Mini-tower design incorporates Dell QuietCaseTM and BTX
technology for quiet operation and improved reliability

 

            The Dimension E510n is available immediately in the United
States. The base configuration starts at $849 with a Pentium 4 630
processor, 512 MB DDR2 memory, 128 MB ATI(r) RADEON X300SE HyperMemory
video card, 80 GB SATA hard drive and 1-year limited warranty. 

            For more information on the Dimension E510n, visit 
www.dell.com/nseriesE510. Additional details on Dell's n Series products
can be found at www.dell.com/nseries. 

# # #

Pricing, specifications, availability and terms of offers may change
without notice.  Taxes, fees, shipping, handling and any applicable
restocking charges are extra, and vary.  Dell cannot be responsible for
pricing or other errors, and reserves the right to cancel orders arising
from such errors.

 

1 In order to boot this system, you must install an operating system. A
FreeDOS media kit has been provided which will allow you to boot your
system once installed. Please note that many common applications will
not run and/or fully function using FreeDOS, and in order to run these
applications, you will need to install the appropriate operating system
and/or device specific drivers. Consult FreeDos.org or your chosen
operating system vendor for compatibility details.

2 The total amount of usable memory available will be less, depending on
the actual system configuration. 

3 Between 128 and 224 MB of system memory may be allocated to support
graphics, depending on system memory size and other factors.

 

Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc.

Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of
others.

(Log in to post comments)

Check Dell's website first

Posted Oct 4, 2005 18:51 UTC (Tue) by JoeBuck (subscriber, #2330) [Link]

Dell is charging a premium for the privilege of not accepting a copy of Windows XP.

I just checked Dell's website, to price a Dimension E510 system. I took the base configuration, and increased the memory to 512M and selected the ATX Radeon X300 SE card. Dell will sell me the resulting system for $829, and throw in a $50 rebate, making the price $779.

Even if we ignore the rebate, Dell wants $20 extra to include FreeDos instead of XP, and makes the customer install FreeDos.

Now, in my mind it would be fair for Dell to charge about the same price for a system with pre-installed Linux, as compared to pre-installed XP. Even if they save $50 or so on the Microsoft tax, it will take them more effort to do something unusual, for a smaller set of customers. But in this case they are charging more money and providing less.

So I'd advise anyone who's interested in this deal to compare the cost of getting the version with Windows XP and immediately wiping the disk, throwing the license in the trash. The latter choice is apparently cheaper if you buy from Dell.

Check Dell's website first

Posted Oct 4, 2005 19:26 UTC (Tue) by kh (subscriber, #19413) [Link]

I thought the whole point of Microsoft's tax is that Dell get's charged for a Windows licence for each workstation they ship, whether it has Windows on it or not. So I guess the point is getting enough people to purchase the "not" category so that it makes sense for the company to drop their licensing deals with Microsoft and only pay for licenses that are actually used. (At which point the cost differentials will reverse.)

Check Dell's website first

Posted Oct 4, 2005 19:44 UTC (Tue) by iabervon (subscriber, #722) [Link]

They'd have to sell a very small portion of machines with Windows for them to save money by not having an OEM license, especially because Microsoft can arbitrarily set the balance of prices.

Check Dell's website first

Posted Oct 4, 2005 21:01 UTC (Tue) by kh (subscriber, #19413) [Link]

Q.E.D. Personally, I think this is why IBM is no longer selling Thinkpads.

Wheels within wheels

Posted Oct 4, 2005 23:36 UTC (Tue) by ncm (subscriber, #165) [Link]

This has been done frequently before: price the one without MS more than the one with. Nobody buys the one without, thereby proving there's no demand. For all the support you'd get from Dell, you might as well buy a white box from a local store; at least they deserve your business. Of course doing that not only obscures evidence of demand for boxes without MS on 'em, it also demonstrates the prevalence of what they like to call "piracy", because of course any machine sold blank cannot but end up running a bootlegged copy.

So, buy one with Lindows on, and wipe that.

Check Dell's website first

Posted Oct 5, 2005 0:48 UTC (Wed) by azhrei_fje (guest, #26148) [Link]

So I'd advise anyone who's interested in this deal to compare the cost of getting the version with Windows XP and immediately wiping the disk, throwing the license in the trash. The latter choice is apparently cheaper if you buy from Dell.

Or, don't click-accept the EULA and return the media to Dell for a full refund. For details, check http://linuxjournal.com/article/7040 I did this with a local BestBuy (not exactly as stated in the linked article, though) and only got back a pittance. I felt sorry for the store manager who tried to help me by paying me cash out of his till. Little did he know I was going to take him to Small Claims court and have the judge decide the value of "Windows" and hence, of my refund. I ended up taking the small amount he offered. For my next purchase, however, I won't be so shy. :-/

DELL NEWS: New Open-Source Ready Consumer Desktop

Posted Oct 4, 2005 19:03 UTC (Tue) by mikesalib (subscriber, #17162) [Link]

I purchased an N-series system just over a year ago from Dell. I had requested that it come with DVD burner. Shortly after my order was accepted, I got email from one of their staff people insisting that they would have to put Windows XP on it because I had asked for a DVD burner. When I pressed them for an explanation, they claimed that their corporate policy forbade them from shipping a box in a configuration that could not work. Of course, the box works fine with linux, including DVD burning. The whole experience was rather strange and nonsensical.

Just something to be aware of should you consider going with the N-series.

DELL NEWS: New Open-Source Ready Consumer Desktop

Posted Oct 4, 2005 23:35 UTC (Tue) by segphault (guest, #27468) [Link]

how many experienced Linux users really want a preinstalled system? Unless they can offer multiple distribution choices it really wouldn't make sense. No matter what they put on it, if it isn't Ubuntu, the first thing I'm going to do is reformat it, and I'm sure that everybody else feels the same way about their distribution of choice.

If you want a preinstall, look at a company like LinuxCertified that can do it the way you want it done.

Pre-installed systems

Posted Oct 4, 2005 23:55 UTC (Tue) by corbet (editor, #1) [Link]

Over the last twelve years I've bought several pre-installed Linux systems, and probably redid every one of them. Getting a system with Linux on it has its value: it's an existence proof that Linux will, in fact, work on that system. That proof, along with a copy of the shipped /etc directory, can greatly increase one's confidence in getting the system running as one wants.

I do

Posted Oct 6, 2005 16:17 UTC (Thu) by robla (subscriber, #424) [Link]

As already mentioned by our editor, having Linux preinstalled is proof that it can run Linux. Also, for me, if Linux comes preinstalled with a "good enough" distro (as it did with the VA Linux box I bought a few years ago), I'm not going to mess with it. Life is too short to spend it nerding around with unnecessary distro installs.

DELL NEWS: New Open-Source Ready Consumer Desktop

Posted Oct 9, 2005 19:33 UTC (Sun) by Kmaurer (guest, #12642) [Link]

I suggest checking out a very nice vendor in Rochester, NY: on the web at www.jncs.com. They put together motherboard bundles & bare bones systems in a wide array of configurations from basic budget (for a few hundred $) to power user (for several $K). They are very helpful. I have purchased several machines from them over the years and all of them ran Linux just fine. They themselves will not advise you regarding linux, but everything is a la cart - if you want the WinXp CD they will sell it to you. If you don't, they won't.

I've been playing with Linux since '99. Just a hobbyist who enjoys installing different distros just to see what they do. I've never met anyone who was happy with their Dell machine, windows or not. The voodoo pricing on the web site is too much for me!