Dell might be more successful selling Linux preinstalled if they target inexpensive notebooks instead of high-end workstations like they have in the past.
Posted Mar 1, 2007 19:25 UTC (Thu) by smoogen (subscriber, #97)
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The money margins are not there. Most low-end notebooks make their costs off of the rebate Microsoft pays vendors to install the OS. The vendor then hopes to make it in size of sales and people upgrading the hardware enough that they get premium on parts (or people saying they need that high-end workstation)
Microsoft makes its money off of people then buying office, etc.
If there is not enough money to be made, a vendor is not going to try it as their starter market.
Vendors, laptops and Linux
Posted Mar 5, 2007 15:43 UTC (Mon) by tjc (subscriber, #137)
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The money margins are not there. Most low-end notebooks make their costs off of the rebate Microsoft pays vendors to install the OS.
I didn't know that. So if I buy an hp for $500, Windows is not adding to the cost, it's reducing the cost? I guess Windows is useful after all. :-)
Vendors, laptops and Linux
Posted Mar 5, 2007 16:30 UTC (Mon) by bronson (subscriber, #4806)
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Well, technically it's the lamers that see an icon for AOL on their new desktop and sign up for it that are reducing your cost. Windows just enables their money to travel through AOL, through Dell, to you.
If this business model is to be attempted under Linux, it will be Linspire that tries it first. :)