Weekly Edition
Return to the Front page| Weekly edition | Kernel | Security | Distributions | Search |
| Archives | Calendar | Subscribe | Write for LWN | LWN.net FAQ |
[This article was contributed by Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier]
Hewlett-Packard has quietly released a desktop PC featuring Mandrake Linux for small and medium-sized businesses. Last Wednesday the company issued a press release for the Compaq Business Desktop d220, which is available with Windows XP or Linux Mandrake 9.1. MandrakeSoft has also issued a release, which indicates that Mandrake will be on a range of HP's Compaq-branded desktop PCs.
It's encouraging to see one of the major players in desktop PCs getting behind Linux on the desktop. However, it'd be nicer if they were a little more aggressive about the play. HP's release for the d220 desktops doesn't mention that the new line is available with Linux until the sixth paragraph, when one would think that the release of a business desktop machine featuring Linux would be more noteworthy. However, the fact that HP is offering Linux on a desktop machine to SMBs at all is a significant step forward.
A d220 system with an Intel Celeron processor can be had for a mere $327 through HP's site right now, and it's worth noting that a machine with the same specs, but with Windows XP Home Edition, will set SMBs back an additional $50 per machine -- presumably due to the additional cost of adding the Windows license.
It's not exactly world domination, HP is only taking a tentative step in offering Linux to SMB customers on a small slice of its Compaq line. HP's home users, or those looking for a HP or Compaq laptop with Linux pre-loaded, are still out in the cold. (Though there's nothing to stop home users from ordering from HP's small and medium business online store...) But, this small step is necessary to help Linux gain a foothold in the desktop market.
Naysayers and analysts who have continually dismissed Linux as a desktop operating system may have to rethink their position, as it seems unlikely that HP would offer a desktop machine with Linux unless there is sufficient demand for Linux by its business customers, and that HP has decided that Linux is suitable for prime-time on the desktop. If HP is successful with Linux as a desktop offering for SMBs, we can expect to see Dell and others to follow suit very shortly.
(Log in to post comments)
Glad to see non-Windows machine actually cheaper.
Posted Jul 10, 2003 2:10 UTC (Thu) by StevenCole (guest, #3068) [Link]
When Dell was supposedly selling desktop machines with Red Hat Linux pre-installed, the price for a Linux machine was always at least $100 more than an identically configured Windows machine. Even so, I ordered a Dell Precision 420 with Linux. It came with Windows anyway. So much for their completely meaningless sales figures.When the Dell sales reps visited my site about that time, I asked about the price differential and why it was in the "wrong" direction. The Dell answer was "It costs extra to certify those models for Linux, and that cost is reflected in the price." Well my buying habits are reflected in the price too, so I've bought no more Dells in the past three years.
Bravo to HP for this. Next time I write a purchase order for a PC, this Steven will be saying I'm getting an HP! Sorry Dell dudes, you lose.
Glad to see non-Windows machine actually cheaper.
Posted Jul 10, 2003 3:08 UTC (Thu) by thompsot (guest, #12368) [Link]
You go, Steven. I was very disappointed that Dell let MS's typical veiled threats deter them from their Linux offerings. It's time for hardware vendors to sell hardware based on CUSTOMER needs/wants, not software vendors' needs/wants (especially convicted illegal monopolist software vendors, widely known for bullying hardware vendors into exclusive contracts). If software vendors want to sell products to the customer, they need to sell them based on the quality of the product and customer demand. MS has piggy-backed on hardware vendors since the release of DOS, and they don't want to have to start earning their keep the old fashioned way now. It's going to be up to hardware vendors to swat MS off every now and then, and give customers the choice... then we'll truly see market demand in action.I don't think HP and Dell would be gingerly tiptoeing into this market so slowly if there weren't some "consequences" they'll have to pay. IBM is diversified (and big) enough to tell MS Special Ops to take a hike... hopefully HP is now in enough markets that don't depend on MS software to do the same...
- T
Excellent
Posted Jul 10, 2003 5:40 UTC (Thu) by yodermk (subscriber, #3803) [Link]
Glad to see they "get it" about making Linux boxes cheaper.Granted, this isn't a huge leap, but we can expect to see this sort of thing before the tidal wave starts. My prediction is the tital wave is coming within a year or two. :)
Different Linux Distros from the same Vendor ?
Posted Jul 11, 2003 20:28 UTC (Fri) by thoeme (subscriber, #2871) [Link]
Funny....A colleague at work just bought a HP package deal: PC + TFT screen. Thesame type of PC would have been available with RedHat from HP using the normal
buying procedure; however the package deal was with XP only. Now he's going to buy
RedHat separately. It's interesting that HP aparently sells different Linuxes in different
countries (Switzerland in my case)