Dell only selling two ubuntu PCs now?

[hanzomon4]

Last time I checked dell offered two laptops and two desktops with ubuntu pre-installed. Now I only see one laptop and one Desktop - link (http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/linux_3x?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs). What gives? I mean, did I miss a memo or something?

[-grubby]

I thought it was two desktops and one laptop........

[Nano Geek]

I hope this doesn't mean that the Ubuntu computers aren't selling well at Dell. :(

[adamklempner]

Huh, maybe people realized that this computer:



$549
Intel®Pentium® dual-core processor E2140 (1MB L2,1.60GHz,800 FSB)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
17 inch SE178WFP Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs
500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
16X DVD+/-RW Drive

Is a better deal than this one:


$499
Intel®Pentium® dual-core processor E2140 (1MB L2,1.60GHz,800 FSB)
Ubuntu Desktop Edition version 7.04
17 inch SE178WFP Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs
250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
48X CD-RW/ DVD Combo Drive

I don't see the difference in the cost of the OS anymore...

[-grubby]

Huh, maybe people realized that this computer:
$549
Intel®Pentium® dual-core processor E2140 (1MB L2,1.60GHz,800 FSB)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
17 inch SE178WFP Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs
500GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
16X DVD+/-RW Drive


Is a better deal than this one:

$499
Intel®Pentium® dual-core processor E2140 (1MB L2,1.60GHz,800 FSB)
Ubuntu Desktop Edition version 7.04
17 inch SE178WFP Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs
250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
48X CD-RW/ DVD Combo Drive

I don't see the difference in the cost of the OS anymore...

double the hard drive space on computer #1!

[adamklempner]

double the hard drive space on computer #1!

And you get vista home premium for free! :roll: (Is that the one that has aero?)

[-grubby]

And you get vista home premium for free! :roll: (Is that the one that has aero?)

yes. the only one without is "vista starter edition" (linux is the obvious choice here since starter edition has reduced functionality) and vista basic

[adamklempner]

Ah, if I were looking at computers like that I'd probably get the one with vista because it is just a better deal. I'd probably never use vista, but at least I'd have it "just in case."

I thought that when this deal started the Ubuntu boxes got a break on on the Microsoft tax. If they don't get that anymore, I don't see them selling many more of these.

[TeaSwigger]

Not exactly a fair playing field is it? More MS's style. What a surprise... Sheez :(

[hanzomon4]

Well I wanted to get a desktop for my little bro for Christmas, but I'm not getting a system that doesn't even come with a core 2 duo processor. I can only hope that they get some better setups cause this is just shameful. I know Ubuntu can run on lower spec systems but still...

[ubuntu27]

Well I wanted to get a desktop for my little bro for Christmas, but I'm not getting a system that doesn't even come with a core 2 duo processor. I can only hope that they get some better setups cause this is just shameful. I know Ubuntu can run on lower spec systems but still...

Better get him a computer from System76 (http://www.system76.com/) or EmperorLinux (http://www.emperorlinux.com/) :)

[natehall]

Last time I checked dell offered two laptops and two desktops with ubuntu pre-installed. Now I only see one laptop and one Desktop - link (http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/linux_3x?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs). What gives? I mean, did I miss a memo or something?
This is only partially related to this post, but Walmart is now offering a 200$ Ubuntu system. http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS7114714037.html

[SomeGuyDude]

double the hard drive space on computer #1!

And a DVD burner.

Like I keep saying, Dell doesn't want to put Ubuntu on its machines since it would wreck the general PC company model of having people need to upgrade their machines every few years.

Hooray, they sell a $500 PC and now those people will likely never need to buy another one until it breaks down. All those Vista machines are, at the longest, going to last until the next Windows comes out.

That and the fact that as far as I know, very few people buy top of the line PCs for Linux. There's no need. Aside from not having to buy another one, the one you DO buy doesn't need to be that pricey.

[stinger30au]

buy the pc with Vista, and scrub it and whack on Ubuntu yourself

[gn2]

This is without doubt my favourite story concerning MS licensing costs:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6144782.stm

[Paqman]

I don't see the difference in the cost of the OS anymore...

AFAIK OSes are priced by volume. The more copies of Windows Dell sells, the better deal it gets from Microsoft. The huge volume that Dell moves means it will be paying very little per copy of Windows.

It's only ordinary people who get shafted for full-price when they buy Windows. Hardware vendors get a cushy deal.

[adamklempner]

AFAIK OSes are priced by volume. The more copies of Windows Dell sells, the better deal it gets from Microsoft. The huge volume that Dell moves means it will be paying very little per copy of Windows.

It's only ordinary people who get shafted for full-price when they buy Windows. Hardware vendors get a cushy deal.

Yeah, I thought the difference was still around $50 for the good version of Vista though. Maybe it is less, but I'm sure they don't get it for free so I would like to see at least some of that reflected in the price of the systems.

[hanzomon4]

I know I could always get a vista pc and put ubuntu on it, but I really wanted to support Dell's Ubuntu project. If I'm ever in the market for a laptop I will go for the Ubuntu one granted it doesn't disappear.

[phrostbyte]

At worst you can attempt to get a rebate for Windows. The Windows EULA specifically allows for this if you deny it.