No Mention Of Linux In Dell Sept Catalog

[The poster formerly known as 'The Poster Formerly]

If Dell sells an open sores,

OOOOOOOOOOooooooooh, Carey is using strong language again!!
http://www.microscum.com/carey/

--
Priceless quotes in m.p.w.vista.general group:
http://protectfreedom.tripod.com/kick.html

"Fair use is not merely a nice concept--it is a federal law based on
free speech rights under the First Amendment and is a cornerstone of the
creativity and innovation that is a hallmark of this country. Consumer
rights in the digital age are not frivolous."
- Maura Corbett

 

[norm]

That's okay. It's been known to happen ;-)

Have you tried Ubuntu, by the way? If you haven't, I'd recommend you give
it a whirl as a Live CD. Or if you want to see another Live implementation
of the GNOME desktop environment, similar to that seen in Ubuntu, but more
like vanilla GNOME, try here:

http://torrent.gnome.org/

(The actual terrent is pretty slow, but there is a standard download too,
I don't know if that is better, but you could find out).

If you do decide to have a go, let us know what you think.

I have been running ubuntu 7.04 since it became available (and 2 or 3
versions prior), and before that I dabbled with redhat, mandrake, and
linspire. I have 3 machines (vista, xp and ubuntu 7.04) in close
proximity in my home office (the basement ). All are completely
configured to my likings and needs, and any of them can serve as my full
time system. They are networked, so I can move files or whatever I wish
from one machine to another for consistency's sake. Right now I am
concentrating on vista, as it is the latest os I have installed. A bit
of diversity is what makes the world go round.

 

[DanS]

So if you purchase a Dell PC with Linux, and encounter a problem,

you'll end up paying for support right off the bat. Whereas Dell
offers free technical support for Dell PCs preinstalled with Microsoft
Windows. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that Microsoft
Windows is, by far, the best consumer choice!

Does it really matter anyway, when 99% of the time Dell's recommendation
from telephone tech support is to wipe the system and do a restore anyway ?

How long has Dell been selling Windows ? They can't support that properly,
so how do they have any hopes of being able to support something that's
completely new to them ?

 

[DanS]

Actually, once a consumer purchases a Dell PC with
Linux preinstalled, they will soon likely purchase another
Dell PC with Windows Vista after their Linux-induced
frustration level comes to a head. Good marketing strategy!

And these are the same people that come here frustrated with their Vista
install ?

 

[Bill Yanaire]

And the paying Vista customers, once again, are the clear losers.

I think you have it wrong. If a paying customer gets Ubuntu on their
computer, they lose. If they get Vista on their computer, they will have a
delayed win. When they fix the bugs, release the service pack, drivers, and
a host of others, then they will win.

 

[DanS]

Except that everyone already knows how to use and support Windows so
its easier.

Not according to some here, who claim that Vista is different from
earlier versions of Windows and 'you have to learn how to use Vista
properly'.

 

[DanS]

Of course not - why on Earth would I need to do somethig as
complicated as that? You really *are* ignorant about Linux, aren't
you?

Because most ARE that ignorant of Linux, if they even know what it is.

 

[chrisv]

Price an identical basic Dell desktop system w/17" LCD monitor with
Windows Vista and then Ubuntu, you'll see the Ubuntu system is actually
$10 more ($549-U vs. $539-V). Dell fully supports Vista at no charge
while it does not support Dell PCs w/Ubuntu installed.

Yeah, we know that Micro$oft "incentives", combined with fees paid to
OEM's to pre-load a bunch of unwanted crapware, can negate Linux' cost
advantage.

Again, Windows Vista is the clear winner!

If you're a loser.

To anyone with a brain, Visduh is about the worst OS ever foisted upon
the market. If it weren't for Micro$oft's monopoly power, which
allows them to force it upon the OEM's, only a small number of the
curious and the foolish would be using it.

Too stupid to do a delimiter correctly, eh top-poster?

 

[DanS]

Price an identical basic Dell desktop system w/17" LCD monitor with
Windows Vista and then Ubuntu, you'll see the Ubuntu system is actually
$10 more ($549-U vs. $539-V). Dell fully supports Vista at no charge
while it does not support Dell PCs w/Ubuntu installed.

Again, Windows Vista is the clear winner!

Sorry Carey......Dell is the real winner here. They refuse to support you
and get an extra $10 on the sale, and, don't pay for the OEM Windows
license. That sounds like a good business move to me.

It would be a great advantage to Dell to sell MUCH more Ubuntu.

 

[dennis@home]

Or to turn them towards the very active and newbie friendly Ubuntu
community, which will support them for nothing, provided they're willing
to have a try at learning a few new skills.

And they already have a windows PC to access the community until they can
use Ubuntu to ask the questions.

 

[The Ghost In The Machine]

In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Carey Frisch [MVP]
<[email protected]>
wrote

Price an identical basic Dell desktop system w/17" LCD monitor with
Windows Vista and then Ubuntu, you'll see the Ubuntu system is actually
$10 more ($549-U vs. $539-V). Dell fully supports Vista at no charge
while it does not support Dell PCs w/Ubuntu installed.

Again, Windows Vista is the clear winner!

Well, lessee.

Inspiron 530N. Basic desktop, starts at $549. E2140 processor,
Ubuntu 7.04 w/no support, 17" ViewSonic VA1703wb LCD,
512 MB SDDR2 667MHz RAM, 1 160 GB SATA@7200 RPM, 48x optical CD-RW/DVD,
128 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8300GS, integrated crap audio, standard
keyboard/mouse, no floppy drive, no optional 1394a.

$549.

Inspiron 530s. Basic desktop, starts at $599. E4300 process (oops,
delta), uninstalled FreeDOS, 19 inch monitor (oops, delta, +$20),
1 GB Dual DDR2 667 MHz RAM (oops, delta), 250 GB SATA @7200 (oops, delta)
.... never mind; clearly this is more desktop, and I can't make
them match without more work.

Inspiron 530 w/Windows. Basic desktop, starts at $369.
Celeron 420; upgrade to E2140 +$110.
Genuine Home Basic. No monitor; add 17" VA1703wb +$170.
1GB DDR2 667 MHz SDRAM (oops, delta).
.... never mind; clearly this is now more desktop.

Dell's playing games here again.

There is another interesting quirk. There is an Inspiron
530 open source desktop; however, I can't get a compatible
microprocessor between Dell's offerings.

530N (ubuntu): E2140, E216, E4300.
530 (freedos): E4300, E6320, E6420.
530s (freedos): E4300, E6320, E6420.
530 (Windows): Celeron 420, E2140, E2160, E440, E4500, E6550.
530 w/mon (Windows): E4400, E4500, E6550.

Apples and oranges and bananas and celery sticks.
As usual, caveat emptor.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

--------------------------------------------------------------------

:



That's nonsense.


Ignorance is not your friend.

Indeed.

http://www.ubuntu.com/

might help in curing some of it, though. ;-)

 

[Kier]

Because most ARE that ignorant of Linux, if they even know what it is.

Not the ones who claim spurious knowledge of Linux, as this fool does.
He's just a liar.

 

[Adam Albright]

Because most ARE that ignorant of Linux, if they even know what it is.

Linux sounds like a cheap Chinese knock off of Lego building blocks
with lead paint.

 

[Bill Yanaire]

Linux sounds like a cheap Chinese knock off of Lego building blocks
with lead paint.

I better go check the kids room. Wouldn't want them playing with Linux!

 

[Respondant]

I better go check the kids room. Wouldn't want them playing with
Linux!

It's not THAT big a deal,. There's nothing worthwhile for them to play with
anyway. Just make sure ya keep 'em out of your Windows partition. You
DO know how to dual-boot, right? Oh wait. What am I saying? Pretty much
every Linux user started with Windows and (despite never admitting to it)
STILL has SOME version of Windows laying around on a partition somewhere.
You know. Just so "the kids" can "play" with it.



Bill

 

[Bill Yanaire]

I remember going through my divorce. She was the Petitioner and I was the
Respondant. Thanks for the memory. We were married 18 years, a few of them
good!

 

[chrisv]

Linux sounds like a cheap Chinese knock off of Lego building blocks
with lead paint.

Is flaunting your ignorance something you enjoy doing?

 

[Bill Yanaire]

Is flaunting your ignorance something you enjoy doing?

What ignorance? He said it sounds like something. There is no ignorance
there!

 

[Michael Solomon]

You missed where he said "online catalog"?




He implied that Dell no longer sells computers and they will dump it and
other sordid lies.

Baloney...
Stop trying to squirm out of your mistake.
He clearly says:

"Here is the online version of the September Dell Catalog that was
mailed out last week."
Yes, but later in the post he says the following:

"All kinds of back to school, business, college, student stuff and Dell
Reccomends MICOROSFT VISTA logos EVERYWHERE.

So where is this great push of Linux Dell is supposedly doing?
Where the hell are they hiding it?
And why?

Maybe Dell knows full well that Linux as a desktop system is about as
in demand as Bubonic Plague.

Expect Dell to quietly dump Linux, if they haven't already because
it's difficult to tell."

That's more than implication, that's a conclusion. Alias' remarks were over
the top and he admitted that and apologized. Nonetheless, a search of
Dell's site confirms Linux is available for those who want it:
http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?s=gen&c=us&l=en&cs=&k=Linux&cat=prod

Dell is in the business of selling computers and the information at their
website, their U.S. website, seems to indicate, they will continue to sell
Linux systems to those who want them but, based on the lack of mention in
their catalog, either mailed or online, it also appears they realize most of
those who want it will either request it or search for it at their site. If
I was in the same "half a penny" business as the PC business in general, I
wouldn't want to turn away Linux users either. That's not an endorsement,
it means, in the interest of good business, if the demand is there, they
will offer it and they still seem to be doing so.

 

[Michael Solomon]

Linux sounds like a cheap Chinese knock off of Lego building blocks
with lead paint.

Hmm, and I thought it was some sort of "lint free Kleenex," excuse
me..Tissue!