The More Dell Lies, the More Ubuntu Community Embraces Dell
Having priced similar Dell Ubuntu and Vista systems in the past, at a real difference of 10 dollars, I was curious to check in again and see if Dell has implemented anything the users of IdeaStorm have asked for.
One particular thread caught my attention:
Ubuntu Dell is $50 Less Than Windows Dell — Implemented.
Lets take The Flavor Challenge and build two same-spec 1420 Notebooks:
Note “Jet Black [Included in Price]” on 1420 Ubuntu
Downgrade to “Jet Black [subtract $20]” on 1420 VistaNote “FREE! 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz [Included in Price]” on 1420 Vista
Upgrade to “2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz [add $150]” on 1420 UbuntuNote “FREE! 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM) [Included in Price]” on 1420 Vista
Upgrade to “Size: 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM) [add $125]” on 1420 UbuntuNote “Intel 3945 802.11a/g Mini-card [Included in Price]” on 1420 Ubuntu
Upgrade to “Intel 3945 802.11a/g Mini-card [add $25]” on 1420 VistaTotal:
Inspiron 1420 [Vista] $824
Inspiron 1420N [Ubuntu] $1,049
The people asked, and Dell delivered! And only at $225 more for the Ubuntu laptop!
Say this with me: Dell has no intention of selling non-Windows consumer and commodity PCs/Notebooks. They simply can’t as the net profit on a Dell system is derived directly from the Windows OS via “Desktop Real Estate” and any Microsoft leads and co-marketing funds [kickbacks] provided — and not from the base hardware.
The Linux community is being used to generate free publicity and in turn sell Windows Licenses.
A bit ironic, don’t you think so?
Update 07/11/07:
The given components and prices on the 1420 Notebook have been updated. The price difference is now $25 [assuming no change in Wireless NIC], in favor of the Ubuntu system.
Among frequent price and component discrepancies, price fluctuations, and Windows favored promotions, I’m not sure if Dell is serious about selling “open-source” [as Dell calls them] systems, rather than generating publicity.
Considering that expected sales are at 1% of total systems shipped, and that Microsoft could break Dell in half by decreasing the received Windows License discounts and co-marketing funds, I have no choice but to assume the latter.
Update 04/30/10:
Seems like its back to $200 again.
2: Mistitled
I have one regret about this article. I never suggested it be called “Why Linux failed on the desktop”, and I actually never said that Linux failed on the desktop. My perspective was on how the Linux _kernel_ and its development treats the desktop.
Con Kolivas (1 days ago)
reply
In regards to the above ‘for the developer, by the developer’ quotes…
I’m not sure how relevant this is today, but this is what Linus said about v0.01…
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~awb/linux.history.html
Roots and foundations tend to persist in some respect.
I think buying preinstalled Ubuntu from Dell is probably one of the best ads for linux systems. I thin that statistics can force hardware companies to support driver developement.
I cannot help but notice that if one goes to that Slick_deals forum and pages a little further in, one will find some very different feedback about the Ubuntu Dell. I see Admin didn’t hasten to point this out.
Truly, you are one of the most obtuse Blog-trolls I’ve seen in a while, “Admin”.
Anyone can search for “Ubuntu” on that thread to get all the related comments.
It’s odd how people will gravitate to grabbing onto any trivial matter once the main points have been argued and won.
The proverbial “I use Ubuntu, it’s the greatest OS in the world! Microsoft proprietary s/w sucks.” type of comments and nonsense does not impress me… Those people are living in a bubble.
Neither does the logic of ignoring comments I posted due to a few contrasting ones.
with linux one can use the machine untill it breaks, I have a compaq persaro 1200 laptop(ex windows 98se, 6gb, 256ram) running kubuntu linux, meaning that if I buy the dell ubuntu machine now I will still be able to use it for as long as I wish, whereas I am sure that windows will not support vista from some point, agreed I have no proff of user’s needs but I suspect that most people just want their laptops for simple stuff these days, so someone buying ubuntu gets a long term system computer whereas microsoft only offers one a shortterm lease of a system which microsoft can then choose withdraw support from forcing one onto their next system, (and what about officeworks and protection), anyway imagine someone trying to run vista on a windows98se computer and one soon see that price advatage of going to linux,
Anyway, I don’t mind dell being honest or dishonest in their motives, thanks to them both Levono and HP and now joined the fray, and the distro-war may now turn serious
i just ordered my ubuntu dell through my school and only upgraded to the high res screen ($840 after shipping). i did what you did and parted out the exact same machine with vista, both WITHOUT my student discount and got these results:
1420n: $994 (plus shipping)
1420: $1,164 (plus shipping)
now who’s lying?
you are.
I am a ubuntu user and previously I owned macs and their forums are filled with the same crap! Windows people go and be happy! I would also like to say that has nobody stopped to think that probably 0.00005% of windows users work in IT whereas probably about 20% of linux users do. So by Dell offering Ubuntu systems they are probably appealing to alot of people who have a say on corporate IT spending?
I have been asking Dell for machines with No OS for many years. The answer is still no. I think they should be honest with people and tell them the true cost of the machine and the OS.
I think anyone using any version of Windows c TM should ask for their money back on their current version and then use that money to buy the next version of Microsoft’s operating system.
If it is cheaper to buy the machine with Windows installed then this is what I will do:
- Buy the machine with Windows installed
- Format the hard drive, throw away the Windows OEM disk
- Install Ubuntu
The discounts are being offered because Vista is a pig. Yes, it seems unfair to charge less for a PC with an expensive and bloated OS, but nobody wants it and that’s how the market works.
But if you compare a PC with the same specs running Ubuntu vs. Vista? Ubuntu wins, hands down.
You could buy the Vista PC cheap, install Ubuntu on a partition and have a dual boot system (in can come in handy to have windows so you can do your taxes once a year, etc).
Then consider what you save on software licenses, anti-virus and anti-spyware programs you have to buy, and then factor in the time you’ve spent watching the windoze hourglass, waiting for something to happen or the value of the work you lost to the blue screen of death.
My bust-ass 5 y.o. Compaq laptop with a 1.4 ghz Celeron processor and 512m of memory outperforms a state of the art laptop running Vista. As long as my laptop still runs, there will be no need to replace it.
Nuff said.
“You could buy the Vista PC cheap, install Ubuntu on a partition and have a dual boot system (in can come in handy to have windows so you can do your taxes once a year, etc).”
True and I can play games on Ubuntu at 1/2 speed 1/2 the frame rate and watch it crash every 15-20 minutes.
“Then consider what you save on software licenses, anti-virus and anti-spyware programs you have to buy, and then factor in the time you’ve spent watching the windoze hourglass, waiting for something to happen or the value of the work you lost to the blue screen of death.”
With the money I save, I can buy lots of this if I needed it.
And trully its been near 10 years since I saw a blue screen of death. But strangly I have seen a lot of X11 crash’s or reboots to a (prompt) due to X11 going south.
“My bust-ass 5 y.o. Compaq laptop with a 1.4 ghz Celeron processor and 512m of memory outperforms a state of the art laptop running Vista. As long as my laptop still runs, there will be no need to replace it.”
Well thats only partially true, you most likley are trying to make Vista Work, while surfing listing to music, and typing emails in Ubuntu.. you know the resource intensive stuff……
there is alot of dell reps on this blog
A Dell without an operating system I don’t ever see happening. The problem is they are customer service based so they don’t want anything out there that doesn’t have an OS they can support. That is the only reason they are offering Ubuntu is because of commercially available support and that partnership.
Ubuntu on Dell’s is a major advancement of Ubuntu as THE face of Linux and to gain more mainstream support from major software companies like Adobe who already have Windows and Mac flavors out there. Just as the Intel based Macs was a step towards software companies making Linux software, since the architecture is one step closer to PC based Linux OSes.
1 year later and no real progress and no other OEM following suit by offering Ubuntu. Naturally, there’s no money in it and almost no demand. Dell will dump Ubuntu when the recession hits. It’s the perfect exit strategy for Dell. They get to save face with the mostly Linux constituency over on Ideastorm by blaming the recession as to the reason why they can no longer offer Ubuntu.
The failed and farcical Ideastorm project which hardly represents Dell’s consumer base and which backed Dell into a corner will also probably be shut down.
hey there. perhaps it’s a bit too late to post, but i feel like no one is getting to the point here.
big oem’s such as dell, don’t care about ubuntu. it’s a fact, and you don’t need to discuss it. why is that? because dell offers its products based on the concept that they are easy to use, easy to buy, cheap and they offer “tech support” over the phone. if you were to buy a computer and use it with ubuntu (being computer savvy) then you would assembly it yourself, and get to choose each component. Dell branded computers are only that, “branded”. they all have chinese motherboards (asus, msi or whatever else they come accross), which in turn have chipsets made by somebody else, like ati or nvidia. then they assemble this pcs in china or mexico, just like hp does (serial numbers starting with MX, CN, that’s where the pc was manufactured) and finally, offer tech support in india, the phillipines, mexico or any other ‘developing’ country (which by the way, is not ‘guru’ on anything at all, just a bunch of people with a 2-months training at most). that is what lowers their production costs as it does to preinstall vista and the crapware you usually get with their pcs. there is no real tech development here. they are just oems and that is what they do. get used to it, or learn how to build a computer yourself and get the os you like the most. the 80’s are over. there is no real difference between computer manufacturers, not even between computers (see the intel macs).
sorry about my english, i’m not a native speaker.
add the fact that dell is selling support services they NEVER give.
and the FACT that both DELL and UBUNTU are perhaps not LYING but
“forgetting” to mention at SALE that the PRINTERS they are SELLING to
their customers are USELESS and a waste of their money *CON*….
then the FACT that shipments are DELAYED –
days to find out what SUPPORT is and then DAYS to
get it. NOW that the stench is surfacing – the very “curteous”
techs inform you that your 21 days refund is expired and u can
take the useless equipment and shove it …. up a dark corner of your closet storage space.
put that ontop of DELL seeds and “sharing”….
which is ONE reason that ubuntu users PREFER ubuntu….
I thought it was a good thing…
till i PAID the bucks and EARNED my lesson.
I’d buy Windows 7 and dual boot with Ubuntu 10.04
Inspiron 15n
Starting Price…… $619.00
http://www.dell.com/us/en/home/notebooks/laptop-inspiron-1545/pd.aspx?refid=laptop-inspiron-1545&s=dhs&cs=19&~oid=us~en~29~linux_2~~
Software & Services
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache)
Ubuntu Version 9.10 with 30 days of Starter Support
250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz
6-cell battery
1 Year Limited Hardware Warranty (10-14 Day Mail-In Service After Remote Diagnosis)
Bright, glossy widescreen 15.6 WLED display (1366×768)
High Definition Audio 2.0
8X CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
Dell 1397 Wireless-G
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD
Jet Black
My Accessories
My Service
Also Includes
No Webcam Option
Integrated 10/100 Network Card
Inspiron 15
Starting Price……. $399.00
http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-inspiron-1545?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19
Software & Services
Intel® Celeron® 900 (1MB cache/2.20GHz/800Mhz FSB)
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
1 Year Basic Service Plan
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz
250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
6-cell battery
No Webcam Option
Dell 1397 Wireless-G
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD
8X CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
High Definition Audio 2.0
Jet Black
My Accessories
Microsoft® Works 9
McAfee SecurityCenter, 30-Day Trial
Dell Online Backup 2GB for 1 year
Also Includes
Bright, glossy widescreen 15.6 WLED display (1366×768)
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9.0
Integrated 10/100 Network Card
No ISP requested
Price difference $220.. Windows favor
Indeed
$399 Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dndozg1&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=laptop-inspiron-1545
$619 Ubuntu 9.10 (upgraded from $579 to match 6 cell battery)
configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dncwzl1&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19
Price difference is $220. Windows 7 wins. Pay $220 more for a free OS? Thanks Dell for at least providing Ubuntu support. Time to dual boot.
CORRECTION: Price of the Windows 7 Dell Inspiron 15 is really $444.00 when you upgrade to match 3GB RAM offered default with the Ubuntu Inspiron 15n.
Inspiron 15n
Starting Price….$619.00
Software & Services
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache)
Ubuntu Version 9.10 with 30 days of Starter Support
250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz
6-cell battery
1 Year Limited Hardware Warranty (10-14 Day Mail-In Service After Remote Diagnosis)
Glossy, widescreen 15.6 inch display (1366×768)
High Definition Audio 2.0
8X CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
Dell 1397 Wireless-G
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD
Jet Black
My Accessories
My Service
Also Includes
No Webcam Option
Integrated 10/100 Network Card
Inspiron 15
Starting Price ……. $444.00
Software & Services
Intel® Celeron® 900 (1MB cache/2.20GHz/800Mhz FSB)
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
1 Year Basic Service Plan
3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz
250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
6-cell battery
No Webcam Option
Dell 1397 Wireless-G
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD
8X CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
High Definition Audio 2.0
Jet Black
My Accessories
Microsoft® Works 9
McAfee SecurityCenter, 30-Day Trial
Dell Online Backup 2GB for 1 year
Also Includes
Bright, glossy widescreen 15.6 WLED display (1366×768)
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9.0
Integrated 10/100 Network Card
No ISP requested
Difference is really $175
I purchased a Dell Inspiron, AMD 64 Durion, 1 Gb RAM a couple of years ago. Had WinXP Pro pre-installed. From the time I received it I had numerous OS issues, file manager operatoins would not refresh when adding/changing file/folder names. Boot/shutdown times rapidly became excessive. updates (every damn day) caused application crashes. Now it has LinuxMint 8 (a Ubuntu 9.50 derivative) with Virtualbox running an old Win2000 copy for 2 apps that a legacy support. The guy who shares my office is jealous of the rapid boot (it is actually ready when the Desktop appears) my multiple Desktops (1 of the greatest features) and updates that just work without having to reboot. Not to mention inherent security. I use this machine daily professionally to run a 3D CAD system and program machine controls. Windows has not been activated on it for 7 months.
@A Jackson
Can I ask what 3D cad You use on linux? I’ve been looking for one that could compete with solidworks