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Loss Leaders and Linux
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Comments (16)
Thanks to one of the readers who took the time to comment on the article I was very pleased to learn that eMachines actually does offer the system I bought preloaded with Ubuntu in Spain. So... what can we do to encourage Acer (who owns eMachines) to do the same elsewhere, like here in the USA?
Quoting:Yes, you can order a system with Linux preloaded from Dell....
Apparently not in Australia. I get a regular monthly news letter, and product catelogue from Dell, apparently I purchased something from them once, so I'm a valued customer. On a regular basis I ring them up and enquire about their offerings with Linux pre installed. This last time I was told flatly that Dell do not offer Linux pre-installed any where in the world. Now I know this is a blatant lie, but they certainly do not offer any Linux pre installs in Australia.
The Dell centre that we deal with in Australia in somewhere in Asia, this last time I spoke to someone they were obviously in India, So I have to assume that Dell does not offer Linux anywhere in what would potentially be one of the largest market areas in the world.
Considering that I've been assured by a number of people in India that systems with Linux preloaded are available in shops there it would be ridiculous for Dell not to offer Linux in that country.
Dell does offer Linux preloaded in North America and in some (but not all) European countries so the person you spoke to was, indeed, lying. Please don't take this personally but Australia is a very small market when compared to either North America or Europe.
Please also note that I am an American writer publishing on an American website. I recognize that the readership is international so I try to be as inclusive as possible but it is impossible for me to be familiar with all markets everywhere.
Dell does offer Linux preloaded in North America and in some (but not all) European countries so the person you spoke to was, indeed, lying. Please don't take this personally but Australia is a very small market when compared to either North America or Europe.
Please also note that I am an American writer publishing on an American website. I recognize that the readership is international so I try to be as inclusive as possible but it is impossible for me to be familiar with all markets everywhere.
I'm just reporting what I know about Dell's attitude to this market, and the assumptions I've formed based on where they are located in this region, it's no reflection on you.
I understand and I didn't mean to get testy with you. I kind of wanted to explain why there is no qualifier as to where Dell does and doesn't offer Linux in my article.
Am I correct that eMachines also doesn't offer Linux in Australia?
Am I correct that eMachines also doesn't offer Linux in Australia?
I'm not sure, but if they don't offer Linux in the US then they definitely won't offer it in Oz. I'll check and confirm.
It appears not
Sorry to hear it. Sad, but expected.
I went to dell.com/ubuntu and couldn't get to any actual Linux machines. All the links go to Windows machines. It borders on the incompetent/tragic.
@Steven: Works for me. They offer 5 models with Ubuntu. Sadly, it appears they're still shipping 9.04 on some of these units. Else they haven't bothered to update the site.
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/linux_3x?c=...
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/linux_3x?c=...
Still shipping 9.04 isn't a really that big a deal, it's trivial for the purchaser, even neophytes, to update it to the latest version. Shipping machines with Windows XP or Vista is a much bigger deal, the upgrade is considerably less trivial and much more expensive.
@tracyanne: I definitely agree about the non-triviality of upgrading Windows. But I think a lot of neophytes don't even bother to upgrade, regardless of Operating System. Given the rapid development cycle of most free software, coupled with the fact that an LTS release has been out for five months now, it isn't great that Dell is shipping a distro that will see its support end in a few weeks.
> I went to dell.com/ubuntu and couldn't get to any actual Linux machines.
Yeah. If the Dell US site still sells any models with Linux pre-loaded, it's not obvious. They used to have a link on their main home and home office page which took you to their Ubuntu preloaded machines. Not any more. Oh well, I guess ZaReason will be the beneficiary of their choices the next time I need a laptop or netbook.
HoTMetaL, your link works, but if you follow the links from that page, all you find are Windows machines.
Yeah. If the Dell US site still sells any models with Linux pre-loaded, it's not obvious. They used to have a link on their main home and home office page which took you to their Ubuntu preloaded machines. Not any more. Oh well, I guess ZaReason will be the beneficiary of their choices the next time I need a laptop or netbook.
HoTMetaL, your link works, but if you follow the links from that page, all you find are Windows machines.
@jd, I followed the links and they seem to offer Ubuntu,
for example the studio XPS
Software & Services AMD Athlon™ II X4 630 + ATI Radeon HD 4200 3GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz - 2 DIMMs 500GB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache No Monitor No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system) Dell USB Entry Keyboard Dell Studio Optical Mouse Personalize 1 Year Basic Service Plan Also Includes Ubuntu Desktop Edition 10.04 Single Drive: 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability Integrated Stereo Sound No Modem Option Studio XPS 7100 Minitower Integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet
the Inspiron 15n
Software & Services Ubuntu Version 9.10 with 30 days of Starter Support Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache) 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM) 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz 4-cell battery 1 Year Limited Hardware Warranty (10-14 Day Mail-In Service After Remote Diagnosis) Glossy, widescreen 15.6 inch display (1366x768) High Definition Audio 2.0 8X CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive) Dell 1397 Wireless-G My Accessories Also Includes Integrated 10/100 Network Card No Webcam Option Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD
the 10n
Software & Services Ubuntu Moblin Remix Intel® Atom® Processor N450 (1.66GHz, 512K L2 Cache) Obsidian Black My Service 1 Year Limited Hardware Warranty (10-14 Day Mail-In Service After Remote Diagnosis) Also Includes Inspiron Mini 10n High Definition Audio 2.0 10.1" Widescreen Display (1024x600) Integrated 1.3M Pixel Webcam Intel® NM10 Express 1GB DDR2 SDRAM No Mobile Broadband Selected 160G, 2.5inch, 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive 28WHr Lithium-Ion Battery (3-cell) Wireless 802.11n (HB95) Mini Card
cllick on personalise or customise
for example the studio XPS
Software & Services AMD Athlon™ II X4 630 + ATI Radeon HD 4200 3GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz - 2 DIMMs 500GB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache No Monitor No speakers (Speakers are required to hear audio from your system) Dell USB Entry Keyboard Dell Studio Optical Mouse Personalize 1 Year Basic Service Plan Also Includes Ubuntu Desktop Edition 10.04 Single Drive: 16X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability Integrated Stereo Sound No Modem Option Studio XPS 7100 Minitower Integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet
the Inspiron 15n
Software & Services Ubuntu Version 9.10 with 30 days of Starter Support Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache) 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM) 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz 4-cell battery 1 Year Limited Hardware Warranty (10-14 Day Mail-In Service After Remote Diagnosis) Glossy, widescreen 15.6 inch display (1366x768) High Definition Audio 2.0 8X CD / DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive) Dell 1397 Wireless-G My Accessories Also Includes Integrated 10/100 Network Card No Webcam Option Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD
the 10n
Software & Services Ubuntu Moblin Remix Intel® Atom® Processor N450 (1.66GHz, 512K L2 Cache) Obsidian Black My Service 1 Year Limited Hardware Warranty (10-14 Day Mail-In Service After Remote Diagnosis) Also Includes Inspiron Mini 10n High Definition Audio 2.0 10.1" Widescreen Display (1024x600) Integrated 1.3M Pixel Webcam Intel® NM10 Express 1GB DDR2 SDRAM No Mobile Broadband Selected 160G, 2.5inch, 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive 28WHr Lithium-Ion Battery (3-cell) Wireless 802.11n (HB95) Mini Card
cllick on personalise or customise
> I followed the links and they seem to offer Ubuntu,
OK, my mistake. If you click on the link at the bottom of the ad, you get the Ubuntu machine. However, on all other Dell pages, clicking on the actual computer picture also takes you to that page. Here, it takes you to the Windows machines.
OK, my mistake. If you click on the link at the bottom of the ad, you get the Ubuntu machine. However, on all other Dell pages, clicking on the actual computer picture also takes you to that page. Here, it takes you to the Windows machines.
Dell clearly is a Windows shop. I got that distinct impression when I interviewed for a UNIX/Linux position tin Austin maybe five or six years ago. (Yes, they flew me in. Companies did things like that before the great recession.) I get the idea that they came to Linux because their customers forced the issue. They came reluctantly.
Dell still seems halfhearted about Linux at best. Having said that, they are still better than all the other major hardware vendors who either only support Linux in their enterprise/business lines (HP, Lenovo) or not at all.
Dell still seems halfhearted about Linux at best. Having said that, they are still better than all the other major hardware vendors who either only support Linux in their enterprise/business lines (HP, Lenovo) or not at all.
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