Dell Offers FreeDOS With New PCs

Zed writes "Showing a distancing of itself from Microsoft, Dell now offers businesses a chance to purchase computers without a Windows operating system. The N-Series computers start at $319 from Dell's website and ship with a FreeDOS CD in the box."

Hmm

[pyite]

Because 8 bits are better than none?

Almost First Post

[Anonymous Coward]

While this may be a bit off topic, why does all DOS OS's run only on the PC? I would burn old women to have DOS on say a sparcstation 5.

FreeDOS?

[placeclicker]

What kind of home user uses a command line only OS?

Free Denial Of Service attack?

[(1337) God]

Hmmm, so you get it home, set it up, get online, then tell 'em "OK I'm ready" and then they packet jam the heck out of you?

Sounds kinda kinky ;-)

Inquiring minds want to know

[The-Bus]

Do they at least still ship with the spyware? If there aren't 78 desktop shortcuts pre-installed, it's not a Dell!

Wee!

[NanoGator]

A small handful of people rejoice!!!

Re:FreeDOS

[NanoGator]

"OK, what can I do with it??"

You can operate your disc system. Duh.

Re:FreeDOS?

[arrow]

What kind of home user uses a command line only OS?

Now THAT is a stupid question to ask on slashdot.

FreeDOS.

[Oliver Defacszio]

FreeDOS! Great! Now I can run Telix 3.15 on my new 7 Flabblehertz PC!

Back in the real world, FreeDOS is about as useful as a deep-freeze in the Arctic circle. Are people supposed to learn to install an OS on new computers? What is this, 1987?

Re:Avoids double dipping

[etymxris]

The Windows site license just covers upgrades...

No problem, these customers will just be upgrading from DOS :)

Off topic?

[Anonymous Coward]

Burning old women is never off topic. It's a necessary part of God's plan. Circle of life and stuff.

pool on when Darl McBride claims FreeDOS IP...

[vnv]

I would expect Darl will be on the scene shortly, perhaps within a week, claiming that FreeDOS is also owned by SCO.

I will enter my official guess as February 2, "Groundhog Day". If Darl appears and claims more IP, then six more weeks of IP winter will be upon us.

Re:Linux

[Anonymous Coward]

Plus, Microsoft *really* hates Linux. I still have some friends who work there ( I used to work there at one time), and they all say that the culture within the company is just an absolute hatred for Linux.

So you're saying that the Linux community copies not only all the major productivity programs and the look and feel of MS OSes, but the corporate culture of hating the opposition as well?

Huh. ;)

Re:If there's no MS tax, why so pricey?

[kamapuaa]

Wow, at those prices it's surprising that Element Computers (manufacturer of the ubiquitous Plutonium 1000 computer) can maintain their dominant position in the computer market.

Re:Is this new?

[Schmucky The Cat]

Where I work we have a corporate support contract on the Dell desktops so we have to go through Dell to get our memory. I wanted to add an extra 512 MB of RDRAM and Dell wanted over $500 for it!

If you can't use the old RAM simultaneously then just stick it in a drawer or velcro it to the interior of the case. When the machine needs servicing, put the old RAM in.

Compaq pulls that same deal. We put 1GB chips in a bunch of servers that were ordered with 128MB. Compaq didn't want to service the machines but the old RAM was in a desk drawer. Put it back and let the whiny Compaq guy work on dog slow 128MB machines.

Re:There is a world beside Canada and USA...

[Anonymous Coward]

5000km? Why not 5Mm?

I think more people should use megametres for long distances. And maybe megagrammes and gigagrammes for heavy masses :)

i'll bite.

[SubtleNuance]

Ok, Sivar, what is an ODM? What is this valuable distinction from OEM that us Non-MBAs are missing....?