Dell Offering "Open" PC

Sans writes "Dell began offering a new desktop Dimension E510n PC this week with no operating system installed. The machine is designed for people who want to run open-source software such as Linux instead of Windows. The PC comes with a blank hard drive and a copy of the FreeDOS operating system, which can be installed by customers."

Remember January 26th 2004?

[mattyohe]

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/01/27/013520 8">http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/01/27/013 5208 [slashdot.org]

And it was old news THEN as well!

Perhaps I should look IN to these.

[LaminatorX]

Dell calls them "Open." Microsoft calls them "Naked."

[Quagmeyer]Aall Riiiight[/Quagmeyer}

Bill was right

[should_be_linear]

he envisioned back in '80s that PC with DOS will be good enough even in 2005.

Re:news?

[Surt]

What I think you're seeing is the definitive proof that windows is worthless.

Re:Not necessarily "Open source" PC...

[Anonymous Coward]

Thats why you only upgrade one piece at a time, then the licence stays valid...

Re:Perhaps I should look IN to these.

[NeuroManson]

I heard they ship with a 40 Giggigity hard drive (OH!)

Dell and the Open PC..

[jskline]

This can only spell one thing. Big trouble in little Dell!!

Micro$oft will undoubtedly begin the legal proceedings against Dell due to the fact that the fundamental purpose behind FreeDOS was to be able to run those old MSDOS programs!!! Microsoft wants em dead... dead... dead. Dell is just helping now to promote software piracy by mitigating users to continue to use those old MSDOS games and heaven forbid... Word for MSDOS! :-)

Cheers

Difference between Dell PC and a trampoline

[cerberusss]

What's the difference between a Dell PC and a trampoline?

With a trampoline, you take off your shoes first.

Re:SHENANIGANS!

[Anonymous Coward]

"So apparently, a copy of Windows XP Media Center 2005 Edition costs $30."

Cost of WinXP: $30.
Cost of Freedom: priceless.

Steve

[leadsling]

Nice to see Steve Ballmer is posting as A.C. again.

Dell Offering "Open" PC

[zpeterz63]

Anyone else read this at first as Dell looking to cut costs even more by neglecting to give you a full case? No? Well, I guess that's what sleep depervation will do to you. :-P

Re:Waste of time and source of FUD for Microsoft

[Anonymous Coward]

Let's be really really honest.

No actually, I can't top that.

Re:Perhaps I should look IN to these.

[Anonymous Coward]

Dude, PUT YOUR PANTS ON!

Nothing to see here... move along, not news

[njcajun]

http://overat.blogspot.com/2004/09/desktop-pc-vend ors.html [blogspot.com]

Re:news?

[LaughingCoder]

Of course another interpretation is that the costs of the hardware and support dwarf the Windows license fee about which everyone loves to complain ... and I strongly suspect that support for an OS-less PC could be pretty expensive.

Customer: "Um hello, yes I bought your Open PC and installed my favorite Linux distro and it doesn't work."

Dell: "Let me forward you to our Linux expert."

Linux Expert: "Hello, which distribution did you load?"

Customer: "Well, it was Redhat."

Dell: "Let me forward you to our Redhat Linux expert."

Redhat Linux Expert: "Hello, which version of Redhat did you install?"

Customer: "It was version 8.0"

Redhat Linux Expert: "Let me forward you to our Redhat version 8.0 expert"

Redhat 8.0 Linux Expert: "Hello, which configuration did you install?"

Customer: "It was the Professional edition."

Redhat 8.0 Linux Expert: "Let me forward you to our Redhat 8.0 Professional Edition expert."

Redhat 8.0 Professional Edition Linux Expert: "Hello, can I help you"

Customer: "My Open PC doesn't work"

Redhat 8.0 Professional Edition Linux Expert: "And you installed Redhat 8.0 Professional Edition?"

Customer: "Yes, but of course I rebuilt the kernel to improve disk performance by 0.05%"

Redhat 8.0 Professional Edition Linux Expert: "I'm sorry, we can only help you if you installed a Linux distribution from our list of supported distros."

Customer: "So how do you handle defective hardware?"

Redhat 8.0 Professional Edition Linux Expert: "Perhaps you should install Windows to verify that the machine works before putting in your distro. Or you could use one of our supported distros."

Customer: "You call that Open? I need an RMA so I can send this piece of crap back."

Re:Waste of time and source of FUD for Microsoft

[tolkienfan]

Yeah, but those that don't are fucked.

And not past tense, either.

Dell have been charging more for Linux-preloaded systems than the equivalent Windows-preloaded system for years. And Bill gets his cut either way.

So guess what, without the Windows license, the PC costs more. Go figure.

I suppose if you follow that reasoning, the Windows license must have a negative value. Oh, it does make sense after all!