Dell's Secret Linux Fling 146
Slagged writes "The Register has up an article on Linux-based Dell systems being sold in China. While Microsoft quashed an attempt by Dell to create a market for Linux PCs in the U.S., such restrictions are not the case in Asia. From the article: 'Fifteen months ago our own Ashlee Vance, who broke the news of the first break-up in 2001, proved how hard it is to buy a PC from Dell without Windows. Not pre-loaded with Linux mind you - but simply a bare bones box. But far away from the prying eyes of Steve Ballmer, romance is blossoming. An eagle-eyed reader found the fruits of the union, brazenly on display in a Beijing subway.' The article has pictures of the advertisements, which offer Dell PCs preloaded with 'Red Flag Linux'."
Hard to buy a bare pc...really? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Lawl (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Hard to buy a bare pc...really? (Score:5, Informative)
Yuan, not Yen (Score:3, Informative)
Nothing Clandestine About It (Score:5, Informative)
Just look at Dell's Chinese website: there, right in the middle, amongst all those Chinese characters, you'll see the caozuo xitong ("operating system") listed in clear Roman letters: Linux.
http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/products/features
(The stuff at the top says Dell "recommends the use of" XP Professional.)
Hard to get a Dell with no OS? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Hard to buy a bare pc...really? (Score:3, Informative)
Dell and Linux for corp customers mainly (Score:4, Informative)
Linux on Dell (Score:2, Informative)
can't buy a Dell PC w/o Windows -- bull! (Score:3, Informative)
I call bullsh*t, or at least misinformation.
I was able to negotiate a refund of some $62 for each of four Dell PC purchased while I worked at a former employer because we explicitly did not want Windows for them. Even though it came preinstalled, with shrink-wrap installation media, we got the refund upon returning the installation media and attesting that we reformatted the hard disk.
Dell was not difficult about it.
Of course, the fact that all our desktops were Dell machines, and most of them did run Windows, and my employer did have a blanket corporate license from Microsoft for all MS software may have had something to do with it, but still.
Of course, getting a refund for returning something you don't want is not the same as not having to purchase it in the first place, but the bottom line was that, in the end, Dell happily sold us PCs with no operating system on them.
Might want to be careful there. (Score:4, Informative)
Dell is pretty clear about this on their n-Series page [dell.com], as it states in bold type: "It is not a Microsoft operating system and is not qualified for Windows licensing use under any existing Microsoft Volume Licensing Program (OPEN, Enterprise, etc.) Customers interested in a Microsoft® Windows® solution should purchase a Dell desktop pre-loaded with Windows XP Professional."
If you get audited, you may be in trouble.
Re:Dell Linux laptops ... not here. (Score:2, Informative)
I just rewrote the same link they used for the desktops. It seems to work.
Re:Dell is evil! (Score:3, Informative)
huh (Score:4, Informative)
www.dell.com/linux