When Dell put up its IdeaStorm community-feedback site, the company was surprised by the strong response in favor of shipping personal computers with Linux. The PC company then announced that it would offer Ubuntu Linux on select systems, and as of yesterday, they are taking orders. Ubuntu Linux is now available on the XPS 410n high-end desktop system at USD 849 (compared with USD 899 for the same machine with Windows installed), the E520n desktop at USD 599, and the E1505n notebook at USD 599. For now, the Ubuntu systems will only be available to customers in the United States. Availability is expected 'in the coming weeks' according to an announcement given on May 1, but Dell.com lists a shipping time of three to five days.
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Member since:2005-07-06
"that the included versions of these applications in Ubuntu are available for Windows as well, right? "
Windows ship with the lattest OpenOffice and GIMP version on Dell hardware as default ? Thats great news !! Oh wait !! you mean that the software are also available on Windows , IF YOU KNOW THEY EXIST AND WHERE TO GET THEM AND HOW TO INSTALL THEM but are not included so that people buy Microsoft Office and other Image softwares ... Never mind that there support and security and funding and release are behind GNU/Linux ones ...
"Welcome to 2007. They are free"
Some are *gratis* , but those are not the one included on Dell as Default OOTB experience are they ? Where as GNU/linux does ...
Let me explain english 101 :
If It come with the machine its similar if you have to waist time searching for them , downloading them , installing them and testing if they don't corrupt or waist ressource it's not the same and is an additionnal cost.
hence :
"On top of the Dell purchase price *with* Windows you'd have to buy:"
Because they don't come included.
Member since:2006-02-05
Vista comes with a working firewall with a GUI frontend, Ubuntu comes with IPTables (of course), but you still need to download something like firestarter. Vista also comes with a malware detector that lets you know when system files are modified by third parties. Granted, linux doesnt need this anywhere NEAR as badly, but you need to buy a commercial product to get this functionality on linux. Last but not least, Vista ships with a modern (MAC based) security archetechture, which you only get in linux if you go with something made by redhat, or you are willing to go through the non-trivial process of getting SELinux up and running.
You are right with windows not coming with anywhere near as much OOTB free software as ubuntu, however when you claim that ubuntu ships with more comprehensive security tools I gotta call BS.
Member since:2005-06-29
It is fair to say that most initial purchases will be made by experienced Linux users, so they will know about options like OpenOffice and GIMP.
However, on a strictly comparison basis, if the average user were buying this system, the Windows system would be significantly more expensive.
Office
Photoshop or comparable product
Security software
Upgraded OS (in the case of Vista)
It makes the Ubuntu machine look more cost effective.
Member since:
2005-06-29
On top of the Dell purchase price *with* Windows you'd have to buy:
- an office suite
- a graphics editor
- security suite (antivirus, personal firewall, spam etc)
You do realise that the included versions of these applications in Ubuntu are available for Windows as well, right? OpenOffice and GIMP run on Windows too.
As for the security apps... Welcome to 2007. They are free (as in, money, and sometimes as in speech, as well).