Dell's Linux pricing seems to be a bit of a head scratcher ...

Engadget has the skinny on the Dell Open website, which will be launched today.

Though their reporting on the pricing seems a little bit odd to me:

It looks like preloading with Linux costs more than preloading with Vista. I'd actually expect them to cost about the same, or the Linux load to cost less.

Ray6 wrote:

Engadget has the skinny on the Dell Open website, which will be launched today.

Though there reporting on the pricing seems a little bit odd to me:

It looks like preloading with Linux costs more than preloading with Vista


How does that work?

Things which keep Windows cheaper:

• Payoffs for bundled applications
• Economies of scale for support training
• Higher demand, more competition

Anyone who thought Dell were about to start shipping boxes that cost less when they were perfectly capable of selling the same users machines with Windows preinstalled is extremely naive.

Oh damn.

$230 more for the cheapest Linux system verses Vista, even though Ubuntu is free.

Dell lied! They said it was to be cheaper (though probably slightly)than the same Window model not over $200 more.

Well this is dead.

Xaero_Vincent wrote:


$230 more for the cheapest Linux system verses Vista, even though Ubuntu is free.

Dell lied! They said it was to be cheaper (though probably slightly)than the same Window model not over $200 more.

When did they say that?

I agree, $230 is a might steep. But what I always wonder about: why don't people just buy a PC without OS, or just get parts, and assemble it yourself?

Well you can't really assemble a laptop from parts.

Bas wrote:

When did they say that?

I agree, $230 is a might steep. But what I always wonder about: why don't people just buy a PC without OS, or just get parts, and assemble it yourself?

Thanks!

Looks like Jeremy's got some splainin' to do.

"So we pay more for less?..."

Another shot at the linux down the tubes then...

"Every little helps. (Dell, not you)"

If you look online, there are Linux PCs being offered for $99 and $139. The latter has a 1.5 GHz Via C7, 256 MB RAM, 13.5 GB HDD (can be replaced for cheap). Not sure what specs the former has.

If Microsoft starts demanding royalties from Dell because of their Linux patent violation belief, the Ubuntu systems could cost even more.

Linux users would still be paying the Microsoft tax in that case along with $230+ fee for not having bloatware installed.

It's just a bad situation all around, as usual. It seems any and all news surrounding FOSS is overshadowed by gains from Microsoft in their attempt to embrace and kill Linux.

Dr Herbie wrote:



Ray6 wrote: Engadget has the skinny on the Dell Open website, which will be launched today. Though there reporting on the pricing seems a little bit odd to me: It looks like preloading with Linux costs more than preloading with Vista How does that work?

I'm assuming it's becuase there's all that cr@pware that get pre-loaded onto Windows PCs putting money towards keeping the sale price low, while there's little, if any, equivalent for Linux (yet?).


Herbie

Xaero_Vincent wrote:



Oh damn.

Damn indeed. I didn't really expect this to fly, but I have to confess that  didn't figure on price being the reason.

Xaero_Vincent wrote:


$230 more for the cheapest Linux system verses Vista, even though Ubuntu is free.

Bear in mind that Dell probably gets a heftty discount on Windows licenses. And as someone pointed out, no-one is going to pay Dell to install 'extras' onto their machines. Dell does seem to be considering a higher priced Windows machine option that comes extras free; I wonder how much extra that will cost.

Xaero_Vincent wrote:


Dell lied! They said it was to be cheaper (though probably slightly)than the same Window model not over $200 more.

Xaero_Vincent wrote:


Well this is dead.

No comment from Emet and Corona_Coder then?

Okey-dokey

Ray6,

We were wrong:

http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/05/update_dell_rep.html

The prices include monitors. I didnt know that before.

Overall about $50 less for equivalent hardware with Windows Vista Home Basic/Premium.

So thats about what we were expecting.

It would be interesting to see how the prices would compare if the Windows units didnt come with a crapload of trial software.

Maybe $100-$200 more?

Wheres the Linux crapware? Lets get that coming along now... We'll get busy will ya.

apt-get remove bonzi-buddy
apt-get remove aol10_trial
apt-get remove marketscore.

Ray6 wrote:

No comment from Emet and Corona_Coder then?

Okey-dokey

Ray6 wrote:

No comment from Emet and Corona_Coder then?

Okey-dokey