Dell goes Linux

[Pentium]

Does an average person know how to even install an OS?

An average person has a kid who can do that.

Manufactured with it on the drive - no. But I'm sure Dell has a process to drop their standard image on the drives before they're installed in a box. Otherwise they would have to boot up every _single_ comp they produce and manually drop the image.

That would be my understanding as well, it sounds the most logical.

 

[kuukkeli]

damn, I'm looking for a new computer, but so far dell still includes windows in all it's machines in switzerland

Just out of curiosity, why buy Dell? Or to be more precise why buy a brand computer at all? I've always purchased computers from small shops that build it from the components I want (couple of times I built it myself from the components but as my current regular store builds them for free then why bother). At least in Finland you get much more value for your money that way. And you don't have to get OS if you don't want.

EDIT: Of course if you're looking for a laptop the above is pretty much meaningless.

 

[Grisu]

Just out of curiosity, why buy Dell? Or to be more precise why buy a brand computer at all? I've always purchased computers from small shops that build it from the components I want (couple of times I built it myself from the components but as my current regular store builds them for free then why bother). At least in Finland you get much more value for your money that way. And you don't have to get OS if you don't want.

EDIT: Of course if you're looking for a laptop the above is pretty much meaningless.

well, I used to build all my computers myself (well, I buy the parts and do the rest, not build the actual computer ) but over the last years I haven't paid much attention to all this chipset/mainboard/cpu stuff with incompatibilities and stuff (I remember on computer I had where the northgate/cpu/gpu combination was making constant trouble).

furthermore, I haven't made good experiences with the small shops in my area. most of the time, their knowledge wasn't superior to mine and they just did what I would have done myself when manufacturing the computer. so I ended up with a computer that was much too loud, and had wierd quirks. All Dell computers I've ever bought worked well and silent.

And I did look up local sellers and wrote down the computer of my desires. In the end it wasn't cheaper at all than my selected Dell Dimension 9200

 

[El Koeno]

well, I used to build all my computers myself (well, I buy the parts and do the rest, not build the actual computer ) but over the last years I haven't paid much attention to all this chipset/mainboard/cpu stuff with incompatibilities and stuff (I remember on computer I had where the northgate/cpu/gpu combination was making constant trouble).

furthermore, I haven't made good experiences with the small shops in my area. most of the time, their knowledge wasn't superior to mine and they just did what I would have done myself when manufacturing the computer. so I ended up with a computer that was much too loud, and had wierd quirks. All Dell computers I've ever bought worked well and silent.

And I did look up local sellers and wrote down the computer of my desires. In the end it wasn't cheaper at all than my selected Dell Dimension 9200

I'm sure there's some Internet sites around with plenty of info for people who like to build their own computers. I used the Dutch site www.tweakers.net. There's a lot of info, and tips, so less risks for compatibility problems I guess. They even provide links to the shops where you can get your components the cheapest. I realize that dutch sites aren't very handy for everyone , but I'm sure there are sites like these in other countries.

 

[Grisu]

I'm sure there's some Internet sites around with plenty of info for people who like to build their own computers. I used the Dutch site www.tweakers.net. There's a lot of info, and tips, so less risks for compatibility problems I guess. They even provide links to the shops where you can get your components the cheapest. I realize that dutch sites aren't very handy for everyone , but I'm sure there are sites like these in other countries.

I used to to all that stuff for my previous computers, but I just got tired of it. I just don't want to wade through tons of reports about incompatibilities (each one of them with a nice number of people who claim 'it works for me' to buy a computer). Sometimes I wish back the good old times where there was just one Socket for all CPUs

These days I just want to specify what CPU, how much RAM, what graphics card and go...I guess I've gotten lazy What's more, I want to get everything from the same shop, it's just much more convenient, and all the shops I've found that sell everything I want aren't really significantly cheaper than a Dell.

 

[IglooDame]

I used to to all that stuff for my previous computers, but I just got tired of it. I just don't want to wade through tons of reports about incompatibilities (each one of them with a nice number of people who claim 'it works for me' to buy a computer). Sometimes I wish back the good old times where there was just one Socket for all CPUs

These days I just want to specify what CPU, how much RAM, what graphics card and go...I guess I've gotten lazy What's more, I want to get everything from the same shop, it's just much more convenient, and all the shops I've found that sell everything I want aren't really significantly cheaper than a Dell.

Ditto here, pretty much. In my last circumstance I went with major parts replacement on my home-build, but it wouldn't have been that much more expensive to go with a Dell, and trying to nail down noise/cooling problems as well as the incompatibility problems is just an annoyance nowadays, not a challenge.

 

[Strider]

I used to to all that stuff for my previous computers, but I just got tired of it. I just don't want to wade through tons of reports about incompatibilities (each one of them with a nice number of people who claim 'it works for me' to buy a computer). Sometimes I wish back the good old times where there was just one Socket for all CPUs

These days I just want to specify what CPU, how much RAM, what graphics card and go...I guess I've gotten lazy What's more, I want to get everything from the same shop, it's just much more convenient, and all the shops I've found that sell everything I want aren't really significantly cheaper than a Dell.

There is quite a few online retailers that will let you choose all of your parts and build it yourself, without worrying about compatibility. My main problem with Dell, HP, Toshiba, etc. is that they do more than just put a clean install of windows on the computer. They put third party programs on the computer (some are kind of useful.. others are completely useless). I don't mind having Nortan Anti-Virus (plus 1 year free subscription) pre-installed to badly, but i really don't have any use for GameHouse, Greeting Card Creator, T-Shirt Creator, and the million other pieces of junk they put on there.

Even worse.. my girlfriends laptop has been getting slower and slower by the day. She's been complaining about it.. so I decided to re-format and the put windows back on a clean HD. Unluckily... the computer didn't come with a Windows XP CD... it only came with a "Toshiba Installation CD" that is "to be used to restore the computer to factory defaults." Honestly... I didn't want to restore the computer to factory defaults... I wanted to wipe the HD and put JUST windows on it. Guess what? Your not allowed to access the BIOS... so there is no way to change the boot sequence to install any other OS. Ended up having to use the install CD.

 

[Speedo]

I used to to all that stuff for my previous computers, but I just got tired of it. I just don't want to wade through tons of reports about incompatibilities (each one of them with a nice number of people who claim 'it works for me' to buy a computer). Sometimes I wish back the good old times where there was just one Socket for all CPUs

These days I just want to specify what CPU, how much RAM, what graphics card and go...I guess I've gotten lazy What's more, I want to get everything from the same shop, it's just much more convenient, and all the shops I've found that sell everything I want aren't really significantly cheaper than a Dell.

There really are no such problems today.... for the moment 99% of the PCs you get will use DDR2 RAM, PCIe graphics cards, SATA HDDs.... the only thing you have to 'research' is a mobo that fits your choice of AMD or Intel CPU.

Even worse.. my girlfriends laptop has been getting slower and slower by the day. She's been complaining about it.. so I decided to re-format and the put windows back on a clean HD. Unluckily... the computer didn't come with a Windows XP CD... it only came with a "Toshiba Installation CD" that is "to be used to restore the computer to factory defaults." Honestly... I didn't want to restore the computer to factory defaults... I wanted to wipe the HD and put JUST windows on it. Guess what? Your not allowed to access the BIOS... so there is no way to change the boot sequence to install any other OS. Ended up having to use the install CD.

I've *never* encountered a prebuilt PC with a locked-out BIOS. They're severely neutered in comparison to the normally available options, but always at least have the basic stuff.

Often though it's more trouble than it's worth to try and install plain windows on prebuilt machines... you can spend so much time trying to hunt down drivers and so to get everything working. Just count your lucky stars that you got the CD at all; more often than not nowadays you have to pay extra to get that CD.

 

[Strider]

I've *never* encountered a prebuilt PC with a locked-out BIOS. They're severely neutered in comparison to the normally available options, but always at least have the basic stuff.

Often though it's more trouble than it's worth to try and install plain windows on prebuilt machines... you can spend so much time trying to hunt down drivers and so to get everything working. Just count your lucky stars that you got the CD at all; more often than not nowadays you have to pay extra to get that CD.

The drivers wouldn't be to hard to track down. After all, the manual has a list of all the devices contained in the device.

Unless there was some odd way of getting into the BIOS (the usual method is hitting a key at the motherboard screen before boot) the BIOS for that computer was inaccessible. Even looking at the manual just showed the BIOS version and acouple of "features" (Advanced Hyper-threading support!), but no way or detail on actually accessing the BIOS itself. '

 

[Padma]

IIRC, there have been a few reported cases of Toshiba laptops using the Phoenix BIOS that have caused trouble when running Non-Vista OSes.

Then again, it *could* just be operator error....

 

[Speedo]

Unless there was some odd way of getting into the BIOS (the usual method is hitting a key at the motherboard screen before boot) the BIOS for that computer was inaccessible. Even looking at the manual just showed the BIOS version and acouple of "features" (Advanced Hyper-threading support!), but no way or detail on actually accessing the BIOS itself. '

Sure you aren't just missing the key? While 'Delete' seems to be more or less standard on off the shelf mobos, I've seen it be any number of different keys, or even combinations, when dealing with prebuilt comps that use proprietary parts.

 

[Macha]

Try DEL, F10, F1, F12, Shift +F12 or Ctrl &F1. I have used comps with all those combinations

 

[Strider]

Sure you aren't just missing the key? While 'Delete' seems to be more or less standard on off the shelf mobos, I've seen it be any number of different keys, or even combinations, when dealing with prebuilt comps that use proprietary parts.

Doesn't give you a chance. Booting brings up a completely black screen for about a minute.. and then it starts to boot into windows. Doesn't bring up a video card screens.. motherboard... nothing.

 

[Speedo]

Sounds like something may be screwy in the CMOS. The black screen is likely meant to show a Toshiba logo & display the BIOS access keys.

Try some of em then... the most common ones I've seen are DEL, F1, F2 & F12, but occaisionally they're other function keys or Shift/Ctrl combos of function keys.

 

[cthom]

Dell goes linux

not just linux . windoze users have forced them to go back to xp as well. they just don't want vista.

 

[GenMarshall]

not just linux . windoze users have forced them to go back to xp as well. they just don't want vista.

Now now now, No need to insite an OS war

 

[cthom]

war? moi? i'm just glad that dell customers, at least, don't want an os foisted on them, and that a company can respect that. good on dell.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

Ok this has its faults, it might have negetive sides. Who cares!!! this is a first step. nothing will ever go from bad to perfect. slow progress is the best type of progress.

 

[Grisu]

Ok this has its faults, it might have negetive sides. Who cares!!! this is a first step. nothing will ever go from bad to perfect. slow progress is the best type of progress.

while that may be true, I don't see why I should pay the full price for a product that's half finished. After all you woulnd't buy a car where the car dealer tells you that the airbags will be fixed with a patch after a few months. oh and yeah, parts of the engine are not tweaked yet, so you might experience some stuttering or shutting down

 

[ori]

Anyway, I'm waiting to see what happens. There is still no link you can follow from Dell's home page to purchase a Linux computer, or to even ask about it. Many fear that this will remain the situation, and Dell will drop the Linux offering within a year, citing "no demand".

Have they figured out which Distro they are going to preinstall?

They are now saying they'll start selling these systems this month and they have decided to go with Ubuntu: (Source)

Lionel Menchaca, Digital Media Manager
In February when Dell launched IdeaStorm as forum for customers to contribute ideas for product offerings, we received overwhelming feedback that customers wanted Linux on desktops and notebooks.
As part of an overall effort to update our Linux program, today we are announcing a partnership with Canonical to offer Ubuntu on select consumer desktop and notebook products.
Update: These systems will be available in the coming weeks to customers in the United States.