Where To Buy A Machine With Linux Pre-Installed 229
The Berkeley LUG has a neat aggregation of many different places where you can acquire a desktop, laptop, or even netbook with Linux pre-installed. The list starts with a link to Dell's Linux offering, includes many independent vendors, and many updates from user comments, almost all of whom seem to be drinking the Ubuntu kool-aid. "Over the last couple of years, Linux has come a long way in terms of hardware support, and these days it is relatively rare that an installation of ubuntu/fedora will be lacking any drivers for your machine. However, installing any OS can still sometimes be a tedious task and one that scares the wits out of the average computer user. And, for the expert users out there, it's just more fun to buy a computer with Linux already on it and not have to pay the Microsoft tax."
Re:Meh? (Score:2, Interesting)
I think the point is more that the cost of the OS is going $0 to Microsoft more than anything. If you don't like the default OS, just install your own. It's free either way.
Proximity to greatness! (Score:5, Interesting)
Netbooks (Score:3, Interesting)
I bought myself a Asus netbook with the Linux pre-install. It didn't last long and installed a different Linux distro which was not as childish and crippled as the pre-installed Linux version (not any Ubuntu flavour). Maybe there should be an option when buying machines for NO OS installed by default. It wouldn't prevent the manufacturer adding crapware for their Windows install CD's.
It would be interesting to know which OS would be more frustrating to the average user to install. Every Linux install I've done, it installed everything a typical install does in one go and needed one reboot (setting up SuperUser and user accounts). The last time I installed WinXP on my desktop I lost the will to live after 35 reboots to install the OS and countless other drivers which insisted on full reboots.
Re:Buy a server instead (Score:5, Interesting)
Actually, this gets touchy sometimes.
I prefer that my clients buy their own equipment. That way they know I didn't inflate the price, they are the customer of record, and I don't carry the risk of buying hardware the the client backing out. I've gotten stuck with a few pieces of equipment because the client "changed their minds". That really doesn't work well on stuff purchased through eBay, but even with many vendors I'd have to pay a restocking fee.
We found a 3rd party vendor that was selling a Supermicro motherboard and chassis, assembled to spec with CPU, memory and drives. It's a nice machine. 8 core Opteron, 64Gb RAM, etc, etc. When the client put the order through, he asked "What operating system do you want?". I was already clear in that we were putting our preferred Linux distro on, but would be testing various RAID and filesystems, so he wasn't to have anything put on. They were very clear that the machine wouldn't support Linux. I went back to the spec, and checked on everything. There were no problem. They were insistent on selling him a Microsoft OS. They actually wrote it on the build sheet "Must use Microsoft OS". He was really concerned. Could this tech guy who's known all the answers so far know more than the vendor? Is he wasting a whole bunch of money on something that he can't use?
When it got here, I opened it up and verified all the parts. Then I booted it up with my Slamd64 CD, and installed. Right out of the box, it worked perfectly. Every device was identified and the drivers loaded. No problems at all. I know he was much happier when he got the call "The machine works great. We're migrating to it now. It will be online by the end of the weekend."
Had the customer not known any better, and we had given an option of Linux or Windows, he would have spent some good money on a Microsoft OS, because the vendor told him to.
I know the vendors view. They can make extra money on it. Why would I want to slow a nice fast machine down with a heavy GUI, when I can strip Linux down to bare bones and run as fast as possible?
Worse than installing Windows: doing it twice (Score:3, Interesting)
[after installing XP] I lost the will to live after 35 reboots to install the OS
Try doing that and watching it get Sasser'd twenty seconds after you plugged in the network cable :(
Re:Ubuntu kool-aid (Score:2, Interesting)
Seconded.
It's one thing to support your favorite distro, it's another thing to slur one with allusions to a cult. (Ironic, too...) How is that good for anyone?
I got a taste for *nix in college in the early 90's, but joined the workforce writing software for Windows. I've installed, and deleted, many different distros over the years. Sure, I could use them, compile drivers, find hardware that was supported, but I knew that there was no way that anyone else in my family would make the leap.
Recent developments in the Windows world have pushed me to investigate alternatives. I recently got my first Mac (a mini) and have been using Ubuntu as my primary desktop for a couple months. Ubuntu, like it or not, is the first distro I would even consider recommending to non-techie friends and family.
Why? One big reason is the number of users. Any problems I come up against I can usually find answered with a google search. If a software writer has some pre-compiled versions or installation instructions, there's usually one for Ubuntu. Since I am my family's de facto computer support, it's important to have those resources available for a range of hardware and software configurations - not just my own.
In my opinion, any Linux distro's popularity is a good thing and the more support the better.
Re:Install Linux yourself (Score:3, Interesting)
Neither is Microsoft nor the hardware vendors.
I have been pricing refurbished 64 bit quad core Vista PCs from Dell and Tiger.
It's a calculated risk, of course.
But these systems come loaded. I can't imaging making any significant changes over the life of the hardware.
So it works or it doesn't. If it doesn't, it goes back.
I am not equipped or inclined to diagnose and repair a system level hardware problem or a system level software problem.
I think - in this - I am representative of the mass consumer market.
Windows returns (Score:3, Interesting)
I think it's time we bump the return rate on Windows machines by taking back our new laptops a few times. I'm tired of seeing this argument. As of right now my preferred recommendation for malware becomes "take it back to the store and exchange it for one that doesn't have that problem".
Re:Even if (Score:3, Interesting)
Why would a mass market laptop need to be available ONLY with windows pre-installed? The hardware can be mass market and 99/100 can be sold with Windows.
But why should that imply whatsoever that I can't buy 1/100 of those mass-produced laptops with Linux pre-installed and a lower purchase price?