Dell Offers Ubuntu Option With Alienware Gaming Desktop 135
dartttt writes "Dell has launched a new Ubuntu gaming desktop (first ever?) . Alienware customers can now choose either Windows or Ubuntu when buying a new X51. Ubuntu option is initially available to U.S. customers only and the price starts from $599." Also in Ubuntu news: Canonical announced on Friday the final beta release of Ubuntu 13.04, aka Raring Ringtail (the main release, as well as the growing flock of other *buntus).
That's weird. (Score:4, Informative)
You have the inquisitiveness and good taste to use linux, but you have a low bar for standards, shitty taste, and willingness to overpay for Alienware?!
I mean, I'm glad to see linux anywhere it can get to, but that's such a bizarre pairing.
Re:But where are the games? (Score:5, Informative)
http://store.steampowered.com/browse/linux/
Re:Comical (Score:2, Informative)
Not comical. Revealing desperate for any traction at all, sure. Dell clearly thinks that branch of product can't do well enough on Win alone, and "linux gaming" has been making headlines lately, so what the heck.
Ubuntu itself doesn't matter per se. They'd go with Ubuntu because they'd want the closest to 'safe well-supported mainstream brand' they could find. But it's no turn-off to anyone who'd prefer another distro because they'll load it easy enough, and the 'ubuntu inside' assures them it's a high end laptop that /definitely/ has a full set sorted of linux drivers for a change.
Re:But where are the games? (Score:5, Informative)
I have about 30, most all of them are compatible or will be once Valve releases HL2. And we already know any new games Valve releases will be Linux native. There are also dozens of sweet Kickstarter projects about to be released also. And lgdb.org has a huge database of games.
I think what you are really saying is "Where are the Graphically Superior Games". Well, IMO Graphics don't make the game, but they are nice to look at. The solution is to stop buying Windows only games and check the compatibility before you buy a game so you're not stuck.
Emulators and not-an-emulators (Score:4, Informative)
Nearly every game for NES, Super NES, or Sega Genesis works in emulation on Linux. If you have a Retrode, you can turn your Super NES or Genesis cartridges into ROM files and play them that way, or you can use a Kazzo to dump NES cartridges.
And if you're not into emulation, you can try Wine, which is not an emulator. Plenty of PC games made for Windows work in Linux through Wine. Or you can try a load of amateur games made with SDL or Pygame.
Steam DRM tends to feel less evil to the user (Score:5, Informative)
DRM on Window - Evil
DRM on Linux - OHMERGOSH I CAN'T CONTAIN MY ERECTION!
That's because the DRM on these Linux games tends to be Steam DRM. DRM is evil, but Steam DRM tends to feel less evil to the user in practice. Unlike Assassin's Creed 2 and SimCity (2013), which made headlines for requiring a continuous Internet connection during gameplay, games using Steam DRM only require the user to connect to the Internet once after installation and every 30 days thereafter for single-player or same-screen multiplayer mode.
Re:Steam DRM tends to feel less evil to the user (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.baen.com/library/prime_palaver1.asp [baen.com]
Copyright infringement is not comparable to bank robbing. At it's worst, it's comparable to children snitching candy. It's a problem that doesn't really need solving. Piracy is free advertising.
I'm not interested in "protecting" "intellectual property". Entertain the people, and the people will reward you.