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Mandriva Businesses

HP To Sell PCs With Mandrake 9.1 338

Posted by simoniker from the enticing-mandragora dept.
theoddball writes "HP just announced a new PC model (HP Compaq d220) that's available preloaded with Windows or Mandrake 9.1. The machine appears to be targeted to business users, although it's on the lower-end of the scale - specs are here. Mandrake also has a press release announcing the deal, which will grow to include four other HP models. Is this a sign that top tier manufacturers are taking Linux more seriously, or at least seeing a profitable niche?" We commented on MandrakeSoft's status update yesterday.
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HP To Sell PCs With Mandrake 9.1 More

HP To Sell PCs With Mandrake 9.1

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  • ipaqs (Score:5, Interesting)

    by SKPhoton ( 683703 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:27PM (#6354378) Homepage
    I wonder how long it will take until HP releases iPaq's with linux already installed.

    • Re:ipaqs (Score:3, Insightful)

      by MerryGoByeBye ( 447358 )
      They won't until they figure out a way to not wipe out part of the memory whenever you switch systems in a dual-boot configuration. The iPaq actually has a pretty poor flash-management controller, from what I understand. (Not that CE cares. Hell, it doesn't even know when you install a different boot-loader.)

    • old stuff (Score:2, Informative)

      by abhisarda ( 638576 )
      HP has already been selling Compaq desktops with Linux since Oct 2002 [hp.com].

    • Gimme notebooks first ! (RE: ipaqs) (Score:5, Interesting)

      by InodoroPereyra ( 514794 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @07:20PM (#6354698)
      Yes, I hope so too. But first of all I want to see them sell Linux preinstalled notebooks. It would be a winner situation for HP, to sell a full line of Linux-preinstalled hardware: servers, desktops, notebooks and handhelds. RedHat, Mandrake and SuSE are all excellent candidates ...

      • Re:Gimme notebooks first ! (RE: ipaqs) (Score:5, Insightful)

        by majorflaw ( 618333 ) on Thursday July 03, 2003 @12:49AM (#6356228)
        Linux preloaded *anything* could make a dramatic difference. The ability to buy a PC designed for your favorite distro (meaning no compatibility issues, of course), and have it work right out of the box can have a big impact on the O/S and software business. How many people do you know who are quite capable of running Linux but gave up due to their inability to install succesfully. How many distros have you given up on out of frustration with the installation process. Once the install is included with the hardware, we may just see some real competition.
    • Maybe once there is a reliables set of user applications. The stuff that has been written so far is great, but until someone handles the details like syncing and quality of applications, Linux is going to have a way to go.

  • 2.0 GHz Intel® Celeron™ (Score:5, Funny)

    by H0NGK0NGPH00EY ( 210370 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:28PM (#6354383) Homepage
    2.0 GHz is low end of the spectrum? I'm still running a 400MHz PII as my primary!

    *weeps into hands*
    • "The machine appears to be targeted to business users, although it's on the lower-end of the scale..."

      Yes that was a very weird statement.

      Just how much power does someone need to type a Word document or send an email?

      --Richard
    • yes, a 2ghz celeron is low end. The keyword being celeron. They are cheaper and slower, much cheaper and much slower.
      • I'm writing this /. post from a 700MHz Celeron. I put my box through *much* heavier usage than a typical business user. I frequently surf the web in mozilla while my software compiles with OpenWriter and Gimp open on other desktops. I've sometimes wanted more RAM (I have 192Mb) but I don't need a faster chip.

        OTOH, I doubt much cheaper than a 2.0GHz Celeron is still made, except for the Via chips without hardware floating point.

    • Re:2.0 GHz Intel® Celeron™ (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      I agree. It's a real pisser when new mobo's have a FSB that's twice as fast as your processor.

      Or video cards.

      Hell, you can probably get a sound card with a processor faster than my machine.
      • Well, I started with a C-64. That's right children, 64k. Then I thought I was doing good with a 512 meg video card. And wow, my p-75 with 4 whole megs of video memory (more than my first real pc) really smoked them. I wait so long between computer updates that my next computer generally has as much or more video ram than my previous one had ram. Right now I'm on an Athlon 1800+ with 512 megs of ram and a 32 meg video card. In a year or two 512 on video card will probably pretty middle of the road. 25

  • Good. Distro variety. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by arcanumas ( 646807 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:30PM (#6354403) Homepage
    This is also good news that Large companies see Distros other than Red Hat to be of excellent quality. It have many times seen ignorant IT managers telling me how the only way to go with Linux is RedHat. (which is good, but not the only one)
    Maybe now i can propose the use of my favorite distro and have "managerial" evidence to back it. :)

    • Re:Good. Distro variety. (Score:4, Insightful)

      by MisterFancypants ( 615129 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:38PM (#6354455)
      Whether this is good or not might depend upon if you're a developer considering writing Linux software. While it might not seem that tough to just support "Linux", the minor differences in all the different distros can really balloon into major QA, tech support and release engineering (as each distro tends to have different preferred package handling systems) headaches.

      I think this hurts Linux as an application target more than most people realize, and I hope one of the many announced standardization efforts actually produces something other than talk and press releases soon.

    • Re:Good. Distro variety. (Score:4, Informative)

      by Surak ( 18578 ) * <.surak. .at. .mailblocks.com.> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:25PM (#6355074) Homepage Journal
      Just a small point, but Mandrake started out as Red Hat+KDE. This is no longer true, of course, but it's still largely a Red Hat clone in many aspects.

  • Hopefully (Score:2, Interesting)

    by CoolGuySteve ( 264277 )
    Maybe other manufacturers and consumers will realize that linux is superior to windows in just about every way possible. It's taken long enough anyways, the average linux Desktop not only looks, performs and is more intuitive than windows' explorer.exe, but also has way more applications available from the start.
  • HP announced today an affordable, high-quality desktop PC for small and medium businesses (SMB): the HP Compaq Business Desktop d220 Microtower, which offers a choice for operating system between Windows or Mandrake Linux 9.1 (please read the press-release below).

    It's the first time that an industry leader publicly announces the availability of Linux on a desktop PC.

    This is the result of a worldwide agreement between MandrakeSoft and HP. The Mandrake Linux 9.1 operating system, while poor in comparison

  • Well (Score:2, Informative)

    by MisterFancypants ( 615129 )
    Well on the one hand this is great news, on the other hand despite what the press release says I don't see any way to configure a system to ship with Mandrake instead of Windows XP on their little site store page that is linked into that press release. All of the d220 models I see listed are shipping with Windows XP with no way to change that option (I was hoping to see what kind of price difference, if any, that option would cause).

    Hopefully this is just a case of the press releasing being issued a bit

  • I think what it comes down to is not wanting to lose out sales to someone else. If their competetors are making at least 1 sale with something, most companies will want to try and steal away that sale... almost at any cost!

    Of course, it looks like they're not going to put a huge effort behind it until there is some momentum... but then do expect them market the hell out of it.

    --D

  • Desktop vs. Office/desktop? (Score:5, Informative)

    by joestar ( 225875 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:33PM (#6354420) Homepage
    Despite the fact that Linux is apparently not ready yet for "mum" (certainly because of a lack of third-party applications), it really seems there is a growing momentum for Linux on the desktop in the field of corporate environements. My guess is that StarOffice/OpenOffice.org are responsible for that, and also that Mandrake 9.1, with its great desktop environment, offers most things that corporations need for their daily tasks. This includes OpenOffice.org and Mozilla for instance.

    • Re:Desktop vs. Office/desktop? (Score:4, Interesting)

      by garett_spencley ( 193892 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:58PM (#6354595) Journal
      Hopefully with more larger companies offering Linux on desktops more people will consider switching and thus more commercial applications will become available.

      That and the prediction that Linux will surpass Apple in desktop usage next year.

      I have lots of friends that I met from other completely non-tech message boards that I participate on. In the chat rooms I've been asked on many occasion by these people about switching to Linux which has always surprised me because I've never mentioned it to anyone. They know that I work professionally as a computer programmer and that's about it.

      A few years ago I used to pitch Linux to everyone who didn't care. I stopped for just that reason... no one cared. Now I find those same people are starting to care. Why? Because they hear about it from companies like Wallmart, HP, Dell etc. so now all of a sudden it must mean something.

      This is exciting news ineed.

      - Garett

  • Retail!!! (Score:5, Insightful)

    by PaulK ( 85154 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:34PM (#6354432)
    Looking to find out what retailers would be selling this, I did follow their product link.

    It's not listed yet, but that's no surprise.

    This is probably the ONLY way that people are going to buy this for their homes; a side by side comparison of an MS machine and a (GNU/)Linux machine.

    The retail setting is absoluetely imperative. Buying a preloaded sysem online is well and good, but most people will stick to the devil they know, (MS).

    Now, people will have the whole "touchy, feely," experience.

  • Not yet on the store (Score:5, Informative)

    by LinuxTek ( 36519 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:35PM (#6354436) Homepage
    If you try to buy a d220 microtower, there's no option available yet with Mandrake Linux. If they're going to do a press release, isn't it better to have the actual product first?
  • I clicked on the "specs" link, hit configure, and it took me to a page where all I could "configure" was the monitor, warranty, and speakers - not the OS, which seemed locked to windows. Or am I being dense? I suspect I'm being dense. ;)

  • Price is the same, no matter what the OS is? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by civad ( 569109 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:43PM (#6354498)
    From the Specifications provided:
    operating systems included: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional; Microsoft® Windows® XP Home or Mandrake Linux 9.1.
    Interestingly enough, there is no mention whatsoever about the difference in price depending upon the OS. If I were someone who hasn't heard of Mandrake Linux, why would I bother selecting it if I am getting a MS OS (something that I am much more familiar with) for the same price? Where is the incentive for me to buy a system with Mandrake installed on it?
    From a business perspective IMO, paying for something unkown would be a no-no. One might consider taking a RISK if one buys something unfamiliar at a lower price with some extra incentives thrown in. Include Mandrake's documentation in HARD COPY; free training courses for employees, etc???
    • I don't use Mandrake. Can I just get a fricking HP without any operating system at all? No, I don't want support for something I install, I just want the damn hardware without paying a tax to Microsoft of Mandrake.
    • It isn't that surprising. Unless MS has changed its contracts, HP is still paying them for a WinXP license on the Mandrake boxen, on the logic that it could have had WinXP installed on it. If the US had anti-trust law, they might get in trouble for this.

      Of course, it's still cheaper, because Mandrake comes with office, graphics, networking, and development software that's sold seperately (and expensively) for windows.

    • It doesn't really matter if it is the same price. The cost of software licensing is very low compared to maintainance costs during the lifetime of a computerbased information system.

      Linux is attractive in corporate settings because of its network centric design, that makes it simple to set up cost saving things like thin client solutions.

      Another factor could be that most Linux software uses open file formats that prevents vender lock in, and costs and risks associated with that.

      Yet another important thin

  • It's about damn time (Score:5, Interesting)

    by DesScorp ( 410532 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:43PM (#6354500) Journal
    Just as I was getting worried that Carly was turning the New HP into a pure MS vehicle (all this stuff about 64 bit Windows being Itanium's "killer app"). I was starting to think they'd ditch HP-UX any day now (as they will with PA-RISC, now that they're pushing Itanium). So it's a shock to see them putting Mandrake on a PC OEM style (and a business targeted PC too!). I hope they have stellar success with this. If this succeeds I hope they offer other distros like Red Hat, United Linux, and even something like Lindows on a consumer model, all OEM loaded. Compaq had started to offer Dell-style customization of PC's ordered over the web before the *cough*takeover*cough merger. I wonder if HP still does that? That'd be the perfect place to offer even more choice.

  • Mixed Environments? Nice. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Kefabi ( 178403 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:46PM (#6354519) Journal
    HP Compaq desktops are available with the latest operating systems from the industry leader, Microsoft, as well as a robust Linux offering from Mandrake. The HP Compaq d220 offers a choice of Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows XP Home or Mandrake's Linux v9.1,
    providing customers with the versatility needed for today's mixed-use environments.

    Emphasis mine. Isn't HP like in the top 3 PC sellers in the USA? And HP puts out a press release to businesses that pretty much makes it seem like OS's other than Windows in businesses are becoming pretty damn common.

    I tell most my friends around me not to buy MS stock. Because once they lose their enormous marketshare, like dominos they'll lose their monopoly. HP just reinforced my belief that I'll get to see this happen within 5 years, easy.

    Good luck to multiple OS's on computers! Go Apple! Go beOS!

  • Time to make a difference (Score:3, Insightful)

    by mcp33p4n75 ( 684632 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @06:55PM (#6354578)
    This is a great move for promoting linux. Hopefully it'll lead to OS choice where it really matters: laptops. Nobody should have to pay the windows tax ever again! Even better, be able to buy laptop computers without an OS installed and let the consumer get the ultimate choice.

  • available preloaded with Windows or Mandrake 9.1.

    Ah, but I bet you only have one choice as to whether the Windows license fee is (does Dr. Evil quote thing) "pre-loaded" to your bill :-)

  • If you choose a machine with Mandrake loaded do you still pay the Microsoft tax?

    Anyone find figures for identical systems with the two OS's?

    • Re:Microsoft Tax (Score:2, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      In Australia HP/Compaq PCs have been available with Mandrake for several months now, not just on low end machines, but also the D510 & D530 mainstream corporate machines.

      And NO, you do not pay the MS tax, they are cheaper (by approx $150 AU) than the equivalent Windows box

  • For about 5 minutes.... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by gilesjuk ( 604902 ) <giles DOT jones AT zen DOT co DOT uk> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @07:17PM (#6354686)
    Then Microsoft puts its foot down and it's replaced with XP.

    No major vendor seems keen to only sell Linux desktop boxes, so the Linux option won't happen until competition law smacks Microsoft on the hand.

    It's only if and when Linux takes the lead over Windows on the desktop that you will see vendors confident to ditch Microsoft.

    Competition is being offered a choice, Microsoft can cry all they like about recent governments coming up with Open Source legislation that only stipulates the use of Open Source, it's them who started all this silly anti-competitive rubbish and vendor lock-in in the first place.

    Dell Flirted with Linux desktop machines and promptly withdrew them. Microsoft needs to stop bullying the OEMs.
    • Dell Flirted with Linux desktop machines and promptly withdrew them

      Desktops perhaps, but they still sell "workstations" loaded with RedHat Linux. What's more, on one system I tried configuring, the price dropped a massive $23 when I selected RedHat Linux instead of XP.
  • Also on HP/Compaq's site, I was marveling at the pricing on the first two configurations here [compaq.com]. RedHat costs more than Windows!?

    Then I noticed one other "slight" difference in the configuration. :-) Hell, I know which option I'd take!

  • I remember reading (on slashdot?) about a partnership between HP and Debian. Something about Debian being the dist of choice for HP. Does anyone have any info about this? Was it a cruel cruel dream?

  • ...but will Mom buy it?

    What Linux needs is a distribution that, by default, makes everything look beautiful and easy. Even if they're not familiar with Linux, making Linux *look* easier than Windows (which still baffles my father after 8 years) would be a humongous step in the right direction.

    -- Funksaw

    • Re:Yes... (Score:3, Insightful)

      by EpsCylonB ( 307640 )
      This seems to be the most controversial argument when people talking about linux taking over the desktop.

      I predict that linux will come become a mainstream OS in the same way that windiows did. People will use it at work first (corporations will implement it beacuse it is cheaper and has the advantages of being open source), then it will trickle on to people's desktops at home. To think that it will happen any other way seems a bit naive considering how much M$ can afford to spend on making sure home des

  • Let's hope this saves Mandrake (Score:4, Insightful)

    by wukie ( 684014 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @07:45PM (#6354857)
    If you just want to play with Linux, Mandrake should be your only choice.

    If you need to test or develop on Linux, Mandrake will have you up and running in less than an hour.

    If you need a SERIOUS Linux box, Mandrake can be customized to suit aswell, but here it has few advantages over other distributions time wise. Although you get to work in reverse to say Debian.

    I personally can not recommend it over say Suse or Debian for a life-or-death server, but for everyone else, it's just plain awesome. Give it time and Mandrake will give us a brilliant server installation as well.

    Simply put, Mandrake ROX, and all the best to them.

  • trademarks (Score:3, Interesting)

    by kisak ( 524062 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @07:51PM (#6354889) Homepage Journal
    from the HP press release [hp.com]:
    Intel, Pentium and Celeron are U.S. registered trademarks of Intel Corp. Microsoft and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
    ... and Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds and Mandrake Linux is a trademark of Mandrakesoft. Or does not these trademark matter much to HP?
  • ....and it was not obvious to me how NOT to buy the Windows XP version. "Customise" took me to a page that did not allow me to customise, other than the warranty.

    Now I only spent three minutes looking but in those three minutes I was clearly pointed towards the XP version. Did I miss it? Or are they deliberately steering me to the XP versions?

    Michael
  • It is interesting that there is a small difference between hardware configurations on HP's Windows XP and Linux solutions. I wonder if they are exploiting a loophole in Microsoft's anti competitive agreements. Perhaps the agreement specifies something about 'the same hardware model'.

  • Anybody notice? (Score:2, Funny)

    by niko9 ( 315647 )
    I clicked on the link, and like many other posters, I found out that it's not available yet.

    No big deal, it might take a while to update the site.

    But did anybody else notice the almost $100 price difference on the same EXACT machine, but preloaded with Windows XP?

    Is this really what you save buying a machine minus the MS Tax?

    If so, I say to you Mr. Paperclip! You go to Hell! You go to Hell and you die! ;0
  • You can't choose a system without WIndows pre-installed on it.
    On the HP website, you don't have the choice of Mandrake, Mandrake is only in the description.

  • Still overpowered for business (Score:3, Insightful)

    by jjohnson ( 62583 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @10:58PM (#6355749) Homepage
    For a clerk in a cube, that's still more machine than they need. Hardware has far outstripped common business needs, and I'm expecting that in two years, the machines I'm purchasing for the office will be better than that for less than $300.

  • Laptops and mandatory M$ payment? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Kynde ( 324134 ) <kynde@NOSpAM.iki.fi> on Thursday July 03, 2003 @05:11AM (#6356962)
    Does someone know wether this also means that HP will start to sell laptops without the mandatory M$ fee?

    Since M$ forced Dell to stop shipping laptops without Windows it's been practically impossible to buy a quality laptop without the M$ fee. Even IBM, with all it's pro-linux steps it has taken recently, ain't selling a laptop without Windows.

    And does someone know wether it's the manufacturers that are in league with M$ or the retailers or perhaps both?

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