FYI NO OS PC's

jim · #1 3rd February 2006, 12:10 AM

For anyone who is in the market for a new pc and wants to install Linux and not have to worry about dual booting shrinking your drive and all that take a peek here
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topi...n&s=dhs&~ck=mn

Dell offers PC's without Windows !!! Yeah !!!!

***bob*** · #2 3rd February 2006, 12:31 AM

Before we go patting Dell on the back too much - check out the specs for the same machine with and without Windows:
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...c=DE510N&s=dhs
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...DE510SAP&s=dhs
Gee, no OS but the same price - how generous!

jim · #3 3rd February 2006, 12:34 AM

true but had to at least show that they are some what trying

***bob*** · #4 3rd February 2006, 12:41 AM

I've heard that they had this option for a long time and quietly put it in the background after MS pressed them, but perhaps that was only on servers: http://lists.essential.org/random-bits/msg00042.html It seems that Dell is offering linux boxes with Mandriva & others pre-installed .... in Europe. Guess we know how MS is being received over there these days.

kona0197 · #5 3rd February 2006, 01:57 AM

You would think the price would be cheaper without XP installed. Heck I use a dell and mine was less than the no OS boxes.

***bob*** · #6 3rd February 2006, 02:17 AM

Well, it shows that Dell probably has contracted with MS to pay per unit sold, not per OS installed, thereby getting a break in the cost of Windows. Good business decision since these linux boxes have to be in the small minority. However, Dell isn't the only company out there that produces boxes without OS's. I just bought one from a smaller company and am very happy with the price and product.

JN4OldSchool · #7 3rd February 2006, 02:15 PM

Seems to me that it would be smarter to buy the dell WITH XP on it, just reformat the drive for Linux, then, if you ever got a wild hair, you would have the Dell XP instalation discs. BTW, I have heard a lot of rumors a Dell wont run Linux. I have an old Dell Dimension 3500 that came with XP and it works fine with Linux. Just like any other PC, when you wipe the drive it will load anything.

However, anyone with half a brain would just build their own PC anyway. I cant say it is a lot more cost efficient as you can get super cheap off the shelf computers for even less than what you could build the same PC for, especially when you add in the keyboard/mouse, speakers, monitor and even a printer. But the advantages are you use the exact components you want, you are not limited by specialized hardware such as Dell's proprietary mobo and psu, you are not locked out of bios options such as clock speeds and know exactly what hardware you have and how it goes together. Plus, I dont care what anyone says, when I build a PC for myself I put much more love and care in it than some Chinese assembly line worker would. The cons are you get no warrenty or support, but who needs it anyway? I refuse to spend 6 hours on a long distance call to India talking to some chucklehead who knows less about computers than I do in the first place.

A good example of just how cheap you can build a PC is the one I am currently building for my 4 year old. His old 1995 Packard Bell went belly up and I really didnt want to sink much money into a PC for a toddler.

Case with PSU- Rosewill with 400W- $24.99
CPU- AMD Sempron 64 2600+ socket 754- $65.00
MOBO- PC Chips M870 -$45.00
RAM- Kingston 512 MB DDR400- $39.85
DVD burner- Lite On-$36.99
total - $211.83

Granted, this is not the PC to write home about. It is as cheap as I could do it. But it is 64 bit and should be more than adaquate for his needs. I will add a cheap AGP GPU card I have floating around but you can get one for as little as $25. I will also add a CD burner I also had sitting around. The PSU is super cheap and will probably blow in less than a year, but when it does I will just replace it with a decent Antec. Needless to say he already has a monitor, keyboard/mouse and speakers.

So while I have nothing against off the shelf computers I will never buy one again. They are just too easy and fun to build yourself. You can tailor it around just what you need. You can use parts you may already have sitting around and save some money. And best of all, you dont have to pay a computer manufacturer for an MS OS that you dont even want!

jim · #8 3rd February 2006, 02:25 PM

Did i mention that the no OS pc comes with a 19 flat panel monitor? Thoses puppys are $300 + And I no Dell advocate but they are one of the best flat panel monitors out there. Anyway Just thought I would post a option out there to thee users that dont know how to build their own. I would pick one up jsut for the monitor if for nothing else.

JN4OldSchool · #9 3rd February 2006, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fedorajim

Did i mention that the no OS pc comes with a 19 flat panel monitor? Thoses puppys are $300 + And I no Dell advocate but they are one of the best flat panel monitors out there. Anyway Just thought I would post a option out there to thee users that dont know how to build their own. I would pick one up jsut for the monitor if for nothing else.

And I agree, that is the whole crux of it. Dell makes a damn good LCD, the best around. And do it yourselfers couldnt come close to building a complete package as cheap as the Dell deals. However, my opinion still stands!

erroneus · #10 3rd February 2006, 03:45 PM

When you buy it with license, you have the opportunity to participate in another of those "Microsoft Tax Refund" stunts where people protest the mandatory inclusion of buying Microsoft with every PC.

kona0197 · #11 3rd February 2006, 05:16 PM

>>>>Plus, I dont care what anyone says, when I build a PC for myself I put much more love and care in it than some Chinese assembly line worker would.<<<<

Dells are assembled here in the US.

JN4OldSchool · #12 4th February 2006, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kona0197

>>>>Plus, I dont care what anyone says, when I build a PC for myself I put much more love and care in it than some Chinese assembly line worker would.<<<<

Dells are assembled here in the US.

Didnt know this. Dont get me wrong here, I have nothing against Dells or Gateways or most any other off the shelf PCs for that matter. I myself have a Dell dimension 3500 that is now around 4 years old and has preformed flawlessly. I love that little machine. Too bad I cant upgrade the mobo though, the old Celron is getting a little long in the tooth. My point is that it is a lot easier to build your own computer than most people think. It is like snapping together tinker toys. Being Linux users it is nice that we can choose our own hardware which you know for a fact will be Linux compatable and will do just what you want. I didnt want to start a flame war, just wanted to point out that people shouldnt ignore this option just because they think they dont have the knowledge or skill to build a PC. Being a Linux user you have already shown an interest in the workings of a computer and the desire to learn. Building a PC is a fun, worthwhile prioject that you will take pride in the finished project. You will have an intimate understanding of what went into your PC. But you probably wont save any money, especially on the low end machines. If you dont have the time, patience or interest, by all means, buy the Dell. Nothing wrong with that.

kona0197 · #13 4th February 2006, 10:59 PM

Actually I think most people buy Dells because not only are they cheap but they come with a monitor as well. I've built my own PC boxes over the years but you have to figure in the cost of a monitor going that route.

***bob*** · #14 5th February 2006, 05:18 AM

You know, it's funny but Dell has often bumped their product with a flat panel and even a printer or free shipping, but they've discontinued shipping with speakers on most low-end sales! Now, having priced similar speakers at many 'puter shows, they've got $5.00 retail involved here - strange that they would go cheap on that one.

Anyway, Dell is far and away number one in sales, so there must be a ton of things they're doing right (overseas support is not one of them), just as Microsoft didn't get 95% of the OS market by putting out a poor product. Most of us buy for the specs on the box, not the monitor since we probably have one or two floating around anyways, just as we deal in Linux for the freedom to modify, tweak and expand it at will. The total package, whether it's Windows or Dell, will appeal to most entry-level consumers and they do get value for their buck.

condorito · #15 10th February 2006, 11:28 PM

Dell, Dell, Dell, I am OK if some people like 'em. Offering an OSless puter is one step closer to open-ness; However, I would personally not recommend Dell to anybody, just because Dell cases are not ATX compliant. My father in law had a Dell puter, but when the modo fried, we had to take the case to the dump, because it wouln't be good for anything. Proprietary stuff gets the thumbs down with me.