Dell offers an open-source PC

By Michael Singer, CNET News.com
Wednesday, October 05, 2005 09:51 AM
Dell began offering a new desktop PC this week with no operating system installed. The machine is designed for people who want to run open-source software such as Linux instead of Windows.
QUICK POLL
Will you buy a 'naked PC'?
Yes, I'd do anything to support open source
Yes, if it's cheaper than buying a PC that's pre-installed with Windows
No, I don't want to have to buy and install an OS by myself
Erm, does it come with anything else that's naked?

The Round Rock, Texas-based company's Dimension E510n PC comes with a blank hard drive and a copy of the FreeDOS operating system, which can be installed by customers. The computer is part of Dell's n-Series of PCs, which first started shipping without an operating system back in September 2002.

The desktop retails for US$849 and comes with a Pentium 4 processor; 512MB of advanced DDR computer memory; a 128MB ATI Radeon X300SE HyperMemory video card; an 80GB serial ATA hard drive and a one-year limited warranty.

The computers are designed for customers and companies that want to experiment with Linux and other open-source operating systems. Many large companies that have pre-purchased Windows through licensing programs have to erase all the software that comes on factory-shipped PCs and then install the alternative software they've chosen. Buying a PC without an operating system saves a step and eliminates the cost of the extra software.

Despite its affinity for selling Windows-based computers, Dell is also a staunch supporter of Linux. The company has invested almost US$100 million in open-source developer Red Hat and sells PCs and servers based on its operating system, such as its Dell PowerEdge SC430 with a dual-core Pentium.

On the desktop, Dell has been installing Linux on its Precision workstations for a couple years. Dell spokesman Liem Nguyen said the company will continue to do so.

The launch of the new Dimension desktop also marks the beginning of Dell's efforts to streamline its consumer products business, which features Inspiron notebooks and the Dimension desktop PCs.

During its launch of its new XPS series last week, Dell said it will continue to offer Dimension and Inspiron products as they are, for now, but each will eventually split into two increasingly divergent categories.

One of these categories will target audiences for basic systems; the other will aim at markets for entertainment PCs. The entertainment series will come with Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition (WMCE) standard, and the basic series will be loaded with Windows Home Edition.

Although the entertainment systems will offer WMCE both with and without a TV tuner and related hardware, Dell expects most of these computers to go out the door without the media hardware, since the company is counting on its media-savvy customers to trade up to the new XPS series.


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Talkback 16 comments

way to go Dell!!
Posted by CathodioN on Wednesday, October 05 2005 09:37 PM

A little gotcha. The last I heard (I've read it in several places, includung Microsoft's website), Microsoft's "enterprise" licensing required that PC's have XP Home preinstalled, because they are selling you upgrade licenses. They reiterate by saying that Microsoft does not sell full Windows XP licenses directly to customers, that they only sell upgrade licenses, and that you should obtain full licenses through OEM or retailer channels.

I went ahead and bought Dell's last n-series (no OS) offering. It probably cost $10 more than the Windows offering because of the ad space they sell, but at least MS didn't get a cut. Or I hope they didn't get a cut, but I'm not sure because they really bully (threaten to cut off) OEM's for selling what they call "naked PC's", citing that they may be used to install pirated or improperly licensed (read: "enterprise" licensed without XP Home prepurchased) copies of Windows.
Posted by David on Wednesday, October 05 2005 09:44 PM

Looks like it cost $70 not to have Windows installed.

The base version of the Dimension 5150 for small business lists for $679 with a $100 discount. Total cost is $579.

The Dimension 5150n without Windows costs $649 with no discount. It is interesting that:

1. It costs more to get a PC without Windows.
2. There is a rebate to lower the Windows PC. Wonder who is funding this?
Posted by Tom on Wednesday, October 05 2005 11:02 PM

Configuration is expensive for what it is. Purchased a Dell Dimension 4700 for ~$525 with the same specs + Windows XP.
Posted by Jerry Heyman on Thursday, October 06 2005 12:43 AM

It will take fdisk about 5 mins to format the existing NTFS or FAT32 partition with EXT3 :).
Complete the install you were going to do anyway and pocket the 70 bucks.
Or just buy a dual-core AMD system from someone who is not giving in to Intel's bullying.
Posted by Kevin D on Thursday, October 06 2005 12:50 AM

David,
I haven't purchased a Windows license or even had a working Windows installation since I bought Windows 95a on floppies from Office Depot in 1997 (they did not have a full install version on CD so I couldn't buy 95b, which was OEM-only). 13 floppies cost me $200.00. Since then the only OSes I have installed have been Linux, Solaris and FreeBSD. I have avoided the "Microsoft Tax" for eight years by the simple expedient of building my own systems.

While I agree with KevinD that you can save money by wiping the HDD and installing the OS of choice on a machine WITH the "Windows discount," some people have a logical problem with the idea of paying Microsoft for a discount. On the other hand, I see it as a GOOD thing that Dell is standing up to Microsoft by joining the "naked PC Brigade."
Posted by Charlie on Thursday, October 06 2005 01:05 AM

Why not ship with Linux installed? Are they afraid that Microsoft will get angry?
Posted by Tsu Dho Nimh on Thursday, October 06 2005 07:58 AM

screw linux
Posted by anonymous on Thursday, October 06 2005 09:50 AM

The whole point of the open-source PC is to install whatever operating system you want. So if your computer comes pre-installed with linux someone is going to have to pick which flavor of linux.
Posted by Andrew P on Thursday, October 06 2005 11:27 AM

hmmm.... sounds like a half hearted effort with a balancing act to follow?
Posted by Jazzy on Thursday, October 06 2005 04:58 PM

Anybody tried FreeDOS? Is it easy to use and install? Does it work with the various USB and graphics hardware drivers?
Posted by nontechead on Thursday, October 06 2005 05:01 PM

I wonder if it is available in Asia, Singapore - since I live here....
Posted by Jesan on Thursday, October 06 2005 05:02 PM

Nope, it's not available in Asia for now, pending market demand.
www.zdnetasia.com...
Posted by Aaron Tan on Thursday, October 13 2005 06:37 PM

Yeah... I got an Acer notebook for $1,158 Singapore Dollar and it comes with a simplified Linpus Linux.

Everyone wanna a piece of non-Windows computer, not because it's just cheap but because:

1. Linux seems to be much more installation-friendly

2. After using computer for some time, most users will understand that having a computer is all about surfing the net, checking email, using Words/Excel/PowerPoint and probably some games. And Linux has Mozilla, Evolution and OpenOffice under its Gnome interface.

3. Microsoft OS is too prone to many viruses, wormes and problems. I might take some time to learn Linux but I wouldn't lose a year of work with it.


However, the problem with Linux is that major suppliers of components to PC/Laptop are too lazy to write drivers for this upcoming platform. I have my fair share of top executive from Broadcom ignoring this fact and stating that their "historically low" statistic shows that there is no market for such drivers even though there are underground movement of people writing workarounds drivers.

Yes, buy that Open-Source PC but beware that things are not as cool if you're using the OS with a Penguin as its mascot.

check out www.broadcomwireless.blogspot.com for my experience...
Posted by Historically Low on Wednesday, October 26 2005 03:50 PM

Business
Going into business is not that easy. In order to increase sales and the size of your business, you should know the value of hard work and good marketing. Often, what will work best is marketing the novelty of your product or services. Dell computer, Tide, and Charles Schwab all marketed the novelty of their companies very well, and that is precisely why they are leaders within their markets. Tide, for instance, played up the novelty of their being the first synthetic laundry soap, and they are still the leading brand of detergent. The marketing of these companies differs from traditional marketing and is a great way to boost your business.
Posted by Darwin B on Friday, March 06 2009 04:26 PM


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