Hi. Yesterday a friend asked me to order a new notebook computer for her. As the most important criterion was for the notebook to be pink we chose Dell. On Dell für Privatanwender und Heimbüros | Ubuntu we configured an InspironTM1525 NB Linux (N0152501) for our needs. The price for the configured system with Ubuntu was 682,01€. The same configuration with Vista Home Premium (N0152504) was 607,00€ only. Wow, the Vista laptop is 75€ or 11% cheaper! That’s impressive and raises the question if Dell really want to sell non-Microsoft operating systems.
Disappointed to see that, we searched the web for other pink or red or somehow colorful notebooks - to no avail. In the end we ordered the Dell Vista notebook. Once it is delivered I will install openSUSE and send the Windows stuff back to Dell. Apparently there’s a good chance that Dell will refund the Windows tax: BBC NEWS | Technology | User refund for no Windows option and Linux.com :: How to get a Windows tax refund.
I recorded in the news that computers with Ubuntu preinstalled were more expensive than their Windows equivalents when Dell started selling them in 2007. But I thought Dell corrected that. Obviously I was wrong. How come a computer with an expensive operating system is cheaper than a computer with a free operating system? It should be the other way around! Ubuntu in this case is not only opensource. It is free as in free beer because “You can buy support as an option when configuring your machine” (from Ubuntu on Dell | Ubuntu).
I’ll keep you up to date during the refund procedure. If you have any experience with Dell’s refund policy, especially in Germany, please let me know.
Find a Dell forum and abuse them. Does Dell is supporting ubuntu (Financially)?? If yes then, actually Dell customers are supporting Ubuntu.
There are ASUS Leather Collection S6Fm 1P029C Pink Edition and Sony VAIO CR320E/P and I really liked the later (I’ve not seen the 1st live) which is owned by one of my teacher.
> How come a computer with an expensive operating system is cheaper than a
> computer with a free operating system? It should be the other way
> around!
My guess, they need to pay for their costs in ramping up some sort of
process for installing Ubuntu. If your entire organization is geared
around Windows and suddenly you have to add something else there are
real costs involved. If they are ISO certified they would have to get
re-certified for that as well. Over time if Ubuntu is more popular at
the checkout the costs should come down.
It’s the economics you don’t like, and remember if it makes sense to you
then the reverse usually happens.
Don’t their agreements work something like “we charge you $100 to put our OS on every machine you make and $125 for every machine you don’t”? Then add in the cost of Ubuntu (Dell isn’t going to download it off the internet- they need to assure/guarantee some level of support) and you get that difference.
I’ve no experience with Dell but at least other companies do provide ‘additional’ software on a windows install such as 90 day trial anti-virus, anti-spyware, burning program or mediaplayer.
The company making the anti-virus/whatever software is happy to shove out some cash to the company selling the PC’s as it’s a sure way to boost sales. Now imagine multiple software companies doing the same thing… that pretty much cancels out the few bucks windows vista costs, not to mention the big ones like Dell will no doubt have a contract with Microsoft that makes them pay way less for Windows then we would if we’d get it from the shop.
(and what GofBorg said)
I’m guessing you’re german (going by the Dell.de url) so maybe in the future the dutch company xxoddd is an option for you?
They sell some pretty nice laptops, some configurable in color and I think all of them have the option to be ordered without an OS. The laptop on the right is awfully pink at least.
Edit:
At least they have the option to equip the laptop with a QWERTZU(german) (instead of QWERTY(international)) layout keyboard.
Well, if it’s Vista, they can’t give it away. But I wonder if the original poster factored in the cost of the XP downgrade? That’s another $99 in the US–not sure what they charge in Europe. And I expect in a few more months they’ll start flogging Vista machines with Windows 7 upgrade coupons. That could be another $99! So while you pay zip to have Vista on your machine, you may end up paying $99 for the downgrade and another $99 for the upgrade just so you don’t ever actually have to use Vista on your Vista machine!
Hi guys. Thanks for your replies. I’ll surely reconsider the autobody shop and schtickers when someone asks me for a strange looking notebook again. xxodd.nl looks like a nice store, too. They offer all computers without operating system and the funny language is certainly a plus. Thanks Axeia for that link!
> The price for the configured system with
> Ubuntu was 682,01€. The same configuration with Vista Home Premium
> (N0152504) was 607,00€
The Vista install includes several click to install add-ons like a
TRIAL virus checker and office suite. Dell gets PAID for including
ALL the come-ons added to the desktop and/or they get a kick back
each time someone buys one of those things they MUST have in order to
have a safely usable machine.
Since Ubuntu comes to you with NO NEED for any add-ons there is no
way for Dell to make up that lost income, so they have to charge you
more for the machine to make their intended profit.
So, what you can do is buy the discounted Vista machine and NEVER buy
any of the add-ons. Just wipe the drive and install SUSE–which we
all know is better than Ubuntu anyway.
Or keep the Vi$ta and maybe sell the machine to some Window$ person
when you are done with it–but, be advised you are really dumb if you
actually connect it to the net without the virus stuff.
HOWEVER, I can’t say I know this to be absolutely true but I’ve heard
that the SAME computer sold with Vi$ta and Ubuntu may actually have
DIFFERENT hardware. Check it out. They may have to use a few more
expensive individual components known to be compatable with Ubuntu’s
available drivers. (Like maybe the webcam on the Vi$ta machine cost
them $3 less per machine but, there is no easily available driver for
Linux–so, to see the Linux machine they MUST either GIVE you the $3
more expensive webcam, OR pay a programmer to write a driver, OR
charge you for the more expensive component.)
See? But, don’t get me wrong: I hate the idea that a Dell with FREE
software cost more than a Dell with much more expensive, but much
less capable (and complete) software package.
Hi Odin. Thanks for your reply. You’re right the hardware differs in one important component - wireless. The Ubuntu machine comes with a well supported Intel 3945 and the Vista machine with Dell Wireless 1395, which I hope will work with the bcm43xx drivers for Broadcom chipsets.
