Dell offers an open-source PC

Dell began offering a new desktop PC on Tuesday with no operating system installed. The machine is designed for people who want to run open-source software such as Linux instead of Windows.

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 $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 $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.

[macemoneta]

Clueless Dell

An ATI card for Linux? SATA drive? I hope it's on a supported controller for installation. $850 seems a little steep for this machine - I can get a similar configuration for about half that, and throw the copy of Windows in the trash.

Not the best choice of components, Dell. Isn't the point of the n-Series that the components should be selected to provide easy installation and good support for non-Windows operating systems?

[cogneato]

well...

You've got a point with the ATI card. Linux distros do play nicer with Nvidia cards. As for the SATA, at this point any distro worth running will support it. I've been messing with dozens of distros over the past few months and haven't had a problem with any of them recognizing my sata drives.

Both of these issues (video cards and sata drives) have more to do with the individual manufacturers (ie: ATI, Nvidia, Highpoint, 3ware, etc) supporting the OS than it does with Dell providing a "blank" PC anyway...

don't hate the playa, hate the game!

[bluemist9999]

Actually it would work

ATI does have hardware-3D accelerator support for Linux (and Debian-based distros can use it as well), and SATA drives aren't a problem for modern distros.

I agree the overall package is a bit pricey, I'd rather build my own if I needed a new PC.

[digitallysick]

to expensive

for that much you have a very decked out linux box!! i wouldnt buy it, dell and linux dont mix as far as i see it

[Gleeplewinky]

... and C|Net fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Well, the graphcis card is the worst possible
choice, of course, for anything outside of
Windows (where it's merely OK). How about an
NVidia card for which there are excellent
drivers available?

$849? You have to be kidding! You can get for
$10 less the same machine with twice as much
hard disk space, a 17" LCD monitor, a passable
video card, and a fully functional Windows Media
Center Edition coaster.

And one might ask, why FreeDOS? If the demand
for the machine is Linux, why not Linux? Toss
Kubuntu, Mandriva, or Linspire on there and
you'd have something that would be doubly
attractive as a business desktop or small
server. Hell, you could even install
Dell-inspired themes and logos all over the
place.

No, Dell's not serioualy interested in selling
the system, they're just trolling for press that
will pick up on the "open source" catch-phrase
and print their name in big print. C|Net fell
for it.

[DrakeLoneStar]

ATI cards are great

I love it how ATI cards 'suck' in the minds of Linux users, simply because Linux just has very poor driver for ATI cards (and other hardware that runs great under Windows).

I've got an ATI card running under XP and it works great. The same ATI card is somehow 'crap' or 'sucks' because ATI doesn't support Linux as well as they do Windows (probably because gaming on Linux is <1% of the market?)

Face it. Linux has poor hardware support for some hardware. The manufacturer simply supports Windows XP more than Linux (if at all).

If you use Linux, don't knock ATI. Simply admit that Linux needs better hardware support and take steps to fix it. Don't bash MS or Windows or the hardware, you'll just look stupid doing so.

[Dachi]

reply

First, I have a Dell/ATI PC that I have had no trouble with.

Second, they probably don't want to install Linux on it because they are not interested in doing tech support for desktop Linux insalls. (it would cost WAY more than a copy of Windows before you say it)

Most Linux users are going to install their own flavor anyway.

As it stands now, if you can't get your ATI card working in Gentoo it isn't Dell's problem. I am pretty sure they like it that way.

Well, at least it's a start...

Dell has been looking for other alternatives besides running
Microsoft® Windows© for quite some time. As stated in earlier
post, buy the system you want cheaper and toss whatever came
with the system. In order to install Linux, you have to be fairly
knowledgeable about what goes on with computers and
hardware installation.

I argue that just about everyone who either runs Linux now or
planning can build a system cheaper, and with better warranties
for no extra cost! If its going to be successful, Linux needs to
be up and running out of the box. Apple had a chance to get on
board with Gateway in 1995 by licensing the Mac OS to run on
their machines. Then CEO Michael Spindler backed out on the
deal (Apple Confidential 2.0, p.253). Dell CEO Michael Dell
stated himself earlier this summer (Originally reported by
Fortune Magazine) "If Apple decides to open the Mac OS to
others, we would be happy to offer it to our customers. (<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://" target="_newWindow">http://</a>
news.com.com/Dell+founder+thinks+different+about+Apple/
2100-1016_3-5749940.html)

So what does this do for Dell or its customers? If you want to
kick out Microsoft®, have some sort of an equal alternative,
mainly a pre-installed operating system.