Tagged and Bagged: canada, dell, great news, operating system
Awesome! I just got my e-flyer from Dell today and I saw a new offering on the ad. They’re now bringing the Ubuntu operating system to Canada on some of their models! This is great news, as I have been contemplating a laptop purchase and it was going to have Linux on it. Now, since I like Ubuntu anyways, I won’t have to install it myself. And all of the machine’s capabilities will be used under Linux, supported by Dell. Woo hoo!
Check it out:Â HERE
Its been reported here and here as well.
This is so good!
Corey, I give you 5 minutes before you install Arch on that brand new puppy! hahahaha
It’s for the newbies which you aren’t! I think it is neat that now Linux is being poised for the masses. As for myself, I still feel conflicted about Dell, HP, and any brand name computer. I love going down to Rob at Compupro and having him hand assemble my computer from parts that I choose! Plus I get to help out the local economy which gives me that “good” Thom Hartmann feeling! As for the Ubuntu Operating system, I think Dell made the right choice. If I ever get around to installing Linux on my fathers computer (which he has actually asked of me) I think Ubuntu would be the distro that I would pick. For now, though CrpytLoad had turned me into a complete Windows Wh**re..ahem..sell out. I managed to download over 3GB while at work for 10 hours today. How is that for the power of AI and optical character recognition? I only have 33 GB left on my Windows partition and I now have over 55 GB of music downloaded in a very short time! This is insane!!!!
It’s great that Ubuntu is being actively marketed as an alternate desktop OS in Canada.
On a different note, I agree with devin about self-assembled computers from our own parts - nothing beats knowing your hardware.
That is the nice thing about ordering a Dell. They are specific about what you’re getting, so if you care to pay attention, you have the specs in front of you.
By the way, I don’t know if I’d go for a Dell desktop, as I an of the same feeling - build your own. I’m worse, in that I’d assemble my own from parts that I bought, as I have been doing for over a decade.
I do like the way that Dell is approaching the open idea, though. The graphics offered are for the Intel chipset, which is opensourced. You can opt for the NVidia graphics on the XPS, but, seriously, if you want to go with an open solution, you’re set with a Dell laptop, for sure. Even their network adapter is a Broadcom, which is part of the kernel.
When it comes to laptops, though, you have to take what you are given for the most part, which is why this is a bit of good news for us.
BTW, if there was no promo going on for the models that are going to be configured for Linux, then a Ubuntu Dell would cost a lot less than an Windows XP or Vista Dell would, by about $140.00
I should mention also that Dell probably had an interest in marketing to the Linux crowd in our coutry as the Asus eee is really getting a lot of attention here - to the extent that the 8GB version is unavailable here.
I really hope the intel graphics chipset takes off as it would be a dream to play my N64 emulator using an opensource emulator with an open gpl 3D based video card. It’s too bad that one can’t design their own laptop. I wonder if that could be a marketing idea for the really geeky crowd? Not sure it would be a viable from a buisness model but what do I know about buisness?
I was thinking about getting a new laptop too - either that or building a new computer - and one of my major indecisions is currently whether I should get one with Linux on it.
Wonder if I can play PC games on Linux?
Playing PC Games on Linux is still a problem and any hardcore gamer should still by wary of completing converting over into Linux. As for myself I use console emulation - I have a N64, Playstation I, Super Nintendo, Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Arcade (Neogeo), and Gameboy Advance Emulators. Usine WINE, I have played half-life I, Diablo II, and the Tales of Pirate free online MORPH. There are also some native free games like Tuxracer, Nexuiz, Tremulous, World Of Padman, TORCS, Flightgear, Neverball, and Neverputt!
I made equal the configurations for an Inspiron 1420 (Windows) and an Inspiron 1420N (Ubuntu). Yet the Ubuntu one is 10 dollars more expensive. Why buy the Ubuntu version, if one can get the same laptop for 10 dollars cheaper and then just install Ubuntu oneself?
(CoreyThompson.com owner, please email me when you’ve responded here)
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Here’s the copy-and-paste specs of the Inspiron 1420 (Windows)
Components
Intel® Core� 2 Duo T5450 (2MB cache/1.66GHz/667Mhz FSB), English
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition, English
Spring Green Color with Microsatin Finish
Anti-glare, widescreen 14.1 inch display (1280 x 800)
No Camera
1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 Dimm
120G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 3100
8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Mini Card
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Integrated High Definition Audio
Essentials
Microsoft Works 8. DOES NOT INCLUDE MS WORD, English
1 Year Return to Depot Service and Technical Support
Trend Micro Internet Security 30-day trial, English
Please contact me with more details
DataSafe Online Backup 3GB (included with price)
Accessories
Also Includes
Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 7.0
I think that you’ll find that the only reason that the Windows version is cheaper is because of the discount being offered at that time. I’m sure that the Ubuntu machine will be seeing something similar in the near future. I did the same side by side comparison and the Windows unit was a bit cheaper (and full of unnecessary “demo” software and crap), but it was because of the $180 discount being applied at that time. Without the discount, it would have been far more expensive.
You’ll also know that with the preinstalled OS, your hardware will all work out of the box without any special tweaks. I, especially, like this idea of a preinstalled Linux as I am a bit of a distro hopper/tester, and I install Linux/Windows/BSD/BeOS/… on average about 5 times per month and have been since 2001-2002.
I am not responding to your “invitation” to email you when I have commented, as you have provided an @spambox.us temporary email address and their uptime is questionable. If you had thought that I’d use your email address to spam you, you should have refrained from commenting in the first place or perhaps read my Privacy Policy / Terms of Service page, linked in the menubar at the top of the page. I would suggest that the best way to keep updated on comments on my site would be to subscribe to my feed, http://coreythompson.com/comments/feed/ Thanks for your comment. I hope to see you around again. Please use a real email address next time.
It doesn’t look like a one-time discount is the explanation for the price difference. Here is a $100 difference on the same config (configured today):
==== Linux laptop =======
Price: $859
Components
Intel® Core 2 Duo T5550 (1.83GHz/667Mhz FSB/2MB cache)?
Ubuntu Linux version 7.10 with DVD Playback
Jet Black
Glossy, widescreen 15.4 inch display (1280×800)
No Webcam Option
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz
120GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Essentials
1 Year Limited Warranty w/1 Year Return To Depot Service
Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Mini-card
56Whr Lithium Ion Battery (6 cell)
High Definition Audio 2.0
Also Includes
Integrated 10/100 Network Card
==== Vista laptop =======
Price: $759
Components
Intel® Core 2 Duo T5550 (1.83GHz/667Mhz FSB/2MB cache) english
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic Edition
Jet Black
Glossy, widescreen 15.4 inch display (1280×800)
NO WEBCAM OPTION
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz
120GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Mini-card
56Whr Lithium Ion Battery (6 cell)
High Definition Audio 2.0
Essentials
Microsoft Works 9. DOES NOT INCLUDE MS WORD
1 Year Return to Depot Service and Technical Support
Trend Micro Internet Security 30-day trial
Please contact me with more details
DataSafe Online Backup 3GB (included with price)
Accessories
Also Includes
Integrated Modem
Integrated 10/100 Network Card
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 8.1
I know what you mean, but I bet that the Windows machine has still been configured with a promo code of some sorts as well. Despite that, if you buy a preconfigured Ubuntu machine, you’ll get Dell support for it, which is a good thing for many.