Buying a Barebones System

No. As far as I know, you have to buy a Microsoft product(s) with your Dell system.

Microsoft gives Dell a discount price because of this. Therefore, any attempts to get a Microsoft-Free system from Dell is virtually impossible. Unless you buy large quanties or an expesive server.

Does even bother calling Dell Support with any Linux issues. All that will be said to you at the mention of "Linux" is "Dell does not support Linux".

Don't get me wrong, I like my Dell laptop. But it was really really frustrating when Dell disabled the BIOS setting that would allow me to get full resolution in Linux. I had to wait some time before Dell would put out a fix for the BIOS. Since getting it, I have not seen any updates for my laptop (Inspiron 2600).

Personally, my next laptop will be from HP or IBM or something. They are supporters of Linux (SuSE and Novell).

While it is true you can't buy a Latitude (or Inspiron) without an OS, it's not true for a number of desktop systems -- the Optiplex line and Dimension 2400 and 3000's are available without an OS and Precision Workstations with Red Hat Linux (I've got one). Also Poweredge servers can be bought without an OS, and are actually attractive as low cost systems (referring to the "SC" models which are basically desktop systems). I've known people who have done that, and it has been tempting for me, too.

Note that there is no savings in buying the systems without Windows, and in fact it can cost more money because they are never discounted (except for the PowerEdge SC), so one might as well buy with Windows XP Home and wipe the drive.

I don't believe that HP or IBM sell notebooks with anything but Windows.

Message Edited by talmy on 10-23-2004 09:23 PM

I plan on buying a laptop in the future, and I can say that I will definately not buy one that comes with Windows on it.

Post back if you can even *find* one. At least with a desktop you can build your own, but all notebooks seem to have Windows. (I couldn't find a pointer to any notebook with Linux preinstalled anywhere.)

I think I may get an iBook. It definately looks cooler, and I'd rather support Apple than Microsoft, unless any company is willing to sell me a laptop without the Microsoft tax.