While I Despise Your Politics Mr. Dell, You Sell a Wonderful OS.
Now that Dell sells Ubuntu Linux, I decided to do a price comparison of the cheapest Dell desktop compared to a Windows-loaded version of the same specs to see if I was really getting a deal.
Specs (Dell Dimension E520n vs. E520)
- Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 E4300 @ 800 MHz FSB
- Ubuntu Linux OS/Windows Vista Home
- 1 GB RAM (2 DIMMS) 4 DIMMs total
- 250 GB Serial ATA
- 48X CD burner/DVD reader
- Intel950 in the Ubuntu version/Intel X1300 in the Windows
- Integrated Audio
- No Monitor
- Basic keyboard, but seemingly no mouse for Ubuntu/Basic keyboard and scroller 2 button mouse for Windows
- Upon checkout, you’ll see your mouse magically appear on the Ubuntu Dimension
- No modem on Ubuntu/56k modem on Windows
- Both have a 1 year in home warranty on parts and labor
Differences
Video
- I’m unsure how different the video cards are. Both of them are $50 for the upgrade to the Nvidia so they can’t be too different.
Modem
- Why they didn’t decide to give a dial-up modem to Ubuntu users is beyond me, but it’s a moot point for broadband users.
Price
Dimension E520n with Ubuntu: $409
Dimension E520 with Vista Home: $549
Conclusion
Thank you Dell, I’ll be placing my order tonight.
Posts
I’m curious, did you order any Ubuntu support plan ? If yes / no, why ?
May 24, 2007 @ 9:28 pm
Nope, I’m ub3rl33t and could be an Ubuntu support plan
May 24, 2007 @ 9:38 pm
Why not modems?
Dell presumably provides free Winmodems with their boxes because they’re probably about $5 each at Dell-sized volume levels. They cost $5 because all the processing is done in the CPU, which requires very special and generally unavailable drivers in Linux.
Ever tried to get a Winmodem running on a Linux box? As I recall, in most cases, you’re looking at a kernel recompile. Real modems are more like $35, and outside the small and shrinking minority of dialup users, are only good for fax.
Their recommendation, ‘buy a real modem’, i.e. one where the DSP is done inside the modem is the mainstream recommendation from the Linux community.
If you want an interesting issue, check out the Linux support for the optional Belkin UPS at the Belkin site.
May 27, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
I think that stuff about winmodems not working is from years ago. As far as I know, it’s as easy as anything else.
Again, I don’t care about a modem and I have one coming in the mail.
May 27, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
[...] Ubuntu Dells – Derek Buranen did price comparison of the cheapest Dell desktop compared to a Windows-loaded version of the same specs. [...]
April 30, 2008 @ 5:02 am