Text 15639, 97 rader
Skriven 2007-01-25 08:33:06 av Rich Gauszka (1:379/45)
  Kommentar till text 15619 av Gary Britt (1:379/45)
Ärende: Re: Dell do OS free PC'es
=================================
From: "Rich Gauszka" <gauszka@hotmail.com>

it appears only the small vendors can afford to ignore the Windows tax -

'While Microsoft can't punish companies for selling rival operating systems,
machines with anything but Windows installed don't help PC makers meet the
quotas necessary to pay Microsoft lower rates.'

http://money.cnn.com/2006/11/01/magazines/business2/microsoft_vista.biz2/

To settle the government's massive antitrust lawsuit, Microsoft agreed to
charge all PC makers a uniform royalty, based on the number of Window licenses
they buy. The more Windows licenses a PC maker buys, the cheaper the cost per
unit.

While Microsoft can't punish companies for selling rival operating systems,
machines with anything but Windows installed don't help PC makers meet the
quotas necessary to pay Microsoft lower rates.

"Microsoft doesn't leave much room for negotiation," says Citigroup analyst
Brent Thill. Nor does it have to.

What if Linux went luxe?
Hewlett-Packard (Charts) could, in theory, save some money upfront by putting
Linux on 10 percent of the desktop PCs it sells at retail. But that would just
make the rest of its Windows desktops more expensive, because it would no
longer be selling as many Windows licenses as archrival Dell, and Microsoft
could legally charge it more.

HP, which recently overtook Dell (Charts) the world's largest PC maker, can't
afford to hand its vanquished rival any cost advantages.

In a nutshell, switching to a rival OS system will hurt more than help the
bottom lines of PC makers. The straightforward economic scheme that regulators
set up to keep Microsoft in check is essentially keeping the PC industry in the
Windows fold - just as Redmond's brass-knuckle tactics once did.

This explains why Walmart.com sells a Linux PC made by Microtel Computer
Systems, an obscure PC maker few people have heard of. The companies that are
brave enough to sell Linux PCs are the ones that aren't unloading large volumes
of Windows PCs to begin with. And because they're small, they can't negotiate
volume-based price discounts with component suppliers like Intel.

That's why Microtel's Linux PC is less powerful than a Windows machine at the
same price.

"Gary Britt" <GaryNOSPAMBritt@generalcogster.com> wrote in message
news:45b7ab72$1@w3.nls.net...
Does Dell pay a licensing or other fee to Microsoft on machines they ship
without Windows?  Does Dell's contracts with Microsoft require a fee for every
computer sold irrespective of whether Windows is sold with the machine?

Gary

Rich wrote:
>    These aren't new.  Dell has been offering these for a while.
>  As for a supposed savings, I priced an E520 from there and an otherwise
> identical one with Windows XP Media Center and a free upgrade to Windows
> Vista.  The system with freedos was $10 cheaper.  Dell supports the system
> with Windows and it will support it with freedos.  It doesn't support it
> with linux or other non-dell installed OS.
>  Rich
>
>     "Ad" <Dobbin@theStablesCloseToTheAirport.com
>     <mailto:Dobbin@theStablesCloseToTheAirport.com>> wrote in message
>     news:45b733b4$1@w3.nls.net...
>     Blimey are Dell turning into knowing accomplices of pirates?
>
>
> http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/e510_nseries?c=us&cs=19&l=en
&s=dhs
>
> <http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/e510_nseries?c=us&cs=19&l=e
n&s=dhs>
>
>     "Are you looking for a desktop on which you can run LinuxR  or other
>     open-source operating systems? Look no further!
>
>     Dell's new open-source n Series desktop solution provides customers
>     with
>     a DimensionTM  E520, E521 or C521 desktop without an installed or
>     included MicrosoftR  operating system. With the n Series desktop,
>     customers have the flexibility to install an alternative operating
>     system (such as a version of LinuxR ), and help reduce the price of
>     this
>     system. In addition, the n Series desktop comes with a non-formatted
>     hard drive ready for your custom installation. Dell's n Series desktop
>     ships with a copy of FreeDosTM , an open-source operating system
>     that is
>     ready to install. "
>
>
>
>     Adam

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