Dell flirts with the Linux desktop

Desktop Linux ^ | Feb. 23, 2006 | Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Is Dell is on its way to becoming the first tier-one PC vendor to offer a mainstream business Linux desktop to US customers? It's starting to look that way.

In the recent past, Dell has toyed with shipping a Linux-powered PC to the US market. But, when push came to shove, the results -- a Dimension E510n PC shipped with an empty hard drive, a copy of the obscure, open-source FreeDOS operating system and no support if you did install Linux -- were less then impressive.

It's a different story for so-called workstations priced nearly as cheaply as desktops. Dell has started advertising a trio of affordable workstations with RHEL WS 4 (Red Hat Enterprise Linux workstation 4) preinstalled.

[Echo Talon]

Btw, I only buy top of the line hardware. Why would I build my own computers with junk?

[zeugma]

And that is the problem with Linux right there! whats up with that command prompt thing! bin/dev whatever all that stuff, its like you have to take classes just to learn how to use the OS! And trying to update linux forget it! rpms and binarys WTF! LOL why cant they just have an auto update like windows? or like an exe file that you click and it updates it for you. I don't have all the time to waste figuring all the stuff out.

Well, I guess it depends upon what you consider a waste of time. I work with Unix systems professionally, so learning Unix, commands, and scripting is just another part of my job. I'm basically a lazy person, so I'm willing to expend a little effort on my part up front to make daily tasks I do easier.  The script I mentioned that I use for starting up terminals to my remote systems is incredibly simple. It basiclly calls the terminal program with the configuration options that allow the tabs within each window to be ssh sessions on each remote systems.

Regarding auto-update. Such things are quite available. There are gui programs that will allow you to update with a single click of a button, or will do it automatically for you. I prefer updating from the command line, so I can see what's going on, but that's just a matter of personal preeference. That's the thing with Unix. There is always more than one way to do things, and you are perfectly free to do them any way that works best for you.

If you prefer running windows, and it works well for you, that's great, but for many of us, we prefer to have other options that make us more productive. 

[softwarecreator]

You are not dumb.  Linux is just not user friendly.  I've said many times on these threads that Linux will never compete with Microsoft until it is as easy to install, configure and handle 3rd party software as easily as MS does.

Linux is fine for people who are very PC savvy, but the average user cannot get it to work as well as Windows.

[softwarecreator]

but for many of us, we prefer to have other options that make us more productive.

I've used MS for many years and am pretty productive.  Linux doesn't really help.

[zeugma]

I've heard of the virtual desktop manager you mentioned, but I've never had reason to use it. If I had to run windows, I'd probably check it out, but since I have options, it has never been necessary.

[Echo Talon]

I work with Unix systems professionally, so learning Unix, commands, and scripting is just another part of my job.

there you go, i dont have time to waste messing around with it! LOL whats the point? to save $100?

[Echo Talon]

i would say that im a little more than the "average" computer user. I build my own systems and install my own software, and everything. If i ever have a problem I get online and ask in different forums, where i have found lots of help. Linux to me is just way to foreign, i gave it a shot a respectable shot i thought i gave it a few months and a few different distros, its just WAY harder to learn than windows. I was spending all my time learning and NO time actually doing anything, after a few months i gave up. If people can actually get it woking right more power to them. :)

[rzeznikj at stout]

For live CD's, the two big ones are Knoppix and Slax.

[rzeznikj at stout]

To really use Linux to its fullest, some of that will have to be unlearned. :-)

Excellent point--learning Linux broke many bad habits I've had with Windows.

Plus, the transition can be (though not always) rough--especially for long-time Windows users. I've been using computers for virtually all my life and it still took me several weeks to fully adjust.

[rzeznikj at stout]

Or, if you use SuSE, YaST does an excellent job updating and can find most (if not all) the dependencies it requires. Regardless whether you use KDE or GNOME, it's easily accessible. Though you have to run Yast as root (via graphical su).

And, you can add repositories from ftp or http servers--several people offer downloads for SuSE RPM's. It's how I have mplayer (and FF plugin), Firefox 1.5.0.1, the Ximian exchange connector, and aMule running.

[softwarecreator]

Yeah, I'm quite above the average user level too and I had a real hard time getting it configured the way I want it to be.  That's my whole point ... regular, normal users will find Linux way too challenging to use.

[zeugma]

I believe earlier on either this thread or another one recently you said that you'd tried a couple of distributions. You might want to give it a go again. I've been amazed at the usability improvements that has been made in just the past couple of years.

The 'live' CDs available today are truely impressive if you have the memory to do it, and provide people an easy way to test things out safely. I'd urge anyone who has been living in antivirus/spyware hell the past few years to check out alternatives to MS-Windows.

My MIL has been running Linux exclusively for several months now, and has had less issues with it than she used to have with MS-Windows.

[Echo Talon]

i have tried a few different distros a few years ago, if they as easy as every keeps saying now, i should try it again.

[Echo Talon]

For live CD's, the two big ones are Knoppix and Slax.

THATS THE ONE I TRIED BEFORE KNOPPIX! I forgot the name it thats it, I couldn't get the internet to work with it... tried it when i had cable and with dsl, no go

[Knitebane]

3 years ago did they have any drivers for the All-in-wonder?

Yes.

Also, had problems finding via drivers. my printer, and cable modem all had problems, I now have DSL and dont know if that will work or not it probably will but dont have the time to waste messing with it.

Strange. The only problems I've ever had were due to rabidly proprietary hardware and cheap junk. Typically a distro less than a year old will work with just about everything, often more stuff than WinXP will.

Windows works

For very small values of "work"

[Echo Talon]

I didn't see the ATI Radeon X800XT AIW on the list....

[Echo Talon]

Will linux run my Photoshop and 3d apps?

[goldstategop]

You can try Linspire or Xandros. They both install in 10 minutes and automagically configure and detect your hardware. You can download and install software from a central server in one or two mouse clicks. A KDE desktop is as easy to customize as Windows and you never need to use the command line at all.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[goldstategop]

If you use Crossover with Linspire and Xandros, it can support certain Windows applications like Office and Photoshop. But Open Office and The Gimp are so good you may decide its not the bother of installing the former to run in Linux. The point is its nice to know you do have that option there if you need it.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Echo Talon]

Gimp is nowhere near as good as photoshop, its ok... in a pinch but not a replacement for photoshop IMHO.