Home Messages Index
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Author IndexDate IndexThread Index

Re: [News] Dell Sells Linux-ready Laptops (No O/S)

  • Subject: Re: [News] Dell Sells Linux-ready Laptops (No O/S)
  • From: B Gruff <bbgruff@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 01:37:19 +0000
  • Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy
  • References: <5102165.TlGXAFRqVo@schestowitz.com> <45804727$0$3619$ec3e2dad@news.usenetmonster.com> <4ubbpeF17k2c9U1@mid.individual.net> <4580980f$0$3582$ec3e2dad@news.usenetmonster.com>
  • User-agent: KNode/0.9.0
  • Xref: ellandroad.demon.co.uk comp.os.linux.advocacy:468854
On Thursday 14 December 2006 00:19 amicus_curious wrote:

> 
> "B Gruff" <bbgruff@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:4ubbpeF17k2c9U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> On Wednesday 13 December 2006 18:34 amicus_curious wrote:
>>
>>> Dell is certainly eager to sell this package.  Everyone benefits, as I
>>> see
>>> it.  First, the Linux advocate can so obtain a Dell computer without
>>> paying
>>> a penny to Microsoft.  Second, Dell benefits from being able to sell a
>>> D520N duoCore, 512MB, 8x DVD, 60gb, Latitude notebook for $787 by
>>> supplying the freeDOS installation kit rather than selling a D520
>>> duoCore,
>>> 512MB, 8x DVD, 60gb, Latitude notebook with XP Home installed and a free
>>> upgrade coupon to Vista for only $699.
>>>
>>> That is a win-win situation, it would appear, where the Linux user
>>> avoids
>>> Windows and Dell brings an extra 15% to the bottom line.  See for
>>> yourself:
>>>
>>>
>>
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=04&kc=6W300&l=en&oc=blcwdn&s=bsd
>>> (remember to add the 60gb drive and the 8x DVD)
>>>
>>>
>>
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=04&kc=6W300&l=en&oc=d520pmsapp&s=bsd
>>
>> That is absolutely fascinating, and thank you for those links.
>>
>> Please don't stop there though.
>>
>> You have just found:-
>>
>> 1. Dell laptop +XP Home + Vista coupon = $699
>>
>> 2. Same Dell laptop, without XP Home, without Vista coupon = $787
>>
>> I cannot believe that even *you* are barmy enough to believe that Dell
>> are *paying* people $88 to take away an XP Home and a Vista coupon....
>>
>> ... so come on - don't be shy - explain WHY and HOW this works?
>>
> My own belief is that a small contingent of Dell sales thinkers have been
> detailed to provide answers to those customers who are continually
> inquiring about non-Windows computers or go around trying to get a refund
> for the
> Windows software included with the computer.  Much of that has been
> documented previously in this forum.  At the same time the mainstream of
> the sales executives are constantly staring at the price points set by
> Dell competitors and trying to fit packages into niches that show well
> against
> them.  It is pretty well known that Dell changes pricing multiple times
> per month. These two teams have gotten out of sync with one another.
> 
> I would even suspect that the "N" team, for the operating system removed
> products, is staffed with the interns and slower track people who inhabit
> any large organization.  I know that to be the case in many of the places
> that I have labored and high-profile projects draw the fast-lane crowd who
> are looking to move up the company ladder and the old hat work or fill-in
> work is left to the less imaginative workers.
> 
> Dell has offered these computers in the past and the pricing has been
> close
> to par with identical computers that come with Windows pre-installed.  The
> fact that the laptops that I priced are more expensive without Windows
> than they are with Windows can probably be explained by the lower price
> hardware containing a couple of promotional upgrades, for example the
> larger disk and the DVD in lieu of the CD drive, that were missed by the
> "N" team who were operating under the radar, so to speak, of the master
> pricing executives.
> 
> I would not choose to believe that Microsoft is subsidizing the lower
> Windows price or is coercing Dell into artificially building in some
> Windows
> advantage.  Dell is a very large company in their own right and a public
> company as well whose records are open to scrutiny by many auditors
> including the SEC, the IRS, and even the Antitrust Division of the DOJ.
> They are not going to expose their company based on the whimsy of another.
> I believe that Dell was expecting to offer the computers at the same
> price, which would stress that the Dell package is the value, not the
> software that comes with it, and they simply missed the discontinuity in
> pricing because they are really not so interested in the non-Windows
> product world and were not paying strict attention.

Yes, on this I now think that you (and Erik, between you) are right.

As you say, looks as though the two machines are /supposed/ to be offered at
the same price, but that a promotion has crept into the Windows one - the
"free upgrade of disk and DVD".

So I now see several reasons:-

1. As Erik says, the "trial-ware" that can't be pre-installed if you don't
install Windows.  From what I've seen of recent Dell's, there's a hell of a
lot of that!
Does either of you know if it "comes back" if you do a re-install from the
media, btw?

2. I still believe that Dell pays MS for rather more licences than the total
number of machines it sells.  Hence, Dell can't really afford to give a
discount for *not* having Windows - Dell has already paid for it for every
machine (and more) that Dell sells.
imo that needs looking at...

3. I suspect that Dell may have been getting requests for refunds by people
who don't want Windows.  One or two have been in the news.  They will want
(need) to nip that in the bud, given their current arrangement with MS.
Now presumably, if anybody asks for a refund, they can point to their "price
without".

4. With Vista looming, and presumably a lot of XP licences still in Dell's
hands, they presumably need to shift as many as they can.

Ah well - I suppose that if one wants a Linux machine from them, the best
way is to simply get the Windows version, and scrub the disk, along with
all that other trial-ware....



[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Author IndexDate IndexThread Index