More OEMs should ship devices with Linux as an option, discounted by the Windows license cost.
OEMs: Sorry, best I can do is tripling the amount of pre-installed bloatware that I get kickbacks on, to not only offset the cost but raise profits more
The problem there is Windows still has negative cost for OEMs due to all the bloatware they bundle.
They get paid for that McAfee and Epic Games icon.
meanwhile on the Dell website
EDIT: $100 of that difference comes from Win11 requiring an SSD upgrade from 512GB to 1TB
What currency is that? Windows 11 home is $140 USD.
The “discount” “+$100” 💀
I think that might be losing a $100 discount from the other configuration, possibly because they have excess smaller drives that don’t meet win11 requirements?
That’s crazy! I had no idea they were charging that much now. Thanks for sharing!
They used to have agreements to make it difficult to do so. I don’t know if that’s still the case but it’s pretty awful. I think OEMs had to pay licenses for every machine shipped regardless if it had a windows license.
The other issue is that oems have a large amount of compatibility and support built up over the years for windows. They also know their customers can deal with Microsoft for “support” and ignore driver and support costs for whatever distro of Linux they were to choose.
Sure an OEM could lead the way and show everyone else the path to freedom but think of the shareholders
They used to have agreements to make it difficult to do so. I don’t know if that’s still the case but it’s pretty awful. I think OEMs had to pay licenses for every machine shipped regardless if it had a windows license.
The Framework laptops have been selling out with backlog orders now. But with new models recently out, all the Linux ones sold out well before the Windows ones.
I think it just kind of goes to say, if you know a bit about computers, Linux is a go-to. Of course those that are a bit tech-savvy as well would just get a Windows one, clear it off and install the distro of their choice. Plus once upgrade is done, my OS and files are all there like nothing happened. Things like setting up Windows again on a new device or new install is like a full day task.
they actually make money on many of those windows preinstalls due to all the bullshit they get paid to put on.
The fun part is that they can bundle an equal amount of bloatware on linux for even more revenue.
The actually funny part is that they can’t. Most of the bloatware is not available on Linux because it doesn’t support it.
I’m not sure what you mean… linux “supports” bloatware just fine, it’s just that we don’t have much of that kind of software (yet), and i’m sure they could get it all to run through winboat or somesuch if they really wanted to.
Amid ram price hikes Linux has decided to double its license fee. It will now be available for $0
That’s twice as much as I was paying, I’m going to write a strongly worded email to that penguin guy
Excuse you, that penguin guy has a name
Tux has had enough of this bullshit
He writes those right back so be prepared hahaha
Flatpak and Snap be like: Yes, we’ll double the RAM…
AND storage…
Linus better be watching it, or I’m switching to TempleOS
I am starting to thing this entire thing is some weird orchestrated pile of bull shit to get pwople to stop buyingPCs because its cheaper to use rented VMs with AI spyware built in. Just point your old “slow” compiter at the server in your browser (only spyware Chrome supported). Then they can DRM everytjing and charge subscriptions.
Bingo!
It was always believed that Windows OS was a “loss leader” for Microsoft.
Windows OS will never show a profit, when you take into account the development and testing time and effort. I mean, a one time purchase that’s expected to be supported for years!?!
Side note: This also explains why Windows 11 is de-evolving into an AI generated, ad ridden, telemetry gathering, cesspool of an OS (“we gotta make money somehow - think of the share holders”)
But, what Windows had done is create a platform for Microsoft to upsell (and vendor lock-in) profitable applications like Office, Outlook, Teams, etc.
However, that business model doesn’t work anymore. As, all of Microsoft’s products are now in the cloud. They’re all subscription bases, which means predictable and indefinite revenue. User’s don’t need to be running on Windows - they just need a web-browser or thin-client. Microsoft already has people (brainwashed into) wanting Office - they don’t need to _force _ people into trying Office.
tl;dr: Developing and supporting Windows OS is a financial drain for Microsoft, and they’re doing everything they can to scuttle it.
the development and testing time and effort.
Ngl you had me in the first half…
been saying that was the goal for over a decade.
AI data centers become “personal cloud PC centers” when the AI bubble pops…
I was gonna say the government will just use it to surveil you, but realised that a “personal cloud PC center” is essentially the same thing except for the branding change (gov. vs big tech).
Makes it so much easier for the government to monitor one data center instead of a million separate computers.
And you gotta keep in mind that big tech wants to be the government
This is the way
I don’t know if that’s the entire thing, but it is definitely part of it
Why am i hearing Linux music?
The Tux trumpets are getting louder…
The lyrics are in C!
I hear those beautiful lyrics too, but I swear it’s actually in C#
Blastbeat of millions of penguins stomping.
Ah, the famous SuSE songs, instant classics.
Only the real know (i have never used openSUSE)
Oddly enough, many people apparently don’t even know of the SuSE songs, would you believe it?
I’ve been hearing Linux music for the past 9 years lol it’s incredible how much it’s improved as a desktop OS over that time.
Bah gawd, that’s Stone Cold’s music!
Somebody needs to finally compose a Linux install music that’s even more memorable and awesome than the Windows XP install music
This. Linux use on the USA is now over 10% in computers. And growing. I hope Europe follows the same path, but it is slow. Growing also. At home we all have ditched Windows years ago.
Really? I was thinking Europe would be leading in Linux adoption, kernel originating from Finland, distros like SuSE, NixOS etc.
Saw the data here, on Statcounter: https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/united-states-of-america. But now that I have searched it, it seems that maybe this spike is related to bots masquerading as Linux traffic https://www.pcworld.com/article/3204830/linux-didnt-actually-hit-10-percent-market-share-blame-bots.html.
Who knows, but indeniably, Linux is gaining attraction progressively.
Linux spike coincides with Windows dip. I believe Windows 10 will also be my last Windows.
To me this is positive news. The less appealing Windows machines are, the better. Let Windows PC rot peacefully.
While I understand your sentiment about Windows, this is how you end up in a world filled with iPad kids who become adults who accept technology that they don’t own.
Walking down the aisles of any store selling computers, I can attest to this. If a company can’t sell a Windows computer, they will simply sell a Chromebook instead.
Or a manufacturer finally decides to make a budget Linux laptop that starts selling better than expected.
Y’know, some manufacturers used to do this actually, and more might start again.
I still miss my Acer 5315 that came with Linux. It was an instant buy.
Only if we stay quiet.
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And they’d get away with it too if it wasn’t for those damn Linux distributions.
Look at the long game. Installing a Linux distro is great. But what happens when your GPU/CPU/SSD dies and you can’t afford or buy replacements?
They got more time and can afford to wait us out.
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Old hardware is old. It will die eventually, and at some point there will be no more old hardware. Then what?
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That’s the kind of bridge you need to plan on crossing long before you get there.
It’s like driving a big truck. You get to the bridge and the sign says 5 ton(ne) weight limit and you’re driving a 40 ton(ne) truck. And there is a line of cars behind you that stretches to the horizon. You can’t turn around now. What are you going to do?
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Or when they lock the bootloader ala android phones and you’re stuck with the default Windows on your laptop?
They literally said that’s the plan. Consumers better fight back.
Sure in terms in computing power. But Microsoft still needs you to be able to access a windows device so that they can push you onto their subscriptions. I think in this case, they think people will just cough up the extra costs to get windows. Of course at one point even regular people will consider Linux. And that is when Microsoft will break.
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but go show some uninitiated person a Windows forum where power users are talking about maintaining their system daily or weekly, the average person is going to still nope out.
The OS is immaterial, showing anyone uninitiated the shit power users do, you’ll get that reaction. If you show me, a professional windows admin and a homelab linux admin, a Mac power user forum and my eyes will cross. But for windows or potentially Linux, it’s fine. Don’t use the users’ lack of understanding as a mark against it, because that same mark is on every OS.
Linux itself has been usable by the tech illiterate for over a decade. My dead mother could use it just fine after I got sick of reinstalling windows, and she’s been gone damned near that long. Sure, they have to have assistance in getting it installed right now because even the windows terminal terrifies them, but get it installed and a base configuration in place and it takes care of itself for the most part.
Some distros are surprisingly accessible to be honest. And with the enshitification of windows people will be very tempted or pushed to make step to Linux. And when the crossover point is there is can go really quickly. More an more companies are deciding that the cost of Microsoft alone is worth the migration. Exposing even more people to Linux. My biggest barrier is that some online games won’t run on Linux but if that changes then why not.
I don’t even think most people know what Linux is.
My daughter met a child named Linux at a park. The Parens thought they came up with the most unique name ever. They had absolutely no idea. Bruh…
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So the computer without Windows/with Linux will be cheaper, right/ 🥹
Yes. Plenty of manufacturers do sell computers without windows.
Insert the Padme Anakin meme here.
If a company is doing it it’s already is. But most are selling you windows compulsively.
Huh, that changed? The last time i bought a Laptop in 2018, it was still more expensive to get one without Windows preinstalled.
Oh, they fucking do that? Bloody hell, that’s low. Maybe it depends on a country, but when I bought my previous Lenovo around 2019, they had an option without the OS and it was slightly cheaper, and only available for a small subset of laptops.
The only new laptop I got since was Framework, and obviously, they’re also great in this regard, but I feel like they’re outliers.
Yes, that exact thing was the crux of a major lawsuit at one point.
Always was… just had to find the seller who sells you the laptop without a prepurchased license/preinstalled windows. Sadly was always higher tier stuff that had a choice.
This is the way of the world right now.
“Oh no, things are going bad for us, raise prices so we will be OK when this dies!”
Screw the future. Sad times.
I didn’t expect my PC to become a better investment than my house - until the bubble pops.
Now I also know the feeling of buying something when it was more affordable. I can now dish out advice like “You should just buy fewer boba teas, so you could afford a PC like I did when buying it with my student loan.”
Every RAM stick I bought in the past 15 years is worth more per GB now than when I bought it… If you bought RAM in 2008 the same is true, I just didn’t buy RAM at that point.
I would love if pc manufacturers would just ship laptops with e.g. Linux mint or fedora and just knock off the windows licence cost. I don’t even mind if they have to ship it with bloatware, that’s fine, as long as it just doesn’t ship windows. Savvy users will just uninstall it
It’s possible to get refunds for unused OEM Windows licenses in the EU.
Wow, nice. It sounds like Asus makes it the easiest, reimbursing for the license without shipping your machine to them. I don’t understand why the others that will reimburse require physical inspection of the machine.
to discourage you to do so
This, and probably clearing the license from BIOS. Otherwise you keep the license. Not sure how Asus resolves this. Maybe they just don’t care.
I’d guess something using armory crate.
I would love a tick box setup. Maybe 2 Linux distro options and a windows option for +$X or whatever so ur laptop can arrive ready to set up with the OS desired on it. Should lower cost for customers who don’t need windows, and maybe people on the fence will decide window isn’t worth however much more it cost to get and order the Linux version. The more units are sold with Linux the more incentive there will be to sort drivers for more hardware etc.
Dell has this.
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/scr/laptops/appref=ubuntu-linux-os
No clue if you’re still paying for the Windows license in that price though.
Look. It’s simple. You’re paying for Copilot, whatever you want to or not.
That LLM response from the search bar when you were just searching for a file? That’s not free, we have to pay for that! If you didn’t want it you shouldn’t have accidentally triggered it by needing to search for a file. That’s on you.
A year of Linux desktops indeed. I’ve switched PC and a laptop to Linux and guess what? Works better, faster, more secure and I fucking love it.
Never ever going back to Windows. I might run win10 in virtual pc, but never main host and nothing => 11
Yepppp.
Played around with all of them for a bit. Settled on Bazzite. Dead simple to install and use and it has t given me any issue at all.
Pop OS was kind of nice too, but it needs another year in the oven.
