I'm just courious to know, how much cheaper would a PC be if it did not have Windows. Lets say for example you buy a laptop at HP.com which costs $700, how much would you get that if it had linux? I know that Windows 7 Home Premium is $150, but is that how much big companies like HP, Dell, Sony etc. add on the computer? Or do they get it at a fraction of that price. Hope you guys can clear this out for me. Regards
SO you mean including installation if would be more? Also what do you think they 'add on' for Vista and Windows 7?
I think you will find it difficult if not impossible for most major brand pc makers to offer a new pc without windows. I have seen a few odd name brands packaged with some form of linux for cheaper. Build it yourself isn't much cheaper, sometimes cost more because all those makers buy in bulk and get a deal. The major pc makers do get a deal on windows too. I do not know the exact number. Might depend on the company or the terms they have with microsoft. I did read an article a while back that suggested the pc makers get win 7 premium licensing from ms for around $50. They don't give full ms disks with most of them anymore. There is usually no disk, but a back up feature allows you to copy a restore from the hard drive to dvd disks. And they say only works with that pc. Guess that is how they get a deal, and help prevent piracy maybe.
Dell do a lot of machines with *nix pre-installed actually, the cost of licensing is next to nothing for a large reseller though. They buy their OEM copies of Win7 for about $20 a pop. Check the dell website http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/ubuntu?c=us&l=en&cs=19
That's what they charge the buyer, companies the likes of dell buy their licensing agreements for peanuts. Unless you work for Dell purchasing and can provide some insight as to what sort of agreements they have you can't dispute my claim
Do you work for Dell purchasing to qualify your claim? If you read business magazines, you'd know the values I quoted were stated there years ago. I won't use the fact that, if you ever owned a Compaq or HP computer, you've touched the work of my brother-in-law. In 2002, Ballmer said this:
I don't however I've worked for numerous service providers who purchase licensing in quantities to rival that of Dell. And let's get it right. I don't care if your dads sisters cat can play a trumpet with it's ass, Dell do not pay over the odds for their licensing! Oh, and that quote was made in 2002 and pertains to Office licensing..
i'd rather quote the president of Microsoft who says the price was $50 for XP, as I said, than the hearsay you have that windows7, today is cheaper than XP of 10 years ago. if you could read, you'd see Ballmer specifically say Windows was $50 and not Office. If you google around, you might find that the cost of Win7 is higher than that but I,m sure you,ll say you know a guy.... Now, I provided a link to an interview with the president of Microsoft. Can you do anything remotely as good to confirm your $20 claim?
@Bohra - It's good to see you can confirm what Steve Ballmer, the president of Microsoft, says. Without your confirmation, I'd really doubt Ballmer knows what he's talking about.
Well actually im just estimating .. but obviously if its gonna cost more they may shift to alternatives slowly
Okay okay, Great argument and I'm not silly enough not to know when I haven't lost. $50 is it! Back on topic ;p
Huh? It seems quite expensive...... I just brought a mini laptop recently with Window7, it just cost me $350, if the windows7 itself cost $80, then the laptop itself only cost $270