"Linux isnt free,it does actually cost to get it working"
With the exception of replacing "dead loss" incompatable hardware (which loads have had to do now with vista anyway) all its cost me anything its time - to learn to use it.
My dead losses were:
(with my old dell inspiron 2600 laptop):
-A belkin wireless network card (bought a netgear WG511 worked a treat) - my only cost!
-Intel 82515 could not do 3D as it should but otherwise works fine.
(And with my desktop:)
-An crappy ac97 on board horror, disabled it and stuck in a soundblaster gold from a scrap pc, worked fine.
That was it. Everything else i got working, including tablet, cameras, printers, every usb mem/disk device ive tried, mm keyboard etc..
Im not saying its easy to set up, it can be a !BITCH! :O but once its up it stays set up! Then save the whole system to a tape, dvd or something incase of HDD failiure or inadept root tinkerings (and its your own install, the way you like it)
..which is probably what dell are thinking about.
With the exception of replacing "dead loss" incompatable hardware (which loads have had to do now with vista anyway) all its cost me anything its time - to learn to use it.
My dead losses were:
(with my old dell inspiron 2600 laptop):
-A belkin wireless network card (bought a netgear WG511 worked a treat) - my only cost!
-Intel 82515 could not do 3D as it should but otherwise works fine.
(And with my desktop:)
-An crappy ac97 on board horror, disabled it and stuck in a soundblaster gold from a scrap pc, worked fine.
That was it. Everything else i got working, including tablet, cameras, printers, every usb mem/disk device ive tried, mm keyboard etc..
Im not saying its easy to set up, it can be a !BITCH! :O but once its up it stays set up! Then save the whole system to a tape, dvd or something incase of HDD failiure or inadept root tinkerings (and its your own install, the way you like it)
..which is probably what dell are thinking about.