Linux PCs: Customer service or lip service?
Thinking about buying a new Linux-based home PC? Happy hunting.
While for years mainstream computer makers such as IBM, HP and Dell have been professing their love for alternatives to Microsoft Windows, the overwhelming majority of open-source-powered machines are business servers and high-priced workstations.
Finding an entry-level home PC that doesn't have a Windows XP sticker on it requires consumers to search through a maze of Web sites. If they try calling a major PC maker, the agent is likely to have a hard time steering them toward a Linux-based or bare-bones system.
"There is no champion for Linux clients among the major vendors," PC industry analyst Roger Kay said.
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today's howtos
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Tiger Direct
I got my PC with Linspire preloaded on it through Tiger Direct - a computer magazine - through their website. It was made by Systemax - an American company that manufactures in the US and has tech support in the US. Dell or HP is fine for computers with Windows on them but if you want a quality computer to compliment your quality software, I recommend getting one with Linux pre-installed and trying the links from Linspire. You can put another version of Linux on it - I am using Suse on mine now. If you can afford a workstation, try ordering from Penguin Computing or Sun Microsystems. They sell workstations only and no crap unlike HP and Dell. When you buy a computer with Windows on it, you don't know if it is compatible with Linux and the bean counters count you as a Windows user. Why not get a better computer and not support the Beast?
Linux deserves better
It may be good for businesses that don't know better, but Dell and HP and the like make some very poor quality computers. I think Linux deserves better. I much rather work with small businesses than with large corporations - I have gotten much better tech support from small tech companies as well as much quicker delivery times and much higher quality products.