- cross-posted to:
- linux@programming.dev
- technology@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- linux@programming.dev
- technology@lemmy.world
We all know the joy of acquiring a new laptop and the excitement of exploring its features and functionalities. However, the vast majority of laptops are only sold with a specific proprietary operating system: Microsoft Windows. The vendors do not remove the Windows license, and you must pay the entire price, even if you do not want to use this system.
This is unfair and we want to change it! Consumers should be able to buy laptops without any specific operating system, and should not have to pay the license price if they don’t want to.
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I heard about a company that sold laptops with Linux installed instead of Windows and I checked it out, expecting it to be a couple hundred dollars cheaper for a comparable machine, on account of not having to pay Microsoft a license fee. But actually if anything they were more expensive, so I was disappointed.
the major OEMs build far more systems and pay less for what goes inside. they also pay less for windows licenses and can also make money by preloading shit (they basically get paid to put windows on).
That makes sense. Probably should have occurred to me if I took a minute to think about it. In the final analysis, I guess it’s worth a few extra bucks to get something that isn’t entangled in the Microsoft ecosystem.
I think Dell and Lenovo offer laptops with Ubuntu
Preloaded with Mx Linux: https://us.starlabs.systems/?shpxid=03ed0b64-1e49-4b1c-afc0-5b0e23936b9d
Preloaded with Pop! OS: https://system76.com/laptops
There are many more. Go to distrowatch or search distros by name and you’ll find have a link on their site to computers with their system preloaded.
That’s cool. These do seem to be a bit cheaper than comparably configured Windows laptops. I already bought a Windows 11 Lenovo (and put Linux Mint on it), but in the future I will opt for pre-loaded Linux computers. Glad to see it catching on. I don’t think I’ll be shipping my computer to a Lenovo service center to get a refund on the Windows license, but I may write a nasty email.
Depending on the size of the manufacturer, they’re getting Windows for pennies on the dollar. Dell and HP are probably paying something like $10 a license instead of $100+
Asus gives a reimbursement between 9 and 65 euros, depending on the Windows version.
So if the numbers reflect what the manufacturer pays, you’re right. The “Home Edition” currently costs 145 € at M$ and Pro 259 €. That’s 94 % and 75 % discount respectively (or 50 % and 62 € discount extra).
