[plug] Dell vs HP for Linux desktop

[Patrick Tehvand]

Ben Jensz wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> We're coming up to our desktop computer renewal at work (leased 
> computers), and I'm looking at a choice between Dell or HP desktop 
> computers to run a Linux desktop on (not touching whitebox PCs again).  
> Has anyone used either of these systems with Linux (or even Windows) and 
> had any issues or comments about compatibility and even reliability?
> 
I have used both in largish rollouts at my school, Dell Optiplexes and 
HP d330s. I have to say out of the two the HPs win hands down. Support 
was awesome (To the point where I told the support tech that I had 
ghosted the machine and it was still munted, and I had a new machine on 
my desk the next day with a return courier slip for the other one.)

I disagree with Carl with regards to resellers, as we currently use 
Harris Technology and have found their contacts with HP to be great and 
the ability to call our account manager and have her solve everything.

A small caveate that we do drop about 100K on them each year so we may 
have a distorted view ;-)

Support for Linux for both are fine, but I did find dell have a 
neverending supply of bios updates. If you are buying in groups of more 
than 10 then HP will do bid pricing which will equal any Dell pricing 
plus they often have free delivery to anywhere in australia specials.

I have no stake in either Harris Technology or HP, other than being a 
very very satisfied client.

We have had both windows and linux (rh-ews) running (windows is our SOE) 
and I dont recall driver issues with either.

Hope that helps.

Patrick


> I'm going to base the desktop on Fedora with Gnome, using Evolution and 
> OpenOffice with NIS for distributed authentication and NFS for home 
> directories.  Anyone have any suggestions, comments or gotchas to look 
> out for doing this?
> 
> TIA :)
> 
> 
> / Ben
> 
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-- 
Patrick Tehvand

Member - Society of Linux Professionals of Western Australia
Member - Perth Linux User Group
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