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Ask HN: Why aren't cost-minded SME/startups using Linux on laptops even now?

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21–23 of 23 posts

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't cost-minded SME/startups using Linux on laptops even now?

#21
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Mac captures those looking for lower TCO... Having owned Macs and supported Macs in IT... Both Dell and HP had lower TCO and that's only more true now since I can still extend the life of the Dell/HP/Lenovo if need be with disc/ram upgrades if push come to shove. In 5 years the Mac must be replaced...

You’re either a small shop or have way too much IT labor. The cost of the upgrade exceeds the value of the device, plus the more aggressive Windows lifecycle nonsense drives more fiddling to keep the operating systems up to date.

You seem confused. We replace devices every 5 years about. We generally don't need to touch them between replacements, that includes the current HP units we are running which costs significantly less than a MacBook.

The difference is if we ever need to make a call regarding upgrades the current HP units can be stretched even further with ram and drive upgrades if needed, a MacBook cannot, despite also costing more initially.

All devices get recycled when replaced, if your argument is that the MacBook would be sold to defray costs, well a 5 year old MacBook hasn't held much of its value and we will now need to spend manhours decommissioning second hand MacBooks instead of just ripping out the drives.

I've done this math, Apple is always more expensive unlesd you were going to be buying a workstation spec laptop in the first place and in that case the decision is regarding software compatibility and not hardware.

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't cost-minded SME/startups using Linux on laptops even now?

#22
From 10 years experience:

- users have to adapt to UX they do not know

- software compatibility is still a sword of damocles

- ... especially Office compatibility - exchanging docs with partners, clients - this gets better when using cloud office apps.

- HW: there seems to be more configuration effort for some standard things (camera, docking stations)

- some issues appear on linux clients only (Citrix, MS Teams), frustration

I think its much saver to stay on Windows and as others mentioned, the cost advantage is not that big.

- still worth it? Sure :-)

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't cost-minded SME/startups using Linux on laptops even now?

#23
post #11

The cost of using Windows over Linux per device is significantly less than one month's salary for an engineer. Even if you are cost sensitive, the OS is not at the top of expenses you need to worry about.

Much less than one month. More like one day, or even a few hours depending on your job. Or to paraphrase an answer to the original question- because Windows is so cheap (compared to the other costs in a business) that it's simply not worth any effort at all to avoid it. Saving $100 on the lifetime cost of a laptop, and the person who uses it, is a rounding error from 0. Whereas every incompatibility, mitigation, driv…

Does Microsoft really still sell Windows as a perpetual license to enterprises? I would have thought for sure that they would have found some way to sell it as a part of a bundle/subscription by now
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