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Posted on Tuesday 12th of June 2007 at 07:04 in Linux

Why Dell should offer more than just Ubuntu

In the US Dell has famously started offering Ubuntu on selected machines as a direct alternative to XP or Vista. Fortunately these machines cost less than their Windows counterparts and that's good, but Dell really should consider moving beyond offering Ubuntu; and here's why.

Offering Ubuntu is an excellent step in the right direction; bringing quality open source operating systems to the mainstream market. It surprised no-one that they chose Ubuntu, the current poster child of popular Linux and with a suitably strong (and large) community behind it to boot.

ubuntu on dell

However, Dell aren't offering *that* much support for these Ubuntu machines are they? You can buy extra support but you're largely left to fend for yourself with the typical package and that makes me think that Dell could go beyond offering one popular release.

I'm talking about blank machines, without someone elses ideas on it already



That's where big wins will come from. People under-estimate the buying power of the "advanced" users, after all we are the most likely demographic to spend unmentionable amounts on computer parts so I find it surprising that no major distributor has tagged onto the notion of providing "clean" machines.

By "clean" I mean entirely without operating system but tested. This means you get a box that will only boot to the BIOS that you can then install whatever you want on it. Whether that's a stable copy of XP SP2 that you still find "works" or doing odd things with x86 OSX - there should be a range for advanced users to do what they want with.

I'd like someone like Dell to sell a pre-built machine that needs no faffing around with to work. I can quite happily build myself a computer from components but that's not the issue. If Dell could offer a sensibly priced machine with sensible (compatible) components in both the US and Europe - I imagine they would have some sales.

ubuntu banner

Dell have this opporuntity to not only make a point for the value of open source software, but claw back some of the 'enthusiast' market. If they could remove the effort from building your own computer and instead supply you a working, nicely specified machine then they'd probably win over quite a few open source enthusiasts.

Dell can supply normal machines at exceptional value so I see no reason why they can't extend their Ubuntu scheme to offering completely blank computers. Bringing Linux to the mainstream is a good idea but you need to think beyond that - enthusiasts spend a lot money and we like making our own decisions. Give us a blank box and we'll put whatever Linux we like on it. They get a sale and I get a smile - everyone's a winner.

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Comments

Showing most recent 9 of 9 comments

just format and install the os u want. will only cost u a format.
xmido
Linux driver support is the key, not what they preinstall.

Also Dell already supports RedHat and SuSE Linux for corporate customers.

SMP
One thing everyone needs to keep in mind, is that Dell, HP/Compaq, and Gateway all got into a little trouble with Microsoft about 3 or so years ago because they were selling pc’s without any OS loaded on them. A letter was circulated by Microsoft to all computer manufacturers that all computers had to leave their warehouses with an OS installed on them, and it had to be a Windows product or Microsoft threatened to yank all their MS licenses, and to pull all the Intel-based processors out of their systems. The activity happened not too long after Windows XP hit the market. The manufacturers were given until August of 2003 to comply with their "request" or face the consequences. As luck would have it, someone from Dell did not take too kindly to Microsoft’s tactics, and published the letter they had received, on the internet for the whole world to see. Microsoft immediately backed off to avoid any of the legal ramifications that would have undoubtedly followed had they followed through.
Therefore, the fact that Dell is offering a system with ANY kind of open-source OS is a brave and important step forward for open-source, and a little nose-thumbing towards the big, bad, scary Microsoft.
Scott Nestor
One other little detail not considered by this article... I’m pretty sure it’s not costing the end users EXTRA money to have Ubuntu on these machines, and the article is about "advanced" users (or more accurately, THIS user; the author of the article) wanting to buy blank machines?
Well, if you are such an "advanced" user, how hard can it be for you to wipe Ubuntu off the pre-tested machine and replace it with whatever your favorite distro is? It should be a dead-simple process for any sufficiently "advanced" user.
If you REALLY want to SUPPORT Dell’s move into Open Source operating systems, then BUY an Ubuntu box from them. Just replace Ubuntu with whatever you prefer when it arrives. It doesn’t take but a moment more to wipe the drive clean over the time it takes to install an OS on a blank drive, AND you get the added benefit of a machine that’s been tested WITH an OS.
They get a sale and you get a smile - everyone’s a winner. ’Nuff said.
JustSomeGuy
It is surprising that people can actually make money or have a job or get their blog noticed on Linux Today with such misinformed articles or opinions or with such shoddy research.

Dell sells machines without Operating Systems already!
Dell is offering their standard hardware support on their Ubuntu and Non-OS machines?
Dell has just started offering the Ubuntu machines (but has offered Non-OS machines for some time)!
Give me a break! You post such absurd and brainless comments.
Take a break and come back when you group up!
hike
I have felt that the people who need Linux the most would never be able to install Linux, Windows or much else.

The people who use Linux now, are the ones most capable of running Windows reliably.

Dell has made a significant step toward fixing this contradiction.

The longest journey begins with a single step. This was a leapfrog step for putting Linux in the hands of non-tech users.

I would like to see other distros offered, especially the likely enterprise replacements. This will help techs and future techs be prepared to service the next generation.

I do not use Ubuntu as my regular, distro, but I appreciate its community and the effectiveness of its design.
John Joda
Not to mention that having a linux certified machine just makes it easier on hardware decisions. You don’t have to research every last chipset to ensure that it runs with Linux.
shawntan
I don’t think so.
You can install anything else over Ubuntu. Dell don’t care!
speedygeo
Did you not read the details? All come in the N configuration which means no operating system. (Actually no licence) You may alternatly have Freedos on the machine since to test a machine you have to have something.

This is how a business machine is bought by our company from HP and IBM so we can put our own software image (Enterprise Licenced) on the machine. Dell is offering you in addition to Freedos ubuntu with updated drivers and no offering to the vole.

So you are getting exactly what you asked for!
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