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Pre-Installed Linux | Ubuntu | Fedora | OpenSUSE | Multi-Boot By dhart,  Feb 16, 2007



Offer the 3 top free Linux versions for free pre-installation on all Dell PCs.

Quality free and open source software drastically lowers the cost of new PCs, and helps prevent software piracy. For example OpenOffice.org, the Microsoft Office alternative, can shave hundreds of dollars off the price of a new PC. Cast your vote for OpenOffice and other free software.

Offer easy multi-boot options with Windows Vista, Windows XP, or NO Windows (yes, Linux can entirely replace Windows!)

Offer trade-ins and Linux CDs for older model Dell PCs. Cast your vote for the mini Linux Dell PC and the Universal Education Dell PC, both utilizing free software.

Would you try Linux if it were this easy?

CHOICE is what consumers want on their new PCs, not annoying surprise circus-ware (the typical smattering of confusing 3rd party popup-infested software found on most new Dell PCs). Quality free and open source software is well behaved, and may be legally pre-installed on PCs, and legally shared with friends and family, sharing is encouraged! Cast your vote for consumer CHOICE and public transparency at Dell.


DELL/ Status Update
Please take a look at www.dell.com/open for linux options on the Inspiron.
dhart102490.0
  Sat Feb 17 01:46:14 GMT 2007
Comments: 1859
Categories: Desktops and Laptops  Linux  Sales Strategies  
Status:Partially Implemented


MERGED IDEAS

linux operating system
By RaZ69, 20 Apr 2010 11:34 PM Wed Apr 21 06:34:09 GMT 2010
Comments: 0

Comments

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By pebear  Feb 17, 2007
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How about an No Windows offer. I have noticed that the price of a windows lic. is getting expensive. Vista Home is just XP rebranded and all the others are way over priced. A good distro of Linux with all the pieces working, audio drivers, Multimedia players that play all the standard codecs. Fire fox web browser with all the plugins working along with all the multimedia functions working. A K desktop with the best GTK layer working could rival anything OSX or Vista has to offer.
By hizzoner1  Feb 17, 2007
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A Linux O/S option would be an excellent idea. I for one have Ubuntu installed with Windows XP Pro. No Vista crapola for me - too expensive for the few improvements...just a gussied up XP IMHO
By joelist  Feb 17, 2007
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I hate to break this, but not enough people care about Linux for Dell to care (nor should they). It is a microscopic segment of the ecosystem.
By exzen  Feb 18, 2007
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I think you're underestimating the amount of people who are being turned off by Vista, and looking for an alternative apart from OSX. I for one have given up on microsoft, and am planning to get a dell laptop for travelling, and will install linux overtop of the default windows installation. I find the user experience provided is much more agreeable, and the OS much more customizable.
By voxpelli  Feb 18, 2007
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joelist: Why aren't any interested in linux? Is it because of linux or is it because of no computers can be bought with it installed or with a guarantee that it will work? Mac OS X is unix - you can quite easy run many linux software on it - is OS X unpopular? No and the same would be true with linux if a computer manufacturer would be brave enough to ship some computers with ubuntu and beryl or something similiar. For the manufacturers linux is equal to more freedom of customization. Dell can easier brand linux as their own than windows. A computer from Apple is an Apple both on the inside and outside. A computer from Dell today is a Dell on the outside but inside it's a Microsoft. Dell would like to have control of the operating system when they at the same time would gain tremendous of good will and be able to deliver systems easier to use by the masses!
By joelist  Feb 18, 2007
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Actually you are vastly OVER estimating the amount of people "turned off" by Vista. Vista is doing quite well. OSX has some popularity (I run it on my Mac), but remember it is Mac only. Both OSX and Linux suffer badly from lack of good software (and don't give me the Open Office line, I tried it when I tried Linux - it is possibly the worst crap I have ever used). Dell is a large OEM, and needs to be oriented to the future. The future is not a very small group of anti-Microsoft zealots, the future is where the major market share is, and that is Windows.
By billyjoebob  Feb 18, 2007
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Right now I'm using a Dell Dimension 4700 computer running Ubuntu Edgy Eft. Even though I'm an MSCE and administer Windows servers at work, I do *not* want to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista -- I've made the decision to switch from Windows to Ubuntu Linux for home use. The learning curve was not that steep, and worth it. So far, I've been able to do everything (and more) on Ubuntu that I could do on XP. Not only that, I have a system that is more secure and stable than my old XP OS. I like Dell products, but they do need to start making boxes that have hardware specs that are more Linux friendly. A perfect example of this is that my Dimension 4700 shipped by default with an ATI X300 card. Unfortunately, ATI is *not* Linux friendly -- they have not released drivers with composite support, and ATI has virtually no Linux documentation on their site. As a result I've had to go out and buy a Nvidia card to replace it as they have open drivers that work GREAT with most Linux distros. Dell has a program for releasing hardware that is "Windows Ready" -- they need to come up with hardware configurations that are "Linux Ready" as well. I think if Dell wants to compete with Apple in the future, they really need to start releasing Ubuntu pre-installed computers now, and train their support divisions to accommodate these new users. Otherwise, the rapidly growing base of Linux users such as myself will undoubtedly look elsewhere for solutions. Worst of all, this will virtually ensure that Dell effectively has *no way* to compete with Apple in providing a Microsoft desktop alternatives. I look forward to owning my next Dell "Designed for Linux" box in the future, hopefully with the latest version of Ubuntu installed! :) As more and more technology professionals such as myself jump off of the Microsoft ship, what do you think that they'll be recommending to friends, family, and colleagues? At this point, all Dell would have to do is use a box with Nvidia card and their existing hardware to certify it as "Linux ready" as that setup seems to work perfectly when installing new distros.
By compugeek  Feb 18, 2007
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This would be great, except that it really wouldn't be that much cheaper. OEM copies of Windows are inexpensive already, and the bloatware that helps Dell keep prices low is not necessarily compatible with Linux.

To make things worse, Dell would have to update their tech support services to help Linux users as well as Windows users, which would be especially tricky considering that there are still some people who couldn't tell you which OS they were running even with step-by-step instructions.

Dell would be a great company to help Linux gain ground, if they could offer tested Linux-compatible configurations. People associate Dell with easy, so if Dell could design a decent line of computers that came with Kubuntu (for example) pre-installed, they could probably sell it.
By adamant1988  Feb 18, 2007
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People just want choice. openSUSE 10.2 is probably one of the most polished linux distributions available. However an OEM deal from Dell might convince Red Hat to step back into the desktop realm with a real product. Options will present themselves, just pick a linux distribution and support it. openSUSE 10.2 is one of the most stable distributions (some problems with package management, but Dell could implement a fix for this very easily in the form of SMART) I know I would kill for a Dell system with Linux on it that actually worked right out of the box with openSUSE.
By yakubovich  Feb 18, 2007
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I've already replaced Windows with Ubuntu on all of my machines and am happy with the switch (despite not being the most technical user out there). There are, however, very few big vendors offering good distributions pre-installed. In fact, the only one I know of is Walmart, and the Linux they offer is not the best. Dell could really get a competitive edge by offering a distribution like Ubuntu, OpenSUSE or Fedora Core preinstalled.
By dasunst3r  Feb 18, 2007
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I have a Dell Inspiron 6000 from about two years ago, and the first thing I did was to erase the entire hard drive (including the restore partition) and installing my copy of Windows XP Professional and Linux on it. Besides the ATi card and the modem, Linux works perfectly! Anyways, I would say that the first step to making a "designed for Linux (and Windows)" setup is to start using nVidia cards. As far as support is concerned, I think that Dell can hire some of us from the community to help people out. Finally, I also have the ideal of seeing Ubuntu pre-installed on a computer when I order it. To that, don't forget to tack on things so that a consumer can make an informed decision. Until then, I'll settle for a computer with no OS installed.
By julius  Feb 19, 2007
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We have to decide which OS to use. It is not normal to pay for something that we are not going to run.
By sbrunner  Feb 19, 2007
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I'm wating about that for about 3 years !
By mpo  Feb 19, 2007
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By the way: when I read the option to have 'linux pre-installed' should be *free * I think we're not being completely truthful? It does cost to install a linux distro, but it surely doesn't cost more then organizing a windows pre-installment IMHO. So I think if such option would be there, then the order-form should clearly show the license-price-reduction when choosing "No Windows" Maybe even have an additional option "No OS Pre-installed" would allow an even bigger price-reduction? Anyway, given the fact that MacOSX is now running on intel hardware I can image that the "OS-pre-install" options-list might soon include that one as well?
By vasanth  Feb 19, 2007
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Just give "No Pre-installed OS" option. We will choose our distro choice.Anyway there are many people who do not want windows pre-installed on their laptops/PCs (like myself).
By lagaf  Feb 19, 2007
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great idea
By kyliemanders  Feb 19, 2007
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Looks like those in Madrid Spain really want this! I don't think anyone in the US does save a few fanatics. But if Dell offers thiss as an option why not!
By mumubuntu  Feb 19, 2007
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This is really an excellent idea, and since I'm about to buy a new desktop, I think I'll choose Dell if they offer a Linux option, or even a PC without an OS. Keep digging friends !
By mathieu147  Feb 19, 2007
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The best options for me would be:

Computer with no OS : 850Gé¼
[ ] Linux installation CD : +0Gé¼
[ ] Install Linux for me: +10Gé¼
[ ] Windows XP installed + recovery CD : +150Gé¼
[ ] Windows Vista installed + recovery DVD : +300Gé¼
[ ] Leave a free partition beside Windows so that I can install Linux by myself: +0Gé¼
(check what you want)

(the price are only for the example)
By drynish  Feb 19, 2007
Comment Link   
IMHO, that's too much complicated, mathieu147. Just offer: Windows Vista (Basic, Premium, Ultra) No OS. That would be far enough for now. If later on there's a request, you could go with Linux distribution. However that would be a wonderfull idea.

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