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4840

Stop making excuses, and start paying attention. WE WANT LINUX!!!

Linux submitted by homer 02/28/07

Dear Michael Dell,

By now, many people will have started reading Blogs and articles about how you have back-peddled on your commitment to listen to your customers' wishes. Here's just one:

http://blog.lobby4linux.com/archives/104-So,-How-Does-It-Feel-To-Have-Been-Ha...

[Edit] Here's a more "high profile" article, from The Inquirer:

Dell backs down from Linux promise

That makes this site (DellIdeaStorm) nothing but a farce.

First you ask us what we want, then you just blatantly ignore us. What exactly was the point in asking us what we want? Is this some kind of sick joke?

Maybe you were taken off guard, and hadn't anticipated the vast demand for Linux that happened, but it did happen, so deal with it ... or be perceived as a liar and a charlatan.

If you amalgamate all the various Linux "idea" posts on this site, and tally up the total votes, you're looking at something like TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND VOTES FOR LINUX. Are you just going to ignore that, and pretend it never happened?

Here's your response to this amazing phenomenon so far, and my comments:

We are listening, and as a result, we are working with Novell to certify our corporate client products for Linux, including our OptiPlex desktops, Latitude notebooks and Dell Precision workstations.


Well you are obviously not listening. The vast majority of the Linux requests on this site are not from "corporate" customers, they are from end users seeking home computing Linux solutions. Are you listening yet?

This is another step towards ensuring that our customers have a good experience with Linux on our systems.


It's not a step forward, it's a sidestep shuffle. What exactly are you afraid of ... that people might actually prefer Linux to Windows? I could build and "certify" a Linux workstation in 20 minutes, without the assistance of production facilities and a team of engineers, why is this such a problem for the world's biggest OEM?

Are you suggesting that Linux somehow represents a "problem" with regards to hardware, and that it's going to take a team of rocket scientists months to discover Linux compatible components?

Right now, Linux works with virtually the same hardware that WIndows XP does, and considerably more hardware than Vista ... but that doesn't seem to have prevented you "certifying" Vista (a.k.a. Windows ME2). What a joke!

As this community knows, there is no single customer preference for a distribution of Linux. In the last week, the IdeaStorm community suggested more than half a dozen distributions. We don't want to pick one distribution and alienate users with a preference for another.


No, no, no, no. That's not how it works. This is just more excuses.

At the end of the day, Linux is Linux is Linux. The distro is not that significant (other than the distinction between a commercial or community distro).

Surely the CEO of one of the world's biggest companies can make a decision.

Pick a Linux distro and run with it. And stop making excuses.

My personal preference is for Fedora Core, but if you offered an Ubuntu desktop machine, I'd buy it, because (like I said) at the end of the day it is Linux that is important, not the distro. My primary motivation is to keep my money out of Microsoft's pockets and have an OS ... any OS ... that is not Windows. I can, and probably will, switch between half a dozen distros during the lifespan of that hardware.

However, it is extremely important that you offer pre-installed Linux workstations to end-users, rather than just "OS-free" systems, because without this option, you will be helping to perpetuate the misconception that Linux is not popular. Well congratulations, you have just discovered exactly how much of a misconception this really is. Maybe you should have considered DellIdeaStorm years ago, rather than sit around waiting for point-of-sale figures that could not ever accurately reflect the popularity of something that is a free download.

Trust me ... you will not alienate anyone by making a firm choice of distro support. I'm sure the tens of thousands of home users, who are demanding Linux from Dell, will be overjoyed just to have a choice of any Linux distro.

We want users to have the opportunity to help define the market for Linux on desktop and notebook systems.


This is just nonsensical marketing gobbledegook. Say what you mean, and stop obfuscating the truth with gibberish.

You can "define" the market right now ... by selling us what we want, rather than what Microsoft dictates you sell to us. The 200000+ vote for Linux should be a clear enough "definition" for anyone ... who's prepared to listen ... and not bury his head in the sand.

In addition to working with Novell,


Bad move. By all means offer Microvell to any corporate user gullible enough to swallow Steve Ballmer's baseless FUD about Microsoft's intellectual property, but I think you'll find home users rather less than receptive to any distro offerings from any company that sleeps with the enemy.

we are also working with other distributors and evaluating the possibility of additional certifications across our product line.


This is the only promising statement in the whole response, but it sounds like a lot of hot air to me.

Actions, not words.

GIVE US LINUX!

Are you trying to rejuvenate sales or not? Give the customers what they want.

We are continuing to investigate your other Linux-related ideas, so please continue to check here for updates.


Oh I'll be sure to, but I'm not holding my breath. Microsoft has you far too firmly under their thumb for me to seriously expect any positive changes at Dell.

Thanks for giving us all a glimmer of (false) hope, though. 68 Comments »

-580

Proof that Linux and OSS are ONLY for hobbyists!

Linux, Operating Systems submitted by phubert 03/06/07

Since so many have tried to say Linux/OSS are only for hobbyists and 'not for business', I thought it would help if we could supply anecdotal evidence of business, Education and government USE of Linux and OSS.

The title, clearly, is an exercize in light sarcasm. 552 Comments »

-270

Ubuntu and MAC OSX on Laptop

Linux, Operating Systems, Laptops submitted by bernardino.silva 04/29/07

I think it is the best choice and can be popular.
Dual boot of Ubuntu 7.04 and MAC OSX Leopard on Laptop. 25 Comments »

1346

Ubuntu & Win XP Dual boot; Open office and Firefox /Thunderbird

Linux, Operating Systems - Multiboot, Desktops and Laptops submitted by bsteff 02/20/07

Sell desktops (and yes laptops) with dual boot of Ubuntu AND Win XP. My particular work environment cannot tolerate Vista and I don't like the control Microsoft is attempting to exert over my PC. Consumers are NOT mindless idiots!!! GEt rid of DRM. I will gladly pay for digital content and I will not sell/give it to a friend or acquaintance (read pirate/thief). GWA is bad enough with threats from Microsoft to crank up the pressure on non-genuine PC's. I am a physician and I control, to a large extent, at my hospital system what type of software we get in the form of PACS (computerized x-ray digital image viewing on local PC's - thin client) Almost all of imaging is now digital.

The threat of Microsoft DRM degrading images used for the critical diagnosis of patients is intolerable such that we are exerting considerable pressure on vendors to provide clients that run under open source. Why open source? Simplyu because it puts us back in control. If images are degraded and critical diagnoses missed, we docs and our patients are going to pay the price. Ubuntu, and other GUI's of LInux (such as Xandros) can let us avoid this. I run Ubuntu routinely and find it dependable and easy to use. I can trust it. Microsoft has lost my last shred of trust with Vista and its DRM and driver situation.

On another front, we in medicine are under tremendous pressure to cut costs. For a faculty of over 400 at my medical school and staff of about 1500, the cost of MS Office is tremendous. Open Office Org. software is a great help in this regared and even has features that MS Office does not offer. MS has lost our trust. We will probably all use Open Office Org in the future - so why not offer it as loaded at purchase time. I would be willing to pay a nominal fee, say $30-50 for the loading up of the software on my PC so htat i can use it immediately when I receive it.

Dell should know that the loading of all the JUNK software that comes on my PC's from Dell is a Large factor in my reluctance to order new PC's at shorter intervals, no matter what the technical hardware advances.

Brad A. Steffler, MD
Medical School Professor 2 Comments »

340

Thin client terminals

Environment, Linux submitted by hairo 06/05/07

Rather than just recycle computers and distributing them to non-profits, schools, or other charities, why not reduce even more by offering stripped versions which could be used as dumb terminals.

By removing the hard drives completely you reduce both energy consumption and reduce operating costs.

One server connected to twelve client terminals running Ubuntu, Netware, or MS Server is cost effective and more environmentally friendly.

Develop a completely embedded "micro terminal" that doesn't require cooling.

Non-profits often can't afford license fees, so Ubuntu makes sense.

3 Comments »

1837

Dell Thin Clients

Servers and Storage submitted by beijaflor 02/19/07

Dell is able to make full PCs for $359.

Imagine what would be the prize of "terminals" for thin client computing ...
- a low-consuming processor at 500-700 Mhz
- no fan design
- on-board 128 Mb flash
- on board 512 Meg RAM
- VESA mountable
- solid state architecture
- PXE bootable

- Remote OS and application :
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/9097
Or even Windows Terminal Server for small deployment if people have the money to pay it.

Thin computing answers to 75% of needs related to computers in school, librairies, hospitals and more ...

Dell could even sell the servers coming with the "thin-clients solutions" ...

I also see the Screen+Keyboard+Mouse option

And think about the network ...

With modern thin-computing solutions, the deployments are made on a larger scale (thousands of terminals across fiber networks) and with thin-clients provided by a large company like Dell, the savings could be on the hardware AND on the software ...

17 Comments »

140

Thin client

Servers and Storage, Software submitted by gordona 04/24/07

The time for a thin client offering for home users has arrived. DELL could lead the revolution.
The average home user is completly overwhelmed by the impossible task of maintaining a safe responsive software environment and refuses to become a systems adminstrator. Many just give up and don't use their machines much. DELL should develop and offer a subscription model whereby the hardware (thin client) could be "refreshed" over a broadband connection, at the push of a button on the client machine, or whenever the server "senses" that something has drifted off-spec. All client data and applications would reside on the server with any time-sensitive application being downloaded to run locally.

The big rule to be followed is that the entire software/data environment can be recreated easily. The end user wouldn't worry about viruses, disk crashes, device drivers, software install procedures or operating system screw ups. Once the word got out, people would wonder why anyone had eve used the "fat client" approach that we're all stuck with today.

It's time for DELL to make a bold move (you did it once before). 6 Comments »

-10

Dell Needs a thin client solution

Sales Strategies, Desktops and Laptops submitted by jaybird 08/15/07

Dell needs thin client solution. Even the salespeople at work are talking to me about using thin clients so you know that the market is ready. A quiet, low power device like the Zonbu (http://www.zonbu.com/home/index.htm) is all most home users need and a slightly beefier version would handle 80% of all business users needs. I would like to see an affordable low power device like this as both a desktop and as a notebook. We're looking for this solution.

I'm not talking about a bargain basement $200 solution here. I could easily justify $600 for a high reliability, quiet, low power client that provides basic productivity applications (Open Office) locally and connects to our enterprise applications over the web. 1 Comment »

140

manufacture and promote thin client hardware

Environment, New Product Ideas submitted by paul.mcdonald 05/21/07

In the interests of the environment, and in speed, reliability and efficiency, I would like to see Dell provide low cost thin client hardware, similar to that provided by vendors such as Wyse.
The basic thin client hardware should be operating system free, and just have a minimal client to run RDP/ICA.
Up the scale, you may need to provide,WinCE, XPE and Linux as embedded operating systems. 1 Comment »

216

ThinClients

Linux, Desktops and Laptops submitted by merlinans 02/20/07

how about a ThinClient form dell preferable with Linux as OS, including firefox with flash and java.
RDP, NX, ssh, X protocolls to connect to a terminalserver. 1 Comment »



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