Dell Press Release: We're going to pre-install Ubuntu

Enterprise Linux News ^ | May 1st | Jack Loftus

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

In a joint statement released today, Dell Inc. and Canonical Ltd. announced that Dell will now offer laptops and desktop computers pre-installed with Ubuntu Linux 7.04.

The computers will be sold via Dell's web site, said Canonical's director of operations Jane Silber. "We have worked with Dell to get Ubuntu fully supported and fully certified on Dell hardware," she said. "Ubuntu has the full endorsement of Dell."

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Well, there it is.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

ping

[PajamaTruthMafia]

Excellent! Microsoft better wake up or the slide will continue and accelerate.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Is this something that is going to be (figuratively) stuck in the back of the store and you have to ask for it to get it? Or, is it going to be (again figuratively) prominently displayed and agressively marketed? Inquiring minds want to know. It will be interesting if it is the latter. I frankly expect the former.

[jackieaxe]

Good news! Microsoft needs a good run at them. Since Bill Gates told Congress we need more H1B Workers, I installed Ubuntu on my computer which I built myself, without Microsoft getting a piece of the action.

[N3WBI3]

OSS ON DELL PING

If you are interested in the OSS ping list please mail me

[pikachu]

I will be believe it when I can order one.

[AFreeBird]

Shhhh !

[martin_fierro]

The “Fierce Fawn” hasn’t worked so well for me as the “Dapper Drake” did.

It lost internet connectivity somehow.

< |:(~

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I just got done installing and testing Ubuntu Feisty Fawn on my Dell laptop.

I'm not thrilled with certain aspects of it so I'm wiping it and will be loading Simply Mepis 6.5.0.2 next week.

Among the things that I didn't like was the whole "nanny-distro" thing where root access is not granted to any account unless using sudo. I was able to give root a password and tell Ubuntu to let root login...but still...kind of a pain. It also was a struggle to get it to use WPA for my wireless....after I spent an hour getting my Broadcom mini-PCI board to work.
I did like the apps that came with it and the Add/Remove wizard was quite nice as well.

All in all I think this is a good move by Dell. Ubuntu won't be as easy for some as an OEM Winders install...but it will expose it to a LOT more folks.

[Publius6961]

Hooray!

I might buy a Dell laptop as a first step, and dump Microshaft Windows XP on my current Thinkpad when they start announcing no more support for it.

Vista is not an option. Ever.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Let’s wait and see.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

I don’t know......... this *might* get me to buy a laptop if I could get a major manufacturer with one pre-loaded.

Though I think that when it came time I would still not buy a pre-fab. I really just want to build a laptop from scratch.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Hope they give an option for KUbuntu, which uses the KDE desktop instead of Gnome.

I personally just encourage people to switch to KDE.This "users are idiots, and are confused by functionality" mentality of Gnome is a disease. If you think your users are idiots, only idiots will use it. I don't use Gnome, because in striving to be simple, it has long since reached the point where it simply doesn't do what I need it to do.Please, just tell people to use KDE.

Linus Torvalds

[CholeraJoe]

So what type of Word processing, spreadsheet and browser programs does Ubuntu have built in?

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

LOL!

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

They have
http://www.gnome.org/gnome-office/
and
http://www.koffice.org/
*AND*
http://www.openoffice.org/

So what type of Word processing, spreadsheet and browser programs does Windows have built in?

None. You have to buy it separately.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

For browsers ubuntu has firefox, epiphany, konqueror, as well as several others.

[CholeraJoe]

None. You have to buy it separately.

That's like buying a car's engine at one dealership and the body at another. I'll stick with MSFT, thanks.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

^^^^^^^^^^That’s like buying a car’s engine at one dealership and the body at another. I’ll stick with MSFT, thanks^^^^^^^^^

You’re contradicting yourself. It’s microsoft that makes you buy it separately.

So I guess you enjoy buying your car’s engine someplace else.

[Quix]

Thanks much.

[Publius6961]

I will be believe it when I can order one.

Funny you should say that; I just went to their site and had an on line chat with a sales rep:

My question is about pre-loaded Linux on desktops and laptops being made available from Dell.
I would like to get one of each.
Welcome to Dell Sales Chat. My name is xxxxxx. I'll be your personal sales agent today.
Give me a moment to review your concern. Please don't go away.

7:50:32 AM OK
7:50:34 AM CU_Rep_xxxxxx Hi yyyyyyyy :)
7:50:52 AM Yyyyyyy Hi Xxxxxxx
7:51:24 AM CU_Rep_Xxxxxxx with regards to ur concern, we don't have that option available.

7:51:50 AM Yyyyyyy I just read a press release that it was being offered
7:51:54 AM Yyyyyyy is it an error?
7:52:18 AM Yyyyyyy http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1826509/posts?page=1
7:52:19 AM CU_Rep_xxxxxxx I'm not sure.
7:52:56 AM Yyyyyyy Well, if it is true, I am interesed in getting a preloaded system to check out and prepare for the change.

7:53:15 AM Yyyyyyy Please let me know at Yyyyyyy@earthlink.net
7:53:46 AM Yyyyyyy Thank you for your time

7:53:49 AM CU_Rep_Xxxxxxx i would suggest that u need to check www.dell.com instead so u can get infos on latest technology or new releases.

7:54:05 AM CU_Rep_Xxxxxxx Is there anything else that I can assist u with regarding this concern?
7:54:13 AM Yyyyyyy I just did that; not a mention there --- yet
7:54:21 AM Yyyyyyy Nothing more today
7:54:24 AM Yyyyyyy thank you

7:54:34 AM CU_Rep_Xxxxxxx I hope you would take the time to fill out the survey after exiting this chat in order for us to improve our service. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for choosing Dell Chat. Have a wonderful day.

7:54:34 AM System CU_Rep_Xxxxxxx has left this session!

[CholeraJoe]

It’s microsoft that makes you buy it separately.

You're the one that's not making any sense. Microsoft office is a browser, email, WP and spreadsheet all in one. Or am I just too stupid to understand what good a stripped down machine with Ubuntu will do?

[Publius6961]

Though I think that when it came time I would still not buy a pre-fab. I really just want to build a laptop from scratch.

Build your own laptop?

Ummmmmmmm.
K.

[Publius6961]

That's like buying a car's engine at one dealership and the body at another. I'll stick with MSFT, thanks.

So you enjoy being forced to buy the engine elsewhere?
Microshaft doesn't sell computers, last I checked.

[Publius6961]

You're the one that's not making any sense. Microsoft office is a browser, email, WP and spreadsheet all in one. Or am I just too stupid to understand what good a stripped down machine with Ubuntu will do?

Lots and lots of real people get buy a computer with preloaded Windows without buying $300 the Office Suite...

Or am I just too stupid to understand what optional at extra cost means?

[zeugma]

I personally just encourage people to switch to KDE.This "users are idiots, and are confused by functionality" mentality of Gnome is a disease. If you think your users are idiots, only idiots will use it. I don't use Gnome, because in striving to be simple, it has long since reached the point where it simply doesn't do what I need it to do.Please, just tell people to use KDE.

Linus Torvalds

 

I've seen reports that the fellow who is the project lead for Ubuntu actually uses Kubuntu as his primary desktop.

[HAL9000]

That's like buying a car's engine at one dealership and the body at another. I'll stick with MSFT, thanks.

What's the point? Linux and Windows are the same in that respect.

Only AAPL makes the whole widget, and it makes a big difference in the overall quality of the system.

[bigdcaldavis]

I have Feisty on my 2-year-old laptop, and it runs great. I have Compiz and Beryl installed, and surprisingly my laptop runs Compiz and Beryl without any significant performance loss, although it seems Compiz is less memory-hogging. But everything works. I downloaded Sun Java 6 JRE last night via Synaptics without having to add an extra repository or something like Automatix or EasyUbuntu.

[bigdcaldavis]

I’d rather have Opera 9 instead of Firefox. Trouble is, if you try to uninstall Firefox via apt-get or Synaptics, it will try to uninstall the ENTIRE OS, which would definitely break your system.

BTW, I absolutely hate the newest version of Gaim (2.0). It doesn’t function as nicely as Gaim 1.5.

[N3WBI3]

Actually with that logic you really should be using Apple who sells the OS and the hardware..

[kevkrom]

Microsoft office is a browser, email, WP and spreadsheet all in one.

And it's not included in the operating system. You have to buy "Office" separately.

Meanwhile, office apps are built into the Ubuntu distribution at no extra cost.

[N3WBI3]

You're the one that's not making any sense. Microsoft office is a browser, email, WP and spreadsheet all in one. Or am I just too stupid to understand what good a stripped down machine with Ubuntu will do?

MS Office is not a browser, thats Internet Explorer

Look, I suppose you would never use adobe photoshop because its not made by MS (maybe you only use MS PAINT).. I guess you wont play any games not made by MS (Solatire it is for you).

What makes you say Ubuntu is stripped down? have you ever even used it?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I downloaded Sun Java 6 JRE last night via Synaptics without having to add an extra repository or something like Automatix or EasyUbuntu.

I may yet go back to Ubuntu. I really did like a lot of what I saw. It was definitely comfy. I mean...I actually giggled after I got done with my first session last week....and I've been at a keyboard every day of my life for the last 25 years.
But I'm still looking for just the right fit for me in the Linux world.

BTW...since Simply Mepis v6.x and above is based on Ubuntu, do you know if it uses Synaptics? I haven't even loaded the live CD yet so I don't know much about SM.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

None. You have to buy it separately.

Now, now...let's not forget MS Works. What a fine package that was. It was free and was worth every penny.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Nevermind...found the Synaptic info in a review of SimplyMepis.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

^^^^^^^^Microsoft office is a browser, email, WP and spreadsheet all in one.^^^^^^^^^^

That’s correct. But it does *not* come with the operating system. It’s bought separately.

^^^^^^^^^Or am I just too stupid to understand what good a stripped down machine with Ubuntu will do?^^^^^^^

There’s no such thing as a ‘stripped down ubuntu machine”. Doesn’t exist now and never will. Ubuntu comes with three office suites.

Unlike windows. To quote a very smart poster...

that’s like buying the body for a car in one place, and buying the engine someplace else.

If you wanted to say it like that, ubuntu comes with three engines.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

^^^^^^^^^^What’s the point? Linux and Windows are the same in that respect.^^^^^^^^^^^^

No they’re not. Any major linux distro comes with at least one office suite, if not two or three.

Neither windows nor mac os come with office software.

So they’re completely different.

[Golden Eagle]

Well, there it is.

ROFL, been a rough year (or two!) for you guys creating all the countles threads that claimed it already happened. Still hasn't apparently, and when it does, who really cares.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Isn’t Pidgin(gaim) 2.0 still in beta though?

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

LOL

“MS Works” is one of my favorite oxymorons. :-)

[Mr. Blonde]

I downloaded Ubuntu on an old computer. I liked it except for the fact that Apple doesn’t support Quicktime and iTunes for it. And WMV from windows. Being that I like watching movie trailers and various humorous videos online, this is really a deal breaker for me. But those are really the only problems I have with it.

[HAL9000]

So they’re completely different.

Your response is misdirected. I was referring to the "car and engine" analogy, where Linux and Microsoft design the software and other manufacturers design the hardware. In that situation, the operating system is targeted to generic, lowest common denominator type of hardware - resulting in a less-than-optimal system. In contrast, Apple designs both the hardware and the software with better component integration to maximize the quality of the system.

Regarding office software for Macs - Apple does include a free 30-day trial period for the iWork package (word processor and presentation software for $80). There are rumors that Apple will provide the next version of iWork for free on new Macs, and will add a spreadsheet to the suite. This could happen in October when Mac OS X 10.5 is released.

[Space Wrangler]

I’m not impressed with Ubuntu in the least...I just simply don’t need the training wheels. Ubuntu doesn’t even come close to making my top 10. Glad to see Dell offering a choice though. Any of you OSSers tried PC Linux OS?? I’m liking it alot. It offers a nice blend of easy installation, tweakability, and doesn’t make the assumption that you’re losing two drops of sweat with every mouse click and constantly re-assuring you that everything is going to be okay.

[N3WBI3]

So is this still Michael Dell saying *NO*? Most of us have an idea as to how long it takes any company to make a change such as this (let alone one with the size and contractual obligations of Dell). You have been saying for two years that this would never happen..

Now of course you’re focusing on the fact it took dell two years and not the fact they got spanked into the number two spot and have had thousands upon thousands of customers ask for it.

This is good news for Dell, Consumers, and Linux. Myself I would have preferred they went with RedHat who has not painted themselves into the corner of only OSS but not having a huge amount of experience with Ubuntu I cant spit on Dells decision. You’re lack of insight never stops you though.

[Golden Eagle]

You have been saying for two years that this would never happen..

No I haven't, I've been correcting the lies that it already had happened as for the months if not years we've seen these threads. But as other posters on this thread admit, you STILL can't get a standard desktop from Dell with Linux on it LOL.

[N3WBI3]

"Dell sees how terribly the "zealots" as you referred to them hate the world's richest man and other capitalists, and probably wants to steer clear of them." -- Golden Eagle

"Dell got very rich and very famous selling computers that run Windows. He knows most of the Linux crowd builds their own boxes and despise the future (DRM). Obviously based onhis actions he cares little for their supposed plight, nor should he." -- Golden Eagle

"Dell is insulating his home users from the trauma of having to deal with it." -- Golden Eagle

And one of my favorites..

"They're still not planning on actually shipping any systems with Linux pre-installed." --

[CholeraJoe]

Why should I bother with Ubuntu? I’m perfectly happy with the MSFT.

[Golden Eagle]

Out of the countless threads created here over the months/years falsely claiming Dell was shipping Linux on desktops, and that’s the best you can find? LOL funniest of all Dell STILL isn’t shipping Linux on home desktops. No, funniest of ALL is how your lives seem to rotate around free software backed by leftists and given away for free.

[N3WBI3]

GE the *vast* majority of the threads you talk about are not saying dell is shipping on the desktop (though admittedly there has been debate about workstation vs desktop on a thread or two) they are saying Dell *WILL* or *SHOULD* ship Linux on the desktop. Now Dell has all but said as much! So the people who two months ago were saying 'this is going to happen' were right! and the people saying Dell wont do this were wrong, and the people hedging their bets by using the words 'probably wont' were also wrong!

When the weather man says its going to snow in 24 hours do you run to the window and, seeing no snow at the moment, call him a liar? Thats basically what you have been doing for literally months.

Dell is going to put Linux on the desktop.. And you thought they never would..