A lot of reasons why they won't let it happen is because of the piracy. With
a lot of the software piracy, it'd be easy to save a couple hundred bucks,
use a copy of Vista or XP that you already have on one PC and install it on
the two new ones you just ordered with Linux. Or all out hacked copy. It's
been done before.
That's the main reason. The other is because they can't support Linux. It
would take a lot more resources and too much money. People would want to
save a buck and get Linux, yet have -zero- knowledge about it and spend
hours on the phone with Dell, or some other tech support.
It would make the Linux marketshare jump, force a lot of users to learn
Linux (and probably stick with it), and force more innovation in the OS
manufacturer market. It happened with video cards: NVIDIA vs. 3dFX, then
stagnent for a bit, the NVIDIA vs. ATI and we had some major improvements.
Same with AMD vs. Intel. We need the competition. It's good for the
consumer.
Wish it would happen on one hand, not so much on the other.
--
Dustin Harper
dharper@vistarip.com http://www.vistarip.com
--
"Cymbal Man Freq." <Don't
Bother@ForgedPostsAnonymous.unorg> wrote in
message news:eE8GdCGYHHA.3256@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Dell may offer Linux as alternative to Windows
> 1 hour, 7 minutes ago
>
>
> BOSTON (Reuters) - Dell Inc. is considering offering the Linux
> operating
> system as an alternative to Microsoft Corp.'s Windows on its personal
> computers, a Dell spokesman said on Tuesday.
>
> The PC maker said it received more than 100,000 customer requests for
> Linux in a
> "suggestion box" posted on Dell's Web site less than three weeks ago.
>
> "We are listening to what customers are saying about Linux and taking it
> into
> consideration," said Dell spokesman David Lord. "We are going forward.
> Let's
> say, 'Certainly stay tuned."'
>
> Linux is an open-source operating system that is generally available for
> free
> and can be used to run most computers, including Dell's PCs.
>
> Dell does not break out how much it charges for Windows when it calculates
> the
> cost of a computer system, but a basic upgrade version of the software
> generally
> retails for $99.
>
> The only operating system that Dell currently offers on its PCs is
> Windows, with
> one exception, Lord said. It sells high-end Linux desktops designed
> specifically
> for use in oil and gas exploration, he said.
>
> Making Linux available on other Dell PCs has been the top request since
> the Web
> site was launched on February 16, according to data posted on the site, as
> of
> Tuesday evening.
>
> The second most popular request was that Dell offer another popular free
> software title, OpenOffice, which competes with Microsoft Office programs
> including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
>
>
>