Is Dell Just Testing the Market?

sarig_magik asks: "It seems that Dell is testing the Linux desktop market worldwide, and their choice of desktop is Linspire 4.51. I wonder how Microsoft will view Dell, now? Could this be a real attempt to gain a foothold before any of the other distributors do? We know the hardware vendor, but can anyone comment on the choice of OS?" Although Dell is offering a system with a preloaded Linux Desktop, they aren't doing it here in the US, but through their Italian partner, Questar. While the choice of Linspire as a desktop may leave a few of you underwhelmed, this does seem to be a step in the right direction. Is Dell testing the market? Of course they are. How well do you think they will do?

Comments

For the second? third? time?

[shoppa]

Dell offered Red Hat Linux circa 2001 along with their desktop machines. We bought several dozen machines this way. Then, of course, this option mysteriously disappeared. (I think it may have only ever been available for corporate customers to begin with).

Yes, the new option is different. What I see is not so much "testing" but something being there and then disappearing, and then something different being there and disappearing. I'm not going to count on Dell supporting any particular distro, but I think that it is nice to be able to buy a machine without a Microsoft tax.

VAR loads Linspire, Dell sells machines...

[WizzleWizzleWizzle]

I thought Dell said they had nothing to do with the VAR that was loading Linspire and selling the PCs in Europe other than selling them machines?

Story Here

This isn't Dell's doing

[sixteenraisins]

The writeup may be a little misleading; Dell isn't the entity behind installing Linspire on these machines, it's Questar:

A PC dealer in Europe has begun selling Dell desktops equipped with Linux, but Dell emphasized that the systems were customized by the dealer and that this isn't the first time this has happened.

That article can be read here at Cnet.

Dell has already clarified this.

[oneiros27]

Dell is not using Linspire. That is completely the doing of their reseller, and Dell has distanced themselves from Linspire.

See the article at C|Net from last week on the matter

Re:For the second? third? time?

[chris_mahan]

You can buy the machines without os (or rather, the DrDOS OS) from their website.
Dell.com | Small business | Destop | N-series Desktop

(http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/compar e. aspx/desktops_n?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd)

I have bought some, and they work great.

PS: I never though I would be posting, on /., instructions on how to buy Dells.

Re:Methinks not

[ePhil_One]

It ain't no test, just the usual amount of freedom of movement Dell grant to their partners.

I don't get any of this. Dell's been offering Linux on its servers and Precision Workstations for about three years, partnered with RedHat. Some time ago in the US they created an "N series" line which shipped with no OS, with Linux as an option. Dell has employed developers to work on improving Linux's stability and compatibility. Dell has been very good about Linux in general, even having agents for its Open Manage software that run on Red Hat.

Admittedly they don't heavily advertise what is really a niche product, but they have http://www.dell.com/linux plus a page that is dedicated to these alternative OS desktops; Their support pages typically have several variation of Linux listed for downloading drivers, etc.

Seriously, how much Linux support do you want from them? Are you waiting for the Dell guy to announce "Dude, you're getting a Gentoo Dell!"

This story is total BS

[Brian Blessed]

It seemed obvious that something was wrong with this story the first time it was discussed on /. because there were no links to Dell.

The Register confirms that this move has little to do with Dell:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/07/dell_vs_qu estar/

- Brian.

Re:Eh, it'll do ok, but not great

[metacosm]

You downgraded the news from "great" to "ok"... I am going to one up you and mark it "utterly meaningless".

Why? Because the news is flat out wrong, Dell is not doing anything of the sort, someone who happens to buy computers from Dell is doing it.

Real Story On It

I gotta wonder if the original poster on this wanted it to be misleading, or just lacked the ability to google before pushing it over to the slashdot editors.

DELL ISN'T SELLING LINUX

[swordboy]

It should be noted that Questar is loading Linux on these Dell "white boxes". Dell has nothing to do with this decision. FWIW, Dell offers a "white box" service to mom&pop shops that don't want to build their own PCs. Once you become a distributor, you simply roll your own packages and sell the PC as your own brand. Questar is simply a white box distributor.

ANYONE can go out and do this. It doesn't mean that Dell has anything to do with selling Linux. This is secondary.