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Is Dell Just Testing the Market?

Posted by Cliff on from the sneaking-thru-the-back-door dept.

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?

9 of 287 comments (clear)

  1. Not Very Well by Gumph · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I think Linspire is too unknown/controversial.
    If I was buying a new linux distro, I would go with Either Redhat (known and trusted) or Suse (rising star) not some recently name changed article
    IMHO of course

    --
    'By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes'
  2. the REAL question is... by Richthofen80 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Because it comes with the Linux distro pre-installed, is the computer $99 less because it hasn't paid the 'microsoft tax'?

    its a good marketing move to sell to people who don't want to buy / have Windows XP.

    --
    Reason, free market capitalism, and individualism
  3. A very interesting game of chicken by foidulus · · Score: 3, Interesting

    or maybe in this case I should say penguin *rim shot*
    Anywho, there is probably no way Dell could survive if it invoked the ire of Microsoft and MS refused to sell them licenses(or at least reduced cost ones). However, I think that Dell is pretty confident that MS will not do this unless they REALLY want the anti-monopolists breathing down their neck...
    Maybe then the DOJ could do it's job

  4. Re:For the second? third? time? by Polkyb · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Dell still do offer a RedHat solution here in the UK, but, only for the server market. You cannot get Linux on a desktop, however, they have recently started shipping desktops with FreeDOS, so you don't HAVE to buy Windows

    --
    I've never shoed a horse, but I once told a donkey to piss off!
  5. Re:It's a good start by agraupe · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That's a good point. I didn't think about that. Still, I have linux installed on two dell machines (soon to be a third) and I find they don't use Windows-only hardware. I also ran Knoppix on some *really* old dells at school (before the BIOS were password-protected), and they worked fine. Remember that Dell has been offering linux for servers for a while now.

  6. Marketing opportunity? by travail_jgd · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I think the first big vendor[1] to properly commit to shipping Linux-based systems has the opportunity to make a killing.

    Anyone can sell a cheap x86 box (Windows or Linux) to Joe Sixpack.

    The first big vendor that offers a complete Linux system can really rack up the profits. By system I mean modem, networking, scanner and printer. The vendor would be in a position to (somewhat) honestly claim "if you don't buy from us, good luck getting it to work." Reinvest the MS-tax in Crossover Office, so they can advertise compatibility with Office, Photoshop, etc[2].

    [1] Big == national, with an advertising budget to reach non-geeks.

    [2] Having Office compatibility makes switching to Linux easier to swallow for Joe Sixpack -- even if he never uses it.

  7. Re:Legal problems by ePhil_One · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You're right, Dell would never offer Linux in the US.

    --
    You are in a maze of twisted little posts, all alike.
  8. Testing? Or a clever ploy.... by Fenis-Wolf · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Is this a 'test' run? I doubt it. More than likely I'd guess that this is a clever move by Dell to put some pressure on Microsoft.

    Dell is a major PC manufacturer, so by 'offering' Linux as an 'alternative' they could be leaning on Microsoft for some sort of better deal, perhaps a slight lessening of the cost for each copy of Windows they buy? We all know in this day and age 'Cost is King' and every dollar they save will likely help them save loads of new computers.

    http://michfilmfestival.com

    http://a2tech.us

    --

  9. Re:Eh, it'll do ok, but not great by editingwhiz · · Score: 3, Interesting
    We may be talking semantics here. Questar sells the pre-loaded Linux machines. Dell assembles them in Ireland. They are shipped from the Dell factory to wherever the Questar customer is located. Questar, or the customer, may be paying the shipping bills -- I don't know. But the machines begin life in Dell's factory and are moved from there.

    My columns say specifically that you cannot buy one of these machines on a Dell Web site, or in a retail store. That is not a question.

    No wires crossed that I can see. Dell media relations office in Round Rock, by the way, has yet to return two very clear and simple calls from me -- one last week, and one today, asking for explanation. This is their full-time job, to respond to journalists. Normally, companies are very responsive in situations like this. Could it be that the company is wary of talking to me, beause I have confirmed information that it cannot refute?

    /cp