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Is the Dell/Microsoft Alliance Fracturing?
An anonymous reader asks: "Dell has historically been the most loyal of all Microsoft's partners. Even today, it is very difficult to avoid paying the Microsoft tax on most of Dell's desktops and notebooks. Recently, two things have made the news where Dell is not toeing the Microsoft line. First, was the announcement that Dell is trialling shipping desktop and notebook PCs in the UK with Firefox as the default browser, instead of IE (announcement confirmed here). Today we have news that Dell is not going to support HD-DVD, despite reported incentives that recently induced HP to do so. So, what are some theories as to why Dell has lately been less of a friend to Microsoft, and what does this mean for the future? Does it mean that it might soon become possible to order Dell's full line of personal systems with Linux installed, or no OS/FreeDOS to save the Microsoft tax?"
According to the article, Dell chose Blu-Ray because of its greater capacity and long list of industry backers. Dell now realizes that it is not necessarily as advantageous as it once was to partner with MS on everything. With the rise of online companies such as Google, the MS stranglehold is loosening. Dell probably sees that and now wants to break out of its old marketing habits.
I still think that Dell will do whatever it can to sell the most PCs in volume, so if that means further customization without Microsoft products/partners, so be it.
Linux will be offered when enough people are demanding it as a viable alternative to Windows.
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
Does it mean that it might soon become possible to order Dell's full line of personal systems with Linux installed, or no OS/FreeDOS to save the Microsoft tax?
No
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