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Dell Censors IdeaStorm Linux Dissent

Posted by kdawson on from the why-bother? dept.

thefickler writes "It seems pointless to seek ideas and feedback if you're going to ignore and delete the opinions you don't like. That's exactly what Dell is doing with its IdeaStorm website, which the company set up to solicit such ideas and feedback. Dell deleted a post linking to an article that criticizes its handling of the 'pre-installed Linux' issue."

8 of 228 comments (clear)

  1. Par for the course by Hrodvitnir · · Score: 1, Interesting

    This is the way of corporate and web relations nowadays. Lets sum up in a list, shall we?

    1. Corporation screws customers
    2. Someone on the web blogs about it
    3. Social networking sites pick up on it
    4. Semi-mainstream media and maybe even real MSM pick it up
    5. Corp backpedals
    6. Everyone forgets about the transgression
    7. Profit! (for the corp)

    We don't even need ellipsis. We've been through this enough to know where the profit comes from at this point.

    --
    "There are more important things than stopping terrorism. Upholding the Constitution is one of them." - Ars Forumer.
  2. Seesh People.. better things to do? by blantonl · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I think it is important for everyone to understand that First Amendment rights don't exist on Websites, blogs, and message forums. Those that own those communication platforms are free to delete or censure anything they feel necessary to maintain the spirit and intentions of both the supporting business and the site as a whole.

    What exacerbates the issue is whenever a moderation activity takes place against either the open source community, or the Linux community, the reaction is swift, dramatic, and overdone. OMFG my post was removed.. it is a conspiracy!!!

    So what! Dell removed a post on a site that was soliciting user input. Aren't there bigger problems in the world?

    If I asked you to come in my house, and provide me feedback on how my living room looks, and you responded "that's the biggest piece of crap I've ever seen," then I would probably censure you and throw you out.

    --
    Lindsay Blanton
    RadioReference.com
  3. Much Ado about deleting a Troll Post? by Silentknyght · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Did you read the post that was deleted? It's a brief post that came off as if it was written by an angry teenager. It smacked more of a personal attack than a cool-tempered, well-written, logical argument.

    There has to be some moderation of flame-bait and trolling posts on any forum. Moreover, the post was deleted probably by an overzealous moderator, rather than through some evil Dell mastermind with a conspiracy against linux.

  4. Censor this by jamesl · · Score: 3, Interesting

    One man's censor is another man's editor.

  5. Re:Ahh. by mdkathon · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Is it not Dell's right to remove anything that they feel is negative coverage on their own website? As much as I want to get behind this "damn the man" smear job (not). I'd like to think that fellow Slashdotters understand that it is not in Dell's interest to try and make Linux available to the masses. It's a headache from a support standpoint. Though their management may be a little heavy handed for our liking we cannot blame them for not allowing participants of IdeaStorm to cross-link to articles criticizing Dell for not having Linux as a choice. We can install Linux if we want to. We can also choose hardware vendors that support Linux. Do we need to whine and complain as well?

  6. There are still no Linux laptops from anybody real by Animats · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The reason this matters is that there are no Linux laptops available from any vendor bigger than a garage shop.

    Yes, there's Linux Certified, in the same building with Mr. Chau's Chinese Fast Food in San Jose. And there's System76, whose address is a Pak Mail in Denver.

    If you're selling hardware that may have to be maintained or replaced, you need to be bigger than that to play.

    Of course, once upon a time there was VA Linux, but we know what happened to them.

  7. Re:Dell laptops cost MORE w/ no OS than w/ Windows by cyberkahn · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "they sell excellent quality Linux laptops, desktops, and servers."
    Just curious. Have you already purchased systems from them? How did you come to this conclusion?

    Thanks

  8. Re:Why is this under YRO? by cybrangl · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Well, if they delete posts they don't like (censor) then I don't think they get the benefit of the DMCA for content. It could now be considered that anything not removed is explicitly agreed to by Dell. So, if you post a racial slur and Dell doesn't remove it, Dell could be sued for racism. Not a good marketing or legal move.