Dell Opens a Poll On Linux Options

narramissic writes "In response to overwhelming user demand for Linux, Dell has posted a survey on a company blog that asks 'PC users to choose between Linux flavors such as Fedora and Ubuntu, and to pick more general choices such as notebooks versus desktops, high-end models versus value models and telephone-based support versus community-based support.' Votes will be collected through March 23, and Dell plans to use the feedback to begin selling Linux-based consumer PCs." The poll is pretty minimal. Wonder how much it will really guide Dell's choices.

Comments

Support?

[hackstraw]

I love Linux and all, but what kind of support would be offered compared to Windows support? I have no experience with Windows support (don't use it), but when I call my ISP and other companies, they ask questions like "What version of Windows are you using?" By being a Linux and Mac guy, I find myself self supported much of the time, which is OK most of the time, but when the internet is down or something that is not OS dependant, I have issues from time to time, and its next to impossible to talk with support people sometimes.

Now, I'm not talking about me. I've run Linux on a number of Dells (hundreds), but I don't need Linux support, but for "normal" people or whatever, what kind of support will they get?

None Please (or DOS if you must)

[truckaxle]

I personally do not want any flavor pre-installed. FreeDos is fine thank you. There are just too many options and partitioning preferences that I would typically reinstall anyways.

I can install Redhat via a USB drive in 10 minutes so the advantages of pre-installation are minimal.

What I really care about is not paying the Microsoft tax!

A choice of all distributions.

[khasim]

By offering NONE ... pre-installed ... but offering options on boxes so that they include only 100% Linux-friendly hardware. Which would be tested against the current kernel (and the kernel tested with would be documented).

AND NOT COSTING MORE THAN AN EQUIVALENT WINDOWS BOX.

Box A
Windows config - $500

Linux config -
- remove modem (save $5)
- replace modem w/Linux compatible (kernel 2.6.18) (add $15)

- remove wireless card (save $10)
- replace wireless card w/Linux compatible (kernel 2.6.20) (add $25)

And so on. Support "Linux", not "Red Hat". Ship the hardware and let the buyer get support from the distribution s/he prefers.

Problem worth considering...

[faloi]

What's going to happen when Dell releases a flavor that can't play MP3s, or some media files, out of the box? I wonder if the idea of it being Linux is going to be...for lack of a better way of putting it...scary enough to the average user to dissuade them from selecting it as an option even if it saves 'em money.

Re:Smells like a trap.

[dhasenan]

What's so half-assed? They would have to prioritize functionality to provide and product lines; they're doing that by asking the potential users. They have to pick a distribution; they're doing that by asking the potential users. Should they ask whether to use GNOME or KDE by default? Amarok or XMMS? Xine or gstreamer? LILO or GRUB Legacy or GRUB 2?

I don't see much more they could have usefully asked. Besides, if you buy your laptop with KDE on it, it's a matter of a few minutes to install GNOME. (And since this is Dell, you can probably expect a set of CDs with at least the most common packages on them. When I purchased Debian CDs once, they came with pretty much the entire repository.)

Re:Smells like a trap.

[irc.goatse.cx troll]

Wait, what?