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Dell Refuses to Sell Ubuntu to Business

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the now-that's-just-weird dept.

An anonymous reader writes "I had a surreal experience with Dell today. My boss asked me to order a new computer for our small, non-profit business. Wanting to support Dell in their decision to sell computers with Ubuntu installed, I decided to order one. First, I talked to a small business representative, who informed me that I could not order one of the Ubuntu-based computers through the small business department. I had to go through the "home and home office" department. I called the Home office department. I asked the representative if I could buy one of the ubuntu computers for my company. She said (and I quote), "these Dell computers are designed for personal use only, as long as you use it for personal use, you can purchase one." So I lied and said I would.... Next, I tried to buy it on our business credit card. They would have none of that. She told me that I had to buy it through a personal card. Now, as a non-profit, our business does not pay sales tax (10% in Tennessee). Had I bought it with my own card, I would have had to pay tax (~$90), which my company would not have reimbursed me for. So.....no Dell today."

7 of 522 comments (clear)

  1. Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    No wonder, who'd want to buy a computer running an OS violating hundreds of patents?

    Oh wait.

    and also mandatory

    1. Refuse selling computers running Ubuntu
    2. ???
    3. Profit!

  2. Why go with Dell? by jellomizer · · Score: -1, Troll

    You do have alternitives. Use them, threaton them with them, "I Guess I will go with HP, Lenovo, Gateway, Apple, Penguin Computer"

    I am sick of you stupid Consumers. *Cry* *Cry* *Cry* *Whine* *Whine* *Whine* Companies are Evil *boo hoo*, they wont give me what I want. Guys you control the purse strings if you don't like what the company does go an alternive route don't give them money, speed up the process and tell them that you are doing that.

    American Consumers are DUMB!

    --
    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    1. Re:Why go with Dell? by Zontar_Thing_From_Ve · · Score: -1, Troll

      You do have alternitives.

      Indeed, but Americans are bad to have mad love for brands and you might be surprised at what kind of consumer rape they'll take just to stick with certain companies. It's kind of like being the abused party in an abusive relationship who doesn't want to leave. In this case the consumer just can't change companies no matter how bad he/she is treated because "things might be worse elsewhere".

      One of my good friends runs a small business and he told me "Never again" would he buy a Dell because of their tech support. Of course the original poster could just buy a Windoze PC from his beloved Dell and install Ubuntuu on it himself, but I guess that kind of thinking is too "out of the box" for many people. By God he wants a solution where Dell sells him an Ubuntuu box AND accepts the business credit card to pay for and he's going to hold his breath until that happens even though he has many other options (other vendors, self-install Ubuntuu over Windoze, etc.).

  3. Smooth move. by EveryNickIsTaken · · Score: -1, Troll

    My boss asked me to order a new computer for our small, non-profit business. Wanting to support Dell in their decision to sell computers with Ubuntu installed, I decided to order one.
    It's a good thing they wouldn't sell you one. Your boss asked you to order a "computer." He likely assumed he'd be getting something with MS Windows. Had an Ubuntu-loaded box shown up, your ass would have been reamed out. Oh yeah, and non-profits are called "organizations," not "businesses," which makes me question the entire truthiness of your story.
  4. Re:GPL infringement? by DraconPern · · Score: -1, Troll

    There is a per user license for Ubuntu. It's called the GPL. You did agree to the GPL license in Ubuntu before you used Ubuntu right? If not, you are using it illegally.

  5. Liar, mod this down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Enough said.

    PC are open hardware, always were always will.
    You don't void the garantee opening it nor installing anything on.
    That's disgusting, there is no point to lie to prove the point Dell isn't an opensource defender, it serves the opposite. you bastard.

  6. Re:So... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Except if you're looking for FOSS OS laptop, where do you take it? Even most custom build places push Windows to every system. This is a real disappointment. Is Dell trying to avoid supporting these machines in a corporate environment? That's half-assed support, and Dell should be held accountable for it. Either stand behind your product, with the disclaimer that Linux-based may not work for everyone, or don't sell the damn things at all.


    1) Do not buy a laptop, they are built to self destruct with heat.
    2) Build your own desktop or tower with high quality parts purchased from various suppliers to get quality names at reasonable prices.
    3) Download FreeBSD or SlackWare (Avoid Fedora crap like the plague) install and configure it. (quality hardware was specified above for this reason, don't buy cheap shit that offloads work to to the cpu through windows drivers)
    4) Be amazed at the savings, performance and long term durability of your machine.
    5) If you cannot support your own selected hardware and software, forget it and get out your pen, paper and slide rule which still work just fine by the way.

    Right now, I am using such a machine I built eight years ago, it still outperforms most crap you see in the stores or the junk that Dell will sell you.

    Laptops? Dell? Ubuntu? Give me a fucking break, some people are so god damned clueless...