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Ubuntu Won't Moan To EU About Microsoft

Posted by timothy on from the kudos-to-them dept.

Barence writes "The company behind the Ubuntu Linux distro says it has no plans to follow Opera's lead and file a complaint against Microsoft to the EU. Ubuntu 10.10 is the most 'consumer-friendly' version of the Linux distro to date, but it faces an uphill battle against Microsoft's marketing machine. Even high-profile supporter Dell has dropped Ubuntu machines from its website in recent months, while continuing to remind visitors that 'Dell recommends Windows 7' at the top of every PC page. 'I don't think we've ever considered [an EU complaint],' said Steve George, vice president of business development at Canonical. 'The improvements we're making to Ubunutu ... are a better route for us to reach out to users and get a bigger user base.'"

5 of 248 comments (clear)

  1. TFS is incorrect about Dell by StayFrosty · · Score: 5, Informative

    Dell is still shipping PCs with Ubuntu preloaded. You can find them here.

    --
    "Frequently wrong, never in doubt."
  2. Re:If it makes Ubuntu feel any better.... by CannonballHead · · Score: 5, Informative

    Dell didn't drop Ubuntu. You can still buy Dell computers preloaded with Ubuntu.

  3. How the HELL is this informative? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Dell has NOT dropped Ubuntu

    The story is BS. PC Pro has zero credibility.

  4. They bribe PC makers. No skill required. by xzvf · · Score: 4, Informative

    Dell, HP and Lenovo don't put up " recommends Windows 7" on each page because they actually do recommend Windows 7. They do it because Microsoft pays them money to do it.

  5. Re:Kudos by westlake · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's an uphill battle, and we've still got a ways to go, but Linux in general and Ubuntu specifically has been making great strides here.

    Linux is treading water.

    In most stats, it is barely visible as also-ran.

    Stat Counter Global Stats

    I want expecting this.

    But the Linux Stat Counter stats for countries like Argentina, Brazil, Germany, The Netherlands, Portugal, Venezuela etc., are really quite pathetic. Either these countries have gone off-line or the FOSS geek has spent too much time listening to his own propaganda.

    The picture is somewhat less bleak in Uruguay - one of OLPC's great success stories. But in Rwanda - where OLPC had a confirmed, significant, deployment of 100,000 units - Linux is easily outpaced by OSX and Win 7.

    Top Operating System Share Trend, iOS Tops Linux

    Even when you factor in Android, the numbers don't change all that much.

    OS Platform Statistics

    24% Win 7: Up from 0% in Jan 09, Linux 4.5%: Up from 2.2% in Mar 03. The W3Schools stats for Linux are as good as it gets.