Maybe a good option for Dell here would be to go the Apple route and make its own OS.
For example, what if Dell made a "Dell Linux" by forking form (K)Ubuntu. This strategy provides Dell with a number of advantages. First and foremost is that they would only have to officially support a single Linux distro, making official company support easier as well as encouraging an enthusiastic and helpful user base to grow, much like has happened with other F/OSS projects. Also, Dell would naturally choose hardware for which fully functional F/OSS drivers already exist, or they could encourage a company to make Dell Linux-specific binary blobs with the promise of a mass equipment order. This would allow Dell computers running Dell Linux to "just work" in the same way as Macs, and for the same reasons. Also, since Dell Linux would be a fork from a popular distro, it would also allow most of the originator's software to run without modificaton (Hello Synaptic!)
Now, when do I get paid?
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Amen!
OH NO!
The DoD is investing in artificial limbs for wounded soldiers!
How evil and suspicious!!!!111one
Is there any particular reason why "the rest of us" couldn't run our own root DNS using the old-skool IP?
Someone give him an internet!
*Buys robotic overlord a Coke*
Maybe a good option for Dell here would be to go the Apple route and make its own OS. For example, what if Dell made a "Dell Linux" by forking form (K)Ubuntu. This strategy provides Dell with a number of advantages. First and foremost is that they would only have to officially support a single Linux distro, making official company support easier as well as encouraging an enthusiastic and helpful user base to grow, much like has happened with other F/OSS projects. Also, Dell would naturally choose hardware for which fully functional F/OSS drivers already exist, or they could encourage a company to make Dell Linux-specific binary blobs with the promise of a mass equipment order. This would allow Dell computers running Dell Linux to "just work" in the same way as Macs, and for the same reasons. Also, since Dell Linux would be a fork from a popular distro, it would also allow most of the originator's software to run without modificaton (Hello Synaptic!) Now, when do I get paid?