Dell Offers Ubuntu To Imaginary Customers
Dell has announced it will be offering a version of the open-source operating system Linux, called Ubuntu, on a small number of desktop and laptop models. They apparently announced it by sending an e-mail on Friday from an un-named Dell employee to a blogger named Jeremy Garcia who runs a Linux advocate site. John Hull, manager for Linux OS technologies for Dell followed up today on Dell's website:
Dell will offer only add-on peripherals and hardware options "that have the most mature and stable Linux driver support," Hull wrote. "These hardware options have been thoroughly tested by the Linux team here at Dell."
The company will configure and install open-source drivers for the hardware when possible, he stated. "We use partial open source or closed source drivers where there is no equivalent open source driver. This includes Intel wireless cards and Conexant modems," he wrote.
It seems to us that the market for this OS is very limited, and everybody that wants it already has it, as it is free. I think Dell is the tech equivalent of a Burger King restaurant getting menu advice from PETA. If you offer broccoli Whoppers, everyone will want one!
