Get This Damned Ubuntu Out Of Dell’s Internets!
It’s as if a million penguins cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. Dell has dropped Ubuntu-loaded machines from their online store – a head-scratching play, considering their original declaration that Ubuntu is safer than Windows. The move comes after Dell posted a totally compelling argument for each operating system on its website, advising that only open source programmers should consider Ubuntu. That’s not completely unwise advice, but it’s not like Ubuntu is an unsolvable puzzlebox, or something.
The other bullet point in Dell’s two-bullet-point case for Ubuntu is “choose Ubuntu if you do not plan to use Microsoft Windows”. Gee whiz.
You’re starving. I have two pieces of fruit, a mango and a papaya. You must eat one, or you will die. Choose papaya if you do not plan to eat mango.
No shit, Dell.
Dell insists they haven’t dropped Ubuntu entirely, and that you can still order Ubuntu-loaded machines over the phone. “The reason why they’re not on our main pages is because Ubuntu systems are primarily targeted towards advanced users and enthusiasts, and the vast majority of consumers purchase PCs with Microsoft Windows pre-installed,” a Dell customer service rep told. Fair enough, Dell. But then again, if I’m an advanced computer user, what are the odds I’ll order a computer by phone before using the internet?
I just checked http://www.dell.com/ubuntu and could still order what they had available before.
No problem Dell. I now send my money to Acer/Asus. Your loss. I use Ubuntu on all my home computers for (over two years now). I buy expensive hardware always (I am a geek after all). Most of my friends and family (geeks and non-geeks) ask me what to buy. I always said Dell. Now it will be Acer/Asus.
Not suprised, I think 90% of the Dell website visitors don’t know what Windows/Linux is all about. Companies don’t order via websites, they’ve got a Dell rep. As an administrator I once did an inquiry, asking people what OS they think they had and the most common answer was “Word”. That’s okay, they can get their job done, who cares what OS their on. It’s like with taxes, I only want to know what I get back, the rest is just numbers and rules I don’t get.
As nice as open source ideals might be, you can’t compete only with idealism. Windows 7 is a properly engineered operating system created by a multimillion dollar company, while Ubuntu is the best effort that volunteers and a few employees can come up with. Only Linux fans don’t think that Windows 7 completely crashes Ubuntu in terms of quality. In the end, more often than not, you get what you pay for.
I wonder if Windows influence this decision in anyway. Sad, Dell seemed like a forward looking company with all its crowd sourcing and open source efforts, but it is looking and less every day like that. Sounds like there might be a new opportunity for a new entry into the market … 🙂