Why is Dell changing from Windows to Linux?

Question

News link:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070307/tc_nm/dell_linux_dc_2

Answer 1

Hello JC Redding,

You seem to be confused as to Dell's recent decision to offer the Linux operating system as an alterantive to Microsoft's Vista operating system.

As you may or may not be aware, people who have been using Microsoft Vista have already begun reporting problems with the software. This has caused consumers to ask computer hardware vendors to offer alternatives to the operating system.

Naturally, hardware vendors cannot offer an alternative of Mac OS X (there is no official Windows compatible version - Mac OS X86 doesn't count), so the natural alternative is to offer not one, but three different distributions of the Linux operating system on its next generation machines, which includes OpenSuSE, Ubuntu, and Red Hat's Fedora.

I hope this clears up your confusion, JC Redding. Links have been included below, so you can check out further information about Dell computers and the Linux distributions that were mentioned earlier.

Thanks,
Thomas Ward

Answer 2

It's not-it is considering offering the option of having Linux pre-loaded on a PC rather than Windows. However, there are some issues with that, as there are currently about 350 gazillion different flavors of Linux (called distributions, or "distros"). Then, is Dell going to SUPPORT whichever distro they choose??
One more thing to worry about is that Linux has never been more than a tiny blip-total of possibly 3% of the OS market, and if you offer one distro, you are going to have SOME of the more vocal (being polite) Linux users screaming about why Dell isn't offering THEIR favorite distro, and how long do you think Dell will take the headaches before they decide that it isn't worth it? After all, currently they do offer some (not many, I admit) PC's without ANY OS loaded at all-The end user can install their own favorite distro.

Answer 3

Linux isn't continuously an excellent selection simply by fact many of the failings that living house windows does isn't continuously supported on linux. yet once you prefer to objective it seek ubuntu on google and acquire it. Burn the iso document to a cd and run it as a stay consultation. in case you like it then set up ubuntu in any different case stay with xp or attempt upgrading to living house windows 7.

Answer 4

The only reason vendors won't preload Linux or operating systems like pcbsd on them is fear of Microsoft.

You also have to consider that entire cottage cheese industry
services Windows it's a huge cash cow and they don't want to lose that think of all the antivirus companies that make alot of money on selling antispyware and antivirus software, contracts
for big clients, subscription fees you get the point.

Answer 5

Because they want to make money.
Linux trumps windows in every way and Linux is what smart people want.
They are not actually changing, they are just responding to demand and offering Linux as an option.

Answer 6

You have to listen to the public. The law of supply and demand. There is a demand for linux and Dell has to supply it. I may be one of the first because I usually dont buy dells because I do not want to purchase a copy of windows.

LINUX RULES

RJ

Answer 7

It doesn't say switching, it says offering an alternative due to customer requests.

Dell are a commercial company... if 20% of their customers want Linux not Windows they'd be mad not to offer Linux to those 20%... it's that or lose those customers.

Answer 8

They aren't, they are thinking of offering you a choice when your order a computer, either Linux or Windows. Chow

Answer 9

The Market seems to show that many people are Sick of So many problems with windows; So, without acknowldging the issue, DELL seems to be offering people an OS choice.
Seems fair to me. Redmond might complain

Answer 10

without windows the total PC price will be decrease. This will attract more buyer.