Dell picks Ubuntu for Linux PCs
Dell is trying a second time to sell personal computers with Linux preinstalled, this time using the up-and-coming Ubuntu version of the open-source operating system. — At the end of May, the No. 2 PC maker will begin selling some consumer-focused laptop …
Context & Ripple Effects
Dell had already signaled an expansion of factory-installed Linux options in March, while a closer look at why major hardware vendors avoided desktop Linux preinstallation underscored the support and business hurdles. Customer requests through Dell's February IdeaStorm forum supplied a visible demand signal for the change.
The Ubuntu decision turns Dell's Linux program into a consumer-facing operating-system choice on selected desktops and notebooks, alongside Dell's return to selling Windows XP systems after customer demand.
First-order effects
- Dell buyers on the selected consumer systems gain an Ubuntu 7.04 preinstall option, while Canonical gains distribution through the No. 2 PC maker.
- Dell must support the Ubuntu configuration as a shipped consumer product rather than leaving Linux installation and compatibility work to buyers.
Second-order effects
- Other major PC vendors face clearer pressure to test whether customer demand for factory-installed Linux merits comparable consumer configurations.
- Hardware and peripheral compatibility become a more important competitive input for Ubuntu PCs, because Dell's offering depends on a dependable out-of-box experience.
Third-order effects
- If large OEMs keep treating Linux as a supported consumer option, desktop operating-system choice shifts from a do-it-yourself alternative toward a purchasing decision made at checkout.
- The move is an early test of whether community demand channels can influence OEM platform strategy, rather than merely product features.
The trend: Consumer PC makers are beginning to test factory-installed Linux as a second operating-system choice when customer demand is explicit enough to justify support.