Absolutely yes. I have been hesistant to date due to lack of apparent support, especially for laptops.

I am tired of what seems like weekly patches of Windows and don't want to deal with Vista.

The key here will be a good Windows emulator, so I can still run my Windows programs as I move through the transition.

I loaded Ubuntu Linux on two PCs. I could not get it work with my wireless networking, so I had no internet. After surfing the web looking for answers I discovered that it takes an IT guru to get Linux to work with wireless if at all. Also, Linux would not work with any of my printers. However, I could listen to mp3s and play chess. I'm not a fan of Microsoft's bloated Windowns O/S, but I install it and it works without too much fuss. I think Linux still has a long way to go.

ooooh ahhh at last...hail the the penguin! though the march has been a bit slow, i guess it comes with having small feet. :)

currently running ubuntu on ps3.

THATS GREAT NEWS... FOR THE COMMON MAN..... THE COST OF DELL WOULD BE LITTLE LOWER & COULD STILL ENJOY THE FEATURES OF THE QUALITY PC WITH LINUX AND ALSO USE THE COMMONLY USED PIRATED VERSION OF WINDOWS

Awesome, I would buy one but I am past the point of needing someone to build a Linux machine for me. In fact, I am looking forward to the working with clients who bought a Dell/Ubuntu machine. Of course, the Dell brand-name could easily allow for this technology to 'fall into the wrong hands,' these hands being the unskilled and unsteady hands of many of our end-users who dare not ever open the Windows Control Panel, even to look around.

According to one post I saw this morning, several of the Linux units with FREE Linux are actually priced higher than a Windows system? What's up with that?

I've been thinking about buying a Linux laptop, just because I recently bought a Dell Windows desktop so can run my Windows software on that. Since I work from home, the laptop would be a way for me to get out of the house and work in a cafe or the public library -- other home-workers may be familiar with the claustrophia I'm describing. Some of it will depend on price -- will not paying a Microsoft tithe cut costs significantly? But it would be fun to have an open-source OS that you can tinker with, particularly since all the device drivers would be pre-loaded by Dell. And I second your post and the comments of the Dell web-posters: I'd be happy not to have a lot of "trialware junk" and I.E. as my default browser.

Finally someone is putting Micrsoft in their place. I will most deff buy one of theses PCs in the future. I am content with my Win XP right now but I will NOT go to Vista. Microsoft way over did them selves with that OS, so much that it ended up being horrible. Id hate to say this, but I might actually become a Mac user.:-/ CUT IT OUT MICROSOFT!!!!!!
Hail to Dell!!!!!

Some people can work with Linux but the truth is, most won't have a clue. Heck, they can't even admin Windows.

Just wait until the average Joe loses his Dell support and has to load a driver or something in the way of the command line.

Best Buy and the Geek Squad are gonna love this. Cha-Ching!

Ken how about you list what network cards you're using or what printers you're using that linux doesn't work with?

Also...how is it that you decided to load it onto 2 PC's at the same time and THEN test whether they worked?

It doesn't take an IT guru to get wireless working in linux...at worst it takes you searching Ubuntu forums and then following easy-to-follow instructions.

Steps like Dell taking on Ubuntu will catalyze Linux's maturing process. My break down of the two operating systems on a 1 to 10 scale, 10 being the best:

Core OS Tech: Ubuntu 8, Windows 4
Ease of Use: Ubuntu 5, Windows 8
Drivers and Apps: Ubuntu 6, Windows 9

Many (even most), except the Linux comfortable "geek" crowd, tend to agree with those numbers. However, Linux and Ubuntu in particular are making much faster progress than Windows and I believe the usability issues will be equal to or better than any Windows product in three years. Beyond that time Microsoft will likely be playing catch up.

The more Dell sized companies take on Linux the faster Linux will fully mature and truly be competitive in every aspect, not just technologically.

Can't wait to check out the new Dell with the Ubuntu Linux 7.04 I heard a lot of bad things about the new Window's Vista program. like Microsoft being able to go thru your computer and deleting down load's that they feel you shouldn't have. and other thing's that my geek friend's have informed me on. I still use a Dell computer that I bought back in 1996 or 97 for graphics and it still works just as good as the day I took it out of the box.

Linux does not mean command line. Regular users would still be able to use effectively. Ofcourse, there will be a learning curve (also to forget the windows way:) but well worth it!)

Having used a variety of GNU/Linux based Operating Systems over the years - to say nothing of my odd forays into the realm of BSD - I can say, without hesitation, that Ubuntu has been the most 'ready to use' right out of the box. I have even managed to move my fiancee, brother and sister over to using it as their primary OS.

Hardware support in versions prior to Feisty Fawn was spotty (specifically with regard to wireless cards), but with the advent of their 'Restricted Drivers' service, a renewed push from the FOSS community for better driver support (to the point where many are even writing their own to be released into the wild) and a few other easily-installed/managed applications (FWCutter for Broadcomm chipsets comes to mind), these hiccups are rapidly becoming a thing of the past.

Hats off to Dell for doing this, and I hope that it's a successful endeavor, but I'd be more apt to get a machine from System76.

ps - Dell isn't enabling any of the media/codecs features needed to play things like DVDs, MP3s, WMA, etc...you'll want to make sure that one of the first things you do is get Automatix2 from the repositories.

I have been a UNIX person since starting college (back in 1981). I have never had a WINDOWS machine (at work or home) nor do I want one. Do not get me wrong, WINDOWS serves a purpose for many people, just not my purposes (at work or at home).

I remember when graphical interfaces first started showing up in the world of UNIX; and after many years of research and testing of various UNIX flavors I have finally chosen Ubuntu (for work and home) starting at version 4.10 ("Warty Warthog").

I have yet to ever purchase a new PC because I refused to be forced to buy a copy of the WINDOWS operating system that I am not going to use. Now I can finally purchase a new PC because Dell is offering Ubuntu (hate to pay for something that is free and that I can install myself, but it beats paying for a copy of WINDOWS that I will not use).

Sadly, my days of buying used PCs at thrift stores may be over.

Will I know how to behave while using a PC with a CPU faster than 733MHz with a 133MHz FSB?

Do I really need anything faster for Ubuntu?

Is this the beginning of a bold new world for me?

Linux wireless has come a huge way in the last year, especially on Dell laptops, since a native Linux driver for Broadcom cards (the kind inside most Dell's) is now built into the core of Linux.

Furthermore, I'm not sure since I haven't tried these new Dell systems, but I'd assume that Dell has probably selected hardware that it knows will not have any major support issues under Linux, and since the OS will be preinstalled (and thus presumably as fully preconfigured as legally possible), even users without Linux experience shouldn't have that much trouble getting started.

In any case, subscription to support services from Canonical is offered, so anyone feeling that free community-based support might not be enough can get the kind of pampering to which non-technical users are accustomed on Windows if they're willing to pay. A lot of people already pay for similar support plans under Windows, often because they're forced to by the PC manufacturer; at least Dell is giving them a choice here.

Bottom line: with compatible hardware and the possibility for full-fledged support, even those with no Linux experience, or even no tech experience at all, should not have any more trouble than they'd have with Windows.

"letting customers opt out of having their new Dell machine loaded up with the usual trialware junk."

I was visiting the site today, and if you go into the more detail configuration of the system you want to buy, you can opt out of some the junk software that is installed...

I don't know if that will get rid of all the junk, but at least you should be free of some of them...

If nothing else, it's gonna be fun to watch the Ubuntu guys struggle with the 'alsaconf problem'. Either a) some engineer at Dell going to head this problem off before it happens and have a Dell-ified kernel and/or set of modules, or b) a very, very large group of very, very clueless people is going to make the Ubuntu guys regret their unwise decision to remove alsaconf without replacing it with something similar. Chances are that Dell will fix this problem before it happens, but I can dream, and if worse comes to worst, I'll be laughing so hard they'll be able to hear me in Oklahoma.

Interestingly enough--but not coincidentally--I'm typing this on a Dell laptop running Ubuntu 7.04. (But I installed that copy myself. FWIW, Ubuntu recognized and supported the WiFi receiver on the Dell without any coaxing on my part.)

Bradford Hill raises a good point about out-of-the-box support for some proprietary, popular media formats. Dell could have installed the extra software needed for this task, but elected not to, at least in this round of machines.

To Michael G: Dell isn't bundling a Windows emulator with these computers either. Software along those lines does exist--but having tried the Mac OS X version of CodeWeavers' CrossOver, I have to tell you that it's not any sort of universal solution. CrossOver (and the open-source software it's based on, Wine) can run some Windows apps remarkably well, but it can't do anything with others. See CodeWeavers' compatibility list for more details.

In most cases, it's easier to switch to a program written for your new operating system that does the same job as a Windows-only program. For example, although you can run Outlook inside of CrossOver, you'll save yourself some hassle over time if you switch to Evolution, the e-mail/personal-info-manager program included in the standard Ubuntu install.

- RP

Linux (and Ubuntu especially) has come miles in the last several years. I consider myself a pretty competent computer person but was banging my head against a wall when I tried linux a couple years ago. I again tried it recently and was amazed by the vast improvement. With this new deal with dell, it can only get better.

Great news..
Didn't actually think they'll pull it off.
I've always been a thinkpad fan, but I will buy a Dell to just support their initiative.

i love this. not a tech geek, but i think this will be a big step. i think us "stupid end users" will be able to do it. i mean if you can work windows 95 from back in the day (dos command prompts, etc), i think this will be cake to use. and there has to be a "help" icon right? everyone should be able to follow directions!

i love this. not a tech geek, but i think this will be a big step. i think us "stupid end users" will be able to do it. i mean if you can work windows 95 from back in the day (dos command prompts, etc), i think this will be cake to use. and there has to be a "help" icon right? everyone should be able to follow directions!

This is going to be an interesting progression. Linux does have an initial learning curve, however, once you have learned some basic administration... and I really mean basic... and you get over the fear of it... you will never be lost on a linux system.

With the obfuscated mess that Microsoft has come up with in trying to completely abstract the user away from the operating system... when something breaks... it is ruined... with a linux system, no matter how bad you break your system... once you have some basics and have learned how to ask the right questions... it is easier to fix than it was to break...

When there are the rare failures, and every OS does eventually break... I hope before the more impatient people throw their hands up and give up they buy a book and learn that they can fix these things without too much effort in linux. I primarily use OS X... and if I really break something, I curse myself for not sticking with linux. (All of my Mac's dual boot with ubuntu or debian for when I need to run mission critical applications)

So... yeah, some people will have a hard time... but the people who are willing to go out and read a book so they can run a computer... will find that all of the problems they have encountered... have put them in charge of their computers.

Now a final caveat... I think most people will never have these problems... Ubuntu is pretty slick... some weaknesses in the "it just works" category compared to OS X... but for the most part... it's pretty there... and a larger public use base will hopefully push it over to the mainstream and get it going.

Goood luck guys!

and yes... to the new person... despite what my t shirt used to say... now I(and many others) will help you with your computer...

Oh thanks God windows very costly addiction is finalay replaced by a new medicine that dosen't hurt the pockets this time.
I've installed my free Ubuntu and worked fine, then tried it on all my mechines works with them too (IBM, Dell, Compaq, Sony) well works faster and better on newer systems and it is memory hungry.
I think free is more civilised.

I am fairly new to the computer. I have taken a couple computer classes and have done pretty well for my first five year's. At first glance Vista is just O.S. being used to gouge the public like all big buisness seem's to do since deregulation started in this country. I'm glad to see that Dell will be offering an alternitive to Vista and selling there computers at WalMart.I will be a little nervous lerning linux but I believe I will buy one.

All Linux's are not created equal. Some are very command line centric and certainly live up to the reputation of and OS that requires a CS degree to operate (Debian comes to mind), others are very user friendly. Ubuntu falls into the latter category as does Suse (my personal preference). I think multimedia support is going to be the biggest hurdle / headache for Dell. It's one thing to download Linux for free, install it and find out you still need to spend a few hours on the web to get you box to play music and videos in the formats that 99% of us have. It's quite another to open up your brand new Dell and find out the same thing. It is worth noting that all of this can be done without ever opening up a terminal window, but still it seems like something you shouldn't have to do when buying a commercial box.

So I'll confess to being a "Linux comfortable "geek"" but I still disagree with Patrick's numbers especially ease of use (Ubuntu 5, Windows 8) when talking about Ubuntu or Suse. Ubuntu is a different OS, and while I'm not sure I'd call it easier than Windows it's certainly not significantly more difficult. This does not mean that if you've spent the last 10 years using Windows there won't be an adjustment period. There will be but there would be if you went from Windows to a Mac or from Linux to Windows.

Drivers are and aren't an issue. The only hardware that didn't work right after installing Suse on an old Dell Precision 8300 (my last install) were my TV card (Hauppauge PVR150) and Photo Printer (Epson R1800) and yes the TV card was a pain in rear to set up and did require the command line. I never bothered with the printer since Linux had no problem recognizing the cheap Cannon printer I use for documents and I still use Windows for digital darkroom work since there also no Linux based Epson ICC profiles. In short drivers aren't really a problem for Linux until you start branching out from standard equipment. My ipod is one area where Linux has better drivers that the PC. I an plug it into any Linux box in the house and manage the files either with the media player or just as a drive, but if I plug it into a Windows box I can only manage it on one box and have to erase the entire drive if I want to switch boxes.

If you want to take Linux for a spin I'd highly recommend setting up a dual boot system with either Ubuntu or Suse. Linux installers will recognize you windows partition, leave it alone (Suse will let you shrink you Windows partition during the install), and provide a path to it in the boot loader. (In English that means: once Linux is installed you computer will boot up to a screen where you can choose to start Windows or Linux). (Just to be safe back up first)

As for tech support there are several Linux oriented bulletin boards filled with people who are more than willing to help out new-comers with little to knowledge (I'm a big fan of http://linuxforums.org/)

As a former Dell Technician, I really am excited about this move. I personally love Dell branded computers even long after leaving tech support. The addition of Linux as an option will be wonderful. I personally have never used a Linux based system, but, I've been wanting to upgrade my current notebook and was heavily thinking of a dual OS computer. Perhaps I'll buy the Linux dell and use my existing copy of XP (I hate Vista) from my dying dinosaur of a desktop. Great Going Guys!

Buy a mac with a superior OS X, plus add Linux or XP, 3 in one plus no headaches :)

Wonderful! Its about time. Linux is not all that mysterious. Its easier to figure out than a cell phone and easier to install than it is to program a dvd player. It even comes on a live cd so you can practice without installing anything. We have a linux network at home. We just got dsl after years of fighting with the phone company. The only thing we had to do was hook up the device the phone company sent us as if we were using windows. EVERYTHING worked. The only issue that came up after about 3 days had nothing to do with Linux or the router. It was in the phone lines. Both my wife and I have gone through college using only Linux on our home network, printing, graphics, spreadsheets, presentations, and word processing all work fine. With the new distros one does not have to be a "geek" to get Linux to work just know the basics of how a computer works. Any one who has installed windows can install Linux. It does every thing as good or better than windows.

Already ordered one! You all will be happy to know that the wireless is intel (fully supported by every distro on the market and it runs about $60 cheaper then a comparable windoze system.

First thing to do when it arrives, install PCLinuxOS! Much easier configuration and less to add in, no need for automatix2.

I have a Dell Latitude 610 that I dual boot with Ubuntu 7.04 and WinXP Pro and honestly I prefer Ubuntu. Works like a dream with my wireless and I did not need to track down any special drivers for my hardware. I am even able to use my windows files through linux although I can't even see my linux files from Windows. Plus, using Beryl I get as many (or more) bells and whistles as Vista has.

Dell is simply targeting an existing user base of customers already familiar with the open source arena. Getting existing Windows OS users to switch from something they know and are comfortable with will be very tough without a stronger value proposition.

Dell's overall position is not to switch their customers from Windows to Ubuntu, but rather to get new customers who are NOT purchasing Dell PCs now.

This strategy will NOT be a catalyst for growth, but rather just another place to buy an Ubuntu loaded PC. Overall growth comes from widespread adoption and longer term use.

Kids today are still utilizing the Windows platform at all levels of education, so you can probably assume an open source operating system won't become prevalent anytime this generation.

Microsoft is dead.

Bill Gates is in hiding.

Ashamed...

Ubuntu 7.04 works flawlessly on most of my test machines vary from Dell, IBM, HP, and even generics. It works fine on my XPS1210 and Inspiron 1505 laptops. I give Dell a thumb up for taking a positive direction that would free the consumers from being forced to buy a product that many of us never wished to buy. I think there would be a shift in vendor support (drivers) if the demand for Linux driver increases, and Dell may have started it. On the flipped side, support for multimedia has been an essential part of any PC. The PC is no longer considered "just work", but rather be a work/play piece of equipment. Dell no support policy on musics, movies, and the likes is hard to understand. However, if one likes to do just that, there's always a Ubuntu multimedia forum where he can find answers for his multimedia needs. It would be a shame for Dell to look away for such an important issue on Dell Ubuntu desktop.

I am completely unhappy with Vista. It just isn't stable. I've had more BSOD's in a month than I had in three years under XP.

I hope to have the audacity to install LINIX on this machine, but if I do, I know I'm on my own.

Windows is the best operating system, only hacker-wannabe retards use lunix. There aren't any programs for it. Open source programmers don't make any money because they are garbage ass programmers. CAPITALIST RULES

I have been looking for a new laptop with Linux preloaded, but all I could find before at Circuit City, Best Buy, Comp USA, and the likes were Windows machines, which I refuse to use and even less to buy. I have been using self-assembled machines for a number of years, most running Linux SuSE. I don't like much to go around buying parts to put a computer together, but I didn't have a choice. The last version of Windows I bought was 98SE as an upgrade, and after that, because of all the problems with all the Betas of 95 and 98 that were sold as "final" versions I promised myself not to buy any more Windows problems.
Now, with Dell's decision of selling PC's with Ubuntu preloaded I don't have to worry much about anything; after several years of using Linux and with the pace at which it has improved I just know it works. I may not have many options at the beginning, but it's a good start.

This is just a start and having Linux preinstalled on a couple of models of Dell doesn't shake Microsoft. I played a lot with Ubuntu earlier and it looks like a stone-age operating system.Its such a pain to install display drivers and make wireless work on it. The users will know the real pain,once Ubuntu crashes and one is supposed to reconfigure things,all by himself. Even price difference between a Ubuntu n Vista PC is not more than 75$,with the same hardware specs. ON the top, you get a better NVidia AGP card with the Vista offering. No new users will ever shift to Ubuntu first,it will only be a pain to use. Ubuntu is atleast a decade behind Vista interms of user friendliness and usability. Dell should have chosen easy to use Linux distributions like Mandriva Spring,which would have been instant hits.

"This is a fairly amazing event. I can't remember any big-name vendor of Windows machines ever offering individual consumers the option of buying its hardware with the free, open-source Linux operating system preinstalled."

Not true, exactly.

Dell has offered PCs with FreeDOS for quite some time now:
http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/nseries?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&redirect=1

FreeDOS is not Linux but it's not a Microsoft product either.

Well...

I'll wait to see two things.

First, if the linux boosters put their money where their mouth is. Sales figures will be public for Dell, investors are going to want to know.

Second, when people who can't run a Windows box without trashing it start needing help I think Dell's offshore support isn't going to make them happy.

Is it usr, var, bin, or sbin?

Uh huh, it'll be great fun to watch this mess.

Hopfully this will be the start of real competition for Microsoft and we might actually see software that works out the box! Although there is Mac, but thye only release their software for their own systems, not licensed out - hence no competition there really

All you people putting down Linux, remeber windows 95? if you could operate that you can operate anything! and as quoted will make linux work like "cake"

Go Linux!

Hopfully this will be the start of real competition for Microsoft and we might actually see software that works out the box! Although there is Mac, but thye only release their software for their own systems, not licensed out - hence no competition there really

All you people putting down Linux, remeber windows 95? if you could operate that you can operate anything! and as quoted will make linux work like "cake"

Go Linux!

Hopfully this will be the start of real competition for Microsoft and we might actually see software that works out the box! Although there is Mac, but thye only release their software for their own systems, not licensed out - hence no competition there really

All you people putting down Linux, remeber windows 95? if you could operate that you can operate anything! and as quoted will make linux work like "cake"

Go Linux!

I really hate using Windows from a security perspective. No matter how much I've done to secure my system, I've always had this nagging feeling of vulnerability. That's what originally led me to install a dual boot version of Linux back in 2003 - a distro called Mandrake 9.0. To be honest, I was floored by how easy is it was to install and completely amazed that my broadband connection worked immediately without any additional configuration whatsoever. (It took about a week and dozens of calls to Comcast to get it to work on my older Windows 95 machine - for which I was forced to upgrade to Windows 98). I really enjoyed experimenting with Mandrake Linux, but felt there was a relatively heavy learning curve that I just wasn't ready to invest time in.

A year later I gave SimplyMepis a chance. I could really see the progress that was being made and found that I could do most everything I wanted, but it still wasn't as polished as my new XP system. I also had difficulty with my PVR250 TV Tuner and issues with printing.

Finally, I've found a very happy medium that works really well for me. I use Windows XP as my primary machine, but I've incorporated Ubuntu 7.04 as a virtual machine using VMware's free Virtual Player. Now I run two operating systems at the same time, switch back and forth like tabs in a browser.

Plus, Ubuntu 7.04 is really a dramatic improvement over my earliest Linux experiences. For security reasons, I'm using Ubuntu exclusively for any on-line activity. Moreover, I keep a copy of a pristine Ubuntu virtual machine and a second working version. If anything gets corrupted on the working version, in just seconds, I can make a new working version from the master. I love it!

I second the post about to Ken about his experience with wireless network cards... what were you doing? Or did you just not get your way immediately and label the Linux as something for geeks? And Patrick, where did those numbers come from? I put Ubuntu 6 on an Inspiron 1200 last year. All I did was put in the CD and it was done. I did NOT need to do any post install configuration at all! How does that make ease of use a 5??? Your rating scale is nothing more than a fairy tale!

Thank god, someone is waking up to let the giant fall asleep.

I see lots of myths in here:

1. Ubuntu is a mature, full-featured, totally ready for the desktop OS. If you had to do it yourself, what could be easier than putting a CD in a drive? That's all one has to do and now Dell is doing it for you? If you cannot click the start button on the taskbar, then is computing for you in the first place?

2. There's support! Either comminuty forums or paid service. This is no different than MS' model. When was the last time any MS apologist in here got help from Redmond? Without paying for it?

3. Linux does not equal Geek... just folks who explored an alternative and found it superior... which is exactly how Win 3.1 started out many years ago!

4. More schools, business, and governments are switching to non-MS operating systems every day. Poke your head in one of those institutions one day and see for yourself. The argument that MS controls 95% of the world's desktop is so tired. Glad the FireFox folks didn't listen to that drivel either!

Don't judge a book by it's cover. If you don't like Linux, fine, no problem. But don't make up stories about something for which you don't have any experience!!!

If Ubuntu makes it easier to join a Windows workstation in a network environment and continues to be able to easily convert or exchange files from an MS program, then I think it will make it a lot more palatable to those new to Ubuntu. Let's face it, too many windows and Microsoft files out there in the world and if you're to survive, I would think you'd have to work interoperably with the predominant system.

If Ubuntu makes it easier to join a Windows workstation in a network environment and continues to be able to easily convert or exchange files from an MS program, then I think it will make it a lot more palatable to those new to Ubuntu. Let's face it, too many windows and Microsoft files out there in the world and if you're to survive, I would think you'd have to work interoperably with the predominant system.

Great news. You could easily go Ubuntu and use Google Apps for your office related files... obviously people that need specialized sofware may have some issues.

I'm considering going Ubuntu, but I would probably do it myself, as opposed to going through Dell.

However, again, I do believe it's great news!

Ubuntu is great. I have it running on one of my PCs. Much less bloated than Windows. Make sure you use a good wireless network interface card, such as, Linksys. Mine works nicely with it.

I am quite pleased to see the trend of this blog.
It seems that many people are willing to try out linux from the beginning, which is a most intelligent choice.

I have used linux for more than 15 years and
as a biology-informatics scientist I would never use anything else for serious work (except other flavors of unix if needed).

The linux visual interface has evolved extraordinarily and now I would say that linux covers the same functionality with the same ease of use as windows (excepting perhaps computer-intensive games) and with a little effort, linux gives much more.

Please follow your natural curiosity and try out linux, learn new things and maybe teach a bit humility to the richest man in the world.

Well done, Dell, for listening to the people, and for giving them the chance to choose.

i was expecting pricing in the $199 to $249 range -- in the same ballpark as other linux desktop computers have sold for. this is still a step forward, but to my mind a stumbling step.

I have used Linux for about 3 years starting with Fedora core 1 and now use Suse Linux 10.0 on a dual boot box with windows 98se (for games only). I also have another dual boot box with windows xp and Suse linux 10.1. Both boxes are networked together on my lan. I can use office files with open office in Linux. I can also browse files between boxes (Suse - xp). I like Suse because of the yast interface for installing software and there are online repositories (pacman, guru and others) to download and install for you as well as from sourceforge. True, there is a learning curve, but it is comparable to learning to ride a bike. Once you learn, it is a piece of cake. I use open office and now learning gnu cash, the equivalent to quicknen. I also use the multi media suite, watching dvd's and playing mp3 files. I have also used crossover office (wine) and installed ms office in Linux! I have no experience with Ubuntu, but feel that it would be as much a pleasure to use as Suse.

You're wrong about Dell being the first vendor offering linux. HP 2 or 3 years ago offered mandrake linux preinstalled. I bought a number of them for my company. Don't know if they're still offering.

Thanks for the nice article. I think Dell has done a great service to computer users here in the US. I understand this offer isn't happening in Europe yet. Ubuntu is a great way to let new users experience the power and versatility of a Linux desktop. Soon Ubuntu/Dell users might discover the power of Linux/VMWare or a Linux/Parallels desktop and Windows in a virtual machine. Apple has been touting this capability and it exists for Ubuntu users as well. Easily done and the need or even desire to run Windows applications if necessary.

"If Ubuntu makes it easier to join a Windows workstation in a network
environment and continues to be able to easily convert or exchange files from an MS program, then I think it will make it a lot more palatable to those new to Ubuntu. Let's face it, too many windows and Microsoft files out there in the world and if you're to survive, I would think you'd have to work interoperably with the predominant system"

It's called Samba, and it has no problem seeing and talking to a windows network.
Open Office can read and write MS Office files. With additional software Linux can read Windows media files and now write to NTFS partitions. The interoperability is there for commonly used file types.

"i was expecting pricing in the $199 to $249 range -- in the same ballpark as other linux desktop computers have sold for. this is still a step forward, but to my mind a stumbling step."

Part of the problem here is that companies such as Walmart introduced Linux boxes as an attempt to produce the cheapest computer possible. You can't build a decent box for $249. Just because the OS is open source doesn't mean it should go on garbage hardware. IMHO If you're looking for a cheap box you're much better off buying old mid - high end hardware ( I just picked up a Dimention 8300 on Ebay for ~$200) than new low end hardware.

Lyle wrote: "According to one post I saw this morning, several of the Linux units with FREE Linux are actually priced higher than a Windows system? What's up with that?"

The reports were very misleading; ALL the Ubuntu systems on Dell's website are cheaper than the Windows systems with the *same hardware*. The confusion came from the fact that there are some Windows machines on dell.com with lower-spec hardware that are thus cheaper.

The minimum savings for the same hardware is $50. The best savings is $140; if you get the Ubuntu-based E520N without a monitor its $409, compared to $549 for the Windows-based E520 without a monitor (you have to select the "no monitor" option in both cases to see these prices).

That an Ubuntu computer can be 25% less than a Windows one for the same hardware should send a cold shiver up the spines of quite a few people in Redmond ;)

Drake - if you're talking about this HP-Mandrake deal, that was only for small businesses, not individual consumers.

- RP

R.I.P Windows, you were dead for sometime.

LONG LIVE LINUX!....in any flavor.

Microsoft has a bad attitude.
Linux doesn't go wireless.
Solution: Go Mac. You get attitude. You get wireless.

You have short memories, guys. I bought a Dell desktop machine in 2001 for my son when he graduated from college that was preloaded with Red Hat Linux. Dell subsequently discontinued the Linux option, but this is clearly not Dell's first foray outside of the Wintel fold.....

I just placed an order for the laptop. I'm using Kubuntu linux on my desktop PC. Thanks Dell!

I'm glad to see that people are really excited about this. Dell is doing this not to make money from Linux directly, but to get a larger fanbase. Because, as a Linux user, I'm now more likely to suggest certain Dell computers because they support Linux. I probably won't buy from Dell since System76 won my heart a year ago, but if someone asks me what type of computer they should consider, I'll say Dell.

Linux is not perfect, but it is getting very, very good. Dell is definitely ahead of the curve. In about 2 years, Dell will be glad that they offered Linux first.

BTW, Dell did not install codecs by default for legal reasons. They do not want to get involved in patent lawsuits. So instead users can do this. It is very easy. Try to open up your unsupported format and a message pops up that says "You don't have the codec, do you want it?" Say yes and it automagically is installed.

For my previous computer I installed Linux on an HP Laptop with all the goodies, using Ubuntu Linux. I settled on that laptop after going from shop to shop with my live CD version of Ubuntu, running it on every make and model in the shop until I found one where everything (wireless, media buttons, wide-screen video) all worked automagically. Then I bought that one. It would be nice to not have to go through that.

My current computer is a Mac. I run Ubuntu on it with VM Ware "Fusion". I decided to do this since it was the only way to avoid buying Windows at all (even if I was going to delete it). Again, Dell potentially solves this dilemma.

This move from Dell seems like a very good thing.

Great move Dell!!
On my computers at home and at work, I run XP, Ubuntu, and Mac OS X. Ubuntu and Mac OS X are tied for 1st place. XP is a distant 3rd. I will never buy Vista. My next machine will be either a Dell with Ubuntu or a Mac. Dell still has me as a potential customer. If they had not offered Ubuntu, I would never have bought another Dell computer.
For the doubters about Ubuntu, all I can say is try it - you'll like it. It is not difficult or scary.

I was really intrigued and pleased to see Dell's decision to sell computers with Ubuntu as the primary OS. I've used all the versions of Ubuntu from Breezy to Feisty (7.04) and it has just gotten better and better. The issue of installing codecs for multimedia playback is real...however, Ubuntu guides you/prompts you in the most recent version and helps you set up your player of choice. In any case, users should start with VLC and work from there. I am running Ubuntu 7.04 in a dual boot setup on my Macbook Pro, and my wireless did "just work." This is a big welcome change from previous versions. I am able to mount and access my HFS+ (OS X) partition and thereby use my video, music and document files at will. Try that on a windows setup without paying for MacDrive.... Also, the variety of applications already installed will please almost any beginner, and as they pick up some of the skills needed to administer the OS, they can tailor to their hearts desire.

Appearance using Beryl or other 3D rendering schemes DOES challenge the Aero experience, without the CPU and memory costs.

The user support is excellent, and with a search or a well-worded question, almost any problem can be solved.

With Dell making sure that their boxes or laptops are already compatible with Ubuntu, the out of the box performance should please almost any user.

Bravo, Dell!

I have just been trying to get some technical info/help from microsoft - They wanted to charge me!
Any OS, such as Linux, that removes the Microsoft stranglehold is welcome. I am encouraged by some of the above comments, so will buy a Dell with Ubuntu.