[7of7 @ Mar 29th 2007 1:35AM]

Great...now those of us who are legit Dell customers but are too polite to complain will have our money wasted on the vocal minority of Linux users who apparently can't just install their own OS. Now not only will their computers cost more because of the costs of supporting and loading Linux, ours will too. Remember how everyone made fun of the FCC when they went crazy after 20 nutjobs from Focus on the Family called them after the Super Bowl? Dell is doing the same thing. A vocal minority of people is completely ruining the system for the rest of the people. I love my Dell, but I'm afraid it will be my last.

[Travis @ Mar 29th 2007 1:45AM]

That is absolutely absurd. They might not even officially support it in terms of phone service, etc. Frankly you've not even used a Linux machine in the year because they've become increasingly easy to use! Ubuntu is ALMOST to the point of point and click use. Also, your beloved Microsoft machines is more expensive than a Linux machine. As for "screwing up the system": I'll gladly do my part to remove the monopoly that is in place.

Also, this will win Dell customers, because it isn't alienating their current customers, just widening the range of their audience. The fact is I would have never previously considered a Dell, as they are overpriced for their proprietary hardware, but with the recent addition of a Linux variant of Dell machines that are available I will gladly buy a Dell.

[Steve @ Mar 29th 2007 6:24AM]

I think the benefit of Dell supporting Linux isn't just that it saves a little time vs. installing it yourself; the bigger benefit would hopefully be that Dell would use hardware that's well supported by Linux, so Linux users don't lose any functionality.

[mortong @ Mar 29th 2007 9:08PM]

D*mn you kids, get off my grass!

[n8_glenn @ Mar 29th 2007 5:51PM]

So you're saying that "the vocal minority" should just shut up and pay for an operating system they don't want, and then deal with the headaches of installing drivers because dell doesn't support linux, because you're scared that dell having to retrain their support staff or do extra driver work will somehow filter down to you paying more money for a computer that isn't even running linux? And you're basing this theory on what exactly?

[robmx @ Mar 30th 2007 10:15AM]

And it will be my first of many and I will talk to my friends. Wonderful news.

It may come to pass that the few will be many.

[ruzkin @ Mar 30th 2007 7:34AM]

Wait, wait what? Extra costs of installing and supporting Linux?

It's free, chump. And it installs in much the same manner to Windows. Hell, you don't even need to install, you can run Ubuntu from a cd with a fully functioning GUI. Programs download and install themselves upon request with Synaptic...

Methinks someone is talking out their arse.

[the7erm @ Mar 31st 2007 5:47AM]

You don't get it.

M$ Windows has been pre-installed on every computer I've ever owned.

This means that even if I don't use the OS M$ is profiting from me.

M$ has done more questionable things than I care to go into.

I will not buy anything M$ not when their vista does things like this http://aaxnet.com/editor/edit043.html, and their old os does things like this:http://www.fuckmicrosoft.com/content/ms-hidden-files.shtml

I've also heard the Windows Media Player logs what you listen to and sends it off to some unknown destination.

I can't seem to find a linux laptop anywhere. I want to be assured that M$ didn't make .001 cents off me.

There is no other area in life that a company has 90% of the market. At the very least 90% of the home market. Name one other industry that does that?

I don't care if Dell pockets the difference, and the computer costs the same, just as long as M$ doesn't get any of my money. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see a discount of ... $100 or so, but more than likely it'll be $30

I plan on building my next desktop, but I'd like to own a laptop with wifi. If dell offers linux laptops I'll buy it from there.

I don't really care about phone support just the promise that the hardware has been tested, and it runs in linux.