There has been a flood of requests on Dell's recently launched online suggestion box, IdeaStorm, for Dell PCs to be available with pre-loaded Linux operating systems and open-source desktop productivity applications. The Round Rock, Texas-based PC maker has not made promises, saying it would work to "certify" its PCs for some versions of Linux and would consider taking further action.
The OpenOffice Project has sent a letter to Michael Dell, showering praise on Dell’s chairman and CEO and asking him to consider pre-loading OpenOffice onto PCs. John McCreesh, marketing project lead for OpenOffice.org, also asked Dell to consider making a financial contribution to the software's development. “Let's have a conversation about how we could build an "OpenOffice.org supplied by Dell" product to give your customers what they are asking for. We'd also be happy to accept any financial contribution that Dell might offer to help ensure that OpenOffice.org continues to evolve in the future.”
Needless to say, this could be a major decision for the free OpenOffice software suite and its growing user base. If Dell gives the go-ahead, competitors will most likely have to respond, which can effectively result in a major positive growth in the adoption of open-source software.
Link: Forum Discussion (Thanks Markjensen)
News source: CRN Blogs
The OpenOffice Project has sent a letter to Michael Dell, showering praise on Dell’s chairman and CEO and asking him to consider pre-loading OpenOffice onto PCs. John McCreesh, marketing project lead for OpenOffice.org, also asked Dell to consider making a financial contribution to the software's development. “Let's have a conversation about how we could build an "OpenOffice.org supplied by Dell" product to give your customers what they are asking for. We'd also be happy to accept any financial contribution that Dell might offer to help ensure that OpenOffice.org continues to evolve in the future.”
Needless to say, this could be a major decision for the free OpenOffice software suite and its growing user base. If Dell gives the go-ahead, competitors will most likely have to respond, which can effectively result in a major positive growth in the adoption of open-source software.
Link: Forum Discussion (Thanks Markjensen) News source: CRN Blogs
I am sure that that last bit about money will surprise Michael Dell. I am sure that he would expect the transfer of funds to go the other direction.
Pre-installing crapware, trialware and other crud like that is where Dell makes a little bit of extra money from the suppliers of that software, I believe.
You're not cool! Go you!
Manhours is more expensive than the couple of hundred dollars you save on a product.
Oh wait! That makes too much sense.
*nix is not crap. I personally don't want to use it but there are those that do. Whether you like *nix or not, any competition against MS on the desktop is a good thing.
I'm all for Dell offering Linux as a pre-install option, but I am also against OpenOffice as a pre-install, under any OS. It's just too damn slow, and I've had nothing but problems with print formatting. (Lay it out like that on the screen? Now it spans 12 pages when you print it for no reason!
Oh wait! That makes too much sense.
How do you think Dell can sell PC's as cheap as they do? I would think Dell gets a kickback from the companies for each machine that the third party software is installed to.
If you buy the Optiplex line the only real third party apps installed is the Google toolbar and Google Desktop.
"There has been a flood of requests...for Dell PCs to be available with pre-loaded Linux operating systems...."
What part of "Linux" don't you understand, Mark?
"There has been a flood of requests...for Dell PCs to be available with pre-loaded Linux operating systems...."
What part of "Linux" don't you understand, Mark?
The word "Linux" was mentioned, but the article has nothing to do with Linux. OpenOffice.org is not Linux. Clear enough for you?
"There has been a flood of requests...for Dell PCs to be available with pre-loaded Linux operating systems...."
What part of "Linux" don't you understand, Mark?
The word "Linux" was mentioned, but the article has nothing to do with Linux. OpenOffice.org is not Linux. Clear enough for you?
Oh, it's clear alright. It's clear that you only see what you want to see.
Think for a moment. Would Microsoft ever allow Dell to sell Windows with OpenOffice and not MS Office? (the answer you are looking for is "Hell No." ) So, how is Dell gonna ship OpenOffice? Aside from shipping Linux in place of Windows I don't see how it's gonna work.
Here's how it works. OO.o asks Michael Dell very nicely to do it,
Michael Dell considers it for a moment,
then (with extreme hestiation) puts OO.o on Windows installs ALONG WITH MS Office.
Then the end-user un-installs it along with all the crapware, and pays for a full version of MS Office.
The alternative option (and much more likely) is this:
OO.o asks Michael Dell very nicely to do it,
Michael Dell considers it for a moment, then doesn't do it.
Dell gets paid by symantec, mcafee, aol, google, turbo tax etc to preload their crap on the system making the OS essentially free for users and the manufacturer.
Dell gets paid by symantec, mcafee, aol, google, turbo tax etc to preload their crap on the system making the OS essentially free for users and the manufacturer.
It's been noted in the past and present (law suits and all that) that OEMs get a really good deal on MS software if they sell only MS software. By offering another OS they are "breaking" the deals that were made with MS.
LOL
But, please refrain from the crappy MS Paint arrows, though, next time mmmkaay?
We're smart enough to make the connection ourselves.
But, please refrain from the crappy MS Paint arrows, though, next time mmmkaay?
We're smart enough to make the connection ourselves.
Its not mine buddy, found this on flickr. so tell there
Having OO pre-installed will certainly be a lot more useful than having an Office trial pre-installed.
Now that they already stepped into free-software-land, they can't go back again without getting massive protests from the users.
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