Re: [MLUG] Dell To Offer Ubuntu

["Diana Hargus" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

It would appear that it already has, kind of interesting read on the 
Dell/Ubuntu alliance.  From an earlier email from the folks at Linspire:

Dell should offer Ubuntu, Fedora and OpenSUSE

by Kevin Carmony

May 1st, 2007



There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Dell offering Linux 
computers pre-installed with Linux. I have been a long-time defender of Dell 
in the past, anytime Linux enthusiasts would attack them for not offering 
Linux PCs. I have defended them because Linux wasn't ready. The technology 
wasn't quite there yet, and the demand certainly wasn't there yet. The last 
thing I wanted was Dell offering a Linux PC, only to have very little sales 
and a lot of hardware and customer support problems.

Recently, my recommendation to Dell is that they should now considering 
offering Linux PCs, BUT with an understanding of what to expect. I recommend 
that Dell does NOT use Linspire or Freespire for their first Linux PCs. That 
may surprise many of you reading this. Why would the CEO of Linspire 
recommend Dell go with other Linux distributions instead of Linspire and 
Freespire? Let me explain why Linspire is NOT the right choice for Dell at 
this time.



We have explained to Dell that we see Linux in two different markets. The 
first we call the "Linux Enthusiasts Market." This is where Linux is today. 
The second is the "Linux Mainstream Market." This market is likely one to 
three years away. Because Dell is going to put their toe into the desktop 
Linux PC waters now, they should offer a product that is geared towards 
where that market is today...the Linux Enthusiasts. For that market, there 
are three clear leaders: Ubuntu, Fedora, and openSUSE, and these are the 
Linux distros I recommend to Dell today. It wouldn't make any sense today 
for Dell to offer Linspire, a product that is geared more towards the NEXT 
Linux market, a more mainstream market.

It is no coincidence that Linspire announced CNR support for these three 
distributions. Even though the desktop Linux market is still extremely 
small, we want to have our number one product, our CNR service, available to 
and being used by that market.

The Linspire operating system has always, from the very beginning, been 
designed not for the Linux enthusiasts market, but with a more long-term 
view of things, towards the mainstream market. We have cautioned Dell to 
only expect to sell between 50,000 to 100,000 PCs to the current Linux 
market. In Dell standards, this hardly moves the needle. We have told them 
they can expect a bump in sales from the enthusiast market, but that it will 
quickly drop, as demand from that small market is satisfied. For Dell to get 
to a market where they can see continued growth, they will need to get to 
the mainstream market. That market will need a very different kind of Linux.



This second market for Linux, will require a very different product from 
Ubuntu, Fedora and openSUSE. One that is 1) far easier to use (by the Linux 
enthusiasts market standards, Ubuntu, Fedora and openSUSE ARE easy to use, 
but by the mainstream market standards, these distributions are not nearly 
polished or easy enough.), 2) that can handle DRM, Multimedia files, DVD, 
Java, Flash, Windows Media, Quicktime, 3D graphic drivers, etc., and 
respects and interoperates with existing IP, 3) that has a revenue model for 
Dell beyond moving a few PCs, and 4) that has a long-standing OEM program 
for certification, support and revenue creation.

If Dell does the smart thing, and offers a tri-boot system with these three 
distributions, it will be a brilliant move on their part. They will be 
offering a quality product to TODAY's Linux market, and they will have 
started the early stages of their desktop Linux program, satisfying the 
current market, BUT with expectations and plans of preparing for the larger 
mainstream market.

-Kevin


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "shawn parker" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>
To: "MLUG Members" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 1:28 PM
Subject: Re: [MLUG] Dell To Offer Ubuntu


> when do the distro flame wars start? :)
>
> On 5/1/07, Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED> wrote:
> > On Tue, 1 May 2007, Davis, Jared Scott wrote:
> >
> > > http://www.ubuntu.com/news/dell-to-offer-ubuntu
> >
> >
> > w00t!!
> >
> > M
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > members mailing list
> > EMAIL:PROTECTED
> > http://mlug.missouri.edu/mailman/listinfo/members
>
> _______________________________________________
> members mailing list
> EMAIL:PROTECTED
> http://mlug.missouri.edu/mailman/listinfo/members 


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