back to article Dell cuddles Canonical for big Ubuntu fluffer love

Dell is working with Canonical to help customers float Ubuntu-powered open-source clouds while also cozying up to developers. The hardware maker, better known for flogging PCs and servers running Linux's chief OS rival Windows, is working with Canonical on plans to take the sweat out of setting up Ubuntu clouds on its data- …

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  1. Balefire
    Thumb Down

    Dell sell Linux PCs?!!

    From their website you wouldn't guess it. Try finding anything with Ubuntu as an option and when you finally do, then see the big "Dell recommends Windows 7" adverts plastered all over the page.

    Bastards. They claim to be linux supporters, but their "support" is mainly talk and fluff pieces of PR. About time they offered Ubuntu as a real alternative to Windows, available on all if not most of their hardware.

    Before anyone mentions compatibility, I refurbish Dell PCs for a living and 99.9% of the time their PCs work with Ubuntu without any issues once I've fixed them. Hell, installing Ubuntu takes anything up to 50% less time than Vista/7 on the same hardware. Even more (less?) if you include the time for installing updates. And then the Windows updates to the updates, and their updates.

    1. Smokey Joe
      Linux

      Dell sell Linux PCs?!!

      Yes. Yes they do. Stop it!!!

    2. Ben Tasker

      Installing

      Whilst installing may take half the time, it's largely irrelevant in this case.

      Dell don't exactly sit and install Windows/Linux on each system do they? No they use a master image. So assuming the same hardware in each (I.e. HDD Size), imaging time is probably more or less equal.

      I've never had a problem with any flavour of Linux going on Dell hardware either. Had a few problems with Dell Hardware, but not the OS.

      You would think they could offer it across the range, but they prefer not to for some reason. Worse than that, on Netbooks they were using lower spec hardware than the Windows Counterpart IIRC.

      Has anyone here played with Eucalyptus? I haven't had the time, but need to look for a similar solution some time in the not too distant future. Is it worth my time?

    3. The BigYin

      No, Dell do not sell Linux PCs

      They never have really. A year or so ago there was some PR crap about a "Linux Netbook" they'd sell, but it was such a turd it wouldn't even suffice as a doorstop.

      If you go to their site and run a search, it will bring back quite a few systems that list Ubuntu as an option, but when you select them you are forced to take Windows. Perhaps their "support" only extends as far as fitting Linux friendly hardware?

      So Dell seem happy enough to sell Ubuntu systems, so long as you pay the Microsoft Tax first. This story isn't about PCs anyway, it's about servers. Microsoft wouldn't allow Dell to sell any Linux system to the great unwashed in any meaningful way, otherwise people would be able to discover what an overpriced pile of shit Windows is.

      High time the EU regulators stepped in and forced all PC OEMs to give "no OS" as an option on their products.

      (Running Lucid on an ancient OptiPlex GX270 - it's faster than my other Win7 64bit system)

  2. Robert E A Harvey
    Linux

    Dell's dirty secret

    They do seem to be ashamed of offering Ubuntu, don't they?

    I'm typing this on a dell netbook bought with ubuntu which has been rock solid and really pleasing. The purchasing was marred by their simply dreadful customer service, of course. But finding this machine on the web site, even when advertised in a flyer, was an exercise in cryptography, and they only offered it in the -we-will-let-you-put-XP-on-it-if-you-hobble-the-ram- spec forced on them by M$

    Since my experience at work has led me to decide that Bill is the antichrist and that I will never again give M$ one brass farthing, it was good to be able to buy from Dell. But next time it might have to be Novatech, because Dell made it quite clear that they were far too big & clever to actually need a customer.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    Which Kind Of Sickness ?

    "Igoe noted it has been difficult for Dell to gain credibility in software. "

    Corporate-Drone-Speaking-Truth-Syndrome ? I am sure it will go away by itself. No medication required.

  4. Callum
    FAIL

    Dell will drop it after the PR has died down

    I'm typing this on my trusty Dell XPS M1330n (that came with Ubuntu). Now that the machine is 2 years old; I cannot find any replacement Dell laptops that don't come with "Dell recommends Windows..." Check out http://www.dell.co.uk/ubuntu and then click through to their "Linux laptops and Pc's" - all of them only have Windows 7 or XP for operating system choice including the Mini 10.

    1. Schroeder Washere

      what classic bit of fail

      It is shockingly bad - I got a list of 36 machines, all with windows, the random few I clicked 'customise' on didn't offer a change of the base OS install and the filter pane on the right hand side hand included 5 OS choices - all windows - from XP through to 7...

      Still I'm sure some Microsoft shill will post in a few minutes to tell us it's because there's no demand, and not due to Microsoft continuing it's abusive monopolistic practices...

    2. paulf
      FAIL

      Dell BS shock

      Agreed. Just tried also - and got a very long list of laptops that only have Windows 7 and the OS config just lists one option: Windows 7 included in the price.

      So the dell corporate droid is talking total BS - shocker

      In other news - Dog bites Man....

  5. billse10
    FAIL

    Dell Ubuntu

    as pointed out already, the dell.co.uk/ubuntu page leads you to laptops that are either Vista or 7; but the Windows or Ubuntu page is even more stupid. Choose Windows if you are new to computers; choose Ubuntu if you are interested in programming????

    Choose Dell if you are interested in being misled.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    RTFA

    The article discusses server - cloud pimping by Dell and Canonical.

    The desktop is not the issue here. Nor is the laptop.

    No one can turn a profit off the 1% and holding Linux desktop. It can't even be pimped although some still try.

    Note: if you are interested in programming, learn Gujarati. Or the appropriate Chinese dialect. If you can program, and also have at least an IQ of 125, the PRC is interested in talking with you. If hired, you will be quartered in the Foxconn employee dormitories and receive similar benefits.

    Myth: Dell and Canonical give a crap about what you think.

    Paris: Because she knows all this intuitively.

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