Friday, 25 May 2007

Dell Launches Three Ubuntu Linux PCs

Dell has rolled out two desktops and an Inspiron E1505n notebook PC. Intel’s Core 2 Duo microprocessors are used in all three PCs. The two desktops contain 1G byte of RAM and 250G bytes of hard disk space, while the laptop includes 512M bytes of RAM and an 80G byte hard disk drive.

Dell had decided to provide its customers the option to purchase PCs with the Linux OS last month, instead of the default Windows, after users started voting for that idea on a Dell IdeaStorm and StudioDell last month. The company, then backtracked on the idea soon after. Now Dell is once again planning on pre-installing Linux on desktops and laptops.

“We are at our best when we are hearing directly from our customers,” the company said. “We listen, learn and then improve and innovate based on what our customers want. It’s one of the real advantages of being a direct company.”

"We will expand our Linux support beyond our existing servers and Precision workstation line," the company said on its IdeaStorm blog. "Our first step in this effort is offering Linux pre-installed on select desktop and notebook systems."

Dell said it would provide an update in the coming weeks that includes detailed information on which systems it will offer.

Over at IdeaStorm blog Dell has published the statistics of a Linux survey that was conducted. According to Dell, more than 70 per cent of survey respondents said they would use a Dell system with a Linux OS for both home and office use.