Back in February, Dell started the IdeaStorm website with an intention of taking customer suggestions and ideas. The most popular idea which stayed on top of the website was that Dell ship PCs preinstalled with open source Linux operating system.
It’s not official yet, but according to DesktopLinux several sources within the company have confirmed that Dell will preinstall Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn (the same OS used by Michael Dell at home). Dell will ship Ubuntu on e-series “Essential†Dimension desktop, an XPS desktop and an e-series Inspiron laptop. These systems are expected to be released in late May 2007
Why Ubuntu? you may ask. On 13th March over 10000 people to the Linux Survey by Dell. Results indicated that over 70% of survey respondents said they would use a Dell system with a Linux operating system and majority of them preferred Ubuntu. Dell and Canonical are said to be in talks. If this deal gets through, Dell will be the first PC maker to ship machines preinstalled with Linux.

wrote, on May 1st, 2007
Ubuntu is a powerful OS and is free too ..as Vista is resource hungry the move is inevitable..
wrote, on May 1st, 2007
My take on that is that this seem to be a trick that Dell are doing in order to enhance their pressure on one of their main suppliers - Microsoft. It’s evident they want to introduce a new certified OS, this in order to enjoy a better pricing agreement with MS.
wrote, on May 1st, 2007
[...] found this article talking about Dell putting Ubuntu on new PCs. I think that would be sweet. I’d like to see them offer FreeBSD as a server option, but am [...]
wrote, on May 1st, 2007
According to me Ubuntu is the best than any other OS.
wrote, on May 1st, 2007
When I contacted Dell to ask whether they had any computers with Linux installed, they refused to tell me - insisted that I needed to talk to a sales person. The fact is, I needed a simple yes/no answer to a direct, simple question - is Linux available, preinstalled, on any of their computers?
This evasiveness certainly put me off. I cannot understand why they would refuse a direct question.
wrote, on May 2nd, 2007
“If this deal gets through, Dell will be the first PC maker to ship machines preinstalled with Linux.”
Err, no. There’s been plenty of small-scale PC makers who’ve shipped with some flavour of Linux preinstalled. I saw those as early as 1997.
If/when Dell starts shipping Linux as a preinstalled alternative, then they will be the first MAJOR PC manufacturer to do so.
wrote, on May 2nd, 2007
[...] Via Tech-buzz [...]
wrote, on May 3rd, 2007
Ah! This has to come after I buy my DELL? I would have preferred Ubuntu over Windows Vista any given day.