Dell has launched two PCs in Europe with Ubuntu 7.04 Linux factory installed. The Inspiron 6400n and the Inspiron 530n are now in the UK, Germany and France, as Dell’s initial response to calls from Linux enthusiasts for the open source operating system to be pre-installed.
The UK market is a tough place, good luck Dell *thumbsup* (compared to France & Germany which both have higher Linux & Firefox rates)
Uggh. I agree. I’ve never been surrounded by so many Windows boxes since I got here to the UK. My whole uni is on Windows servers.
Here’s hoping for a pleasant suprise.
It will be interesting to soo if the apply any restrictions on customers/orders from countries with the same native language as these.
For example if they will have the option for people from Belgium or the French part of Switzerland to order from France or for people from Austria and the German part of Switzerland from Germany.
I doubt it–that would seem to violate the spirit of the EU. Each additional directly-supported country no doubt adds noticeable overhead. Dell probably initially picked the three countries that would cover the largest part of Europe.
True, but as an Austrian I know that there are companies in Germany which will not ship to Austria.
They might be bound by EU free trade law to sell to you, but they can deny shipping to you.
I heard about a company in Germany close to the Austrian border that even offers “official shipping addresses” for Austrian customers for this very reason.
So, as I said, it will be interesting to see if Dell will require such workarounds or if the will sell to same-language customers as well
I still can’t buy this stuff in Canada! Vista is the only option for the Inspiron laptops at Dell.ca.
It’s possible to eventually reach the “Open-Source PCs” on the international (USA) site, but the UK site is predictably Vista all over. Cue the usual “nobody bought them” moaning from Dell, inevitably caused by the usual “beware of the leopard” placement strategy, influenced as usual by the vendor’s “strategic partnership” with Microsoft. That, and the “ooh Microsoft, Apple, big company!” attitude pervasive in the UK amongst the punters.
but the UK site is predictably Vista all over. Cue the usual “nobody bought them” moaning from Dell
Very pessimistic.
The Ubuntu announcement states they will be available as of the 8th August…. (tomorrow).
http://www.ubuntu.com/news/dell-available-in-europe
I need a new laptop (and maybe a new Desktop in October). I life in Germany and I love Ubuntu. Thx Dell for this great move!
It would be interesting to see how or if they promote the option.