Dell is seriously contemplating desktops with pre-installed flavors of Linux as an option to Microsoft Windows. Dell is getting out on a limb with one of those hair-brained ideas that every genius CEO implements at least once in a career to salvage sagging stock. If Michael Dell doesn’t screw it up, offering Linux on desktops could land him in the Corporate Computer Geek Marketing Genius Hall Of Fame somewhere close to the Steve Jobs iPod Wing.
Why Would Dell Offer Linux?
If you are asked “Why would Dell offer Linux?” the next time you are interviewed on CNN, MSNBC or anywhere else for that matter, here are a few canned responses that will work in any interview:
- “Linux works.”
- “Linux is free.”
- “People want Linux.”
These three conceptual truths about Linux are seemingly mind-boggling to computer manufacturers who have, for the most part, snubbed their collective noses at Linux as a viable operating system for consumers. Note to all marketing gurus out there: if you can find a way to make money off of something that works, something that’s free and something someone wants, you’ll go a long way in whatever business you find yourself.
That’s the idea behind Dell 2.0, which is in a word “Linux”. Forget all the media politesse of the normal press release stuff like ‘We’re putting customers first now and … the consumer has more options and … blabbity blobbity blu …” its all just Linux.
Don’t believe me? The most popular idea on the Dell Idea Storm website is to offer Linux. That site is filled with people who want Ubuntu, Fedora and openSUSE pre-installed and they’re willing to pay for it. If users can’t get Linux installed, most of them would just rather have a blank hard disk so they can do the dirty work themselves.
Who Will Choose Linux When Buying A Dell?
The backbone of Microsoft has been business integration. The idea is simple, if people have Microsoft Windows at work, they’ll get comfortable with it and nothing made for Microsoft will work on anything else anyway, so that poor working stiff will have to have Microsoft Windows on their home desktop, too.
The truth of the matter is a little different. Linux is already engrained in the business world. Most people just don’t realize it.
Linux servers drive businesses and the internet smoothly, so smoothly most employees running Windows applications on their desktops don’t even know the backend of their network is probably running Linux.
Linux really rules the business world. IT professionals know it. Working stiffs don’t.
The jump for Linux from back room server racks to the business desktop is not as difficult as the Redmond giant would have you believe. I have converted 80% of my office from Windows machines to Linux/Unix machines in the span of four months. Guess what? It works, its free and people want it.
What Does Dell’s Switch To Linux Mean To Microsoft
Dell switching to Linux would be like the first crack in a very, very large damn. Sorry I couldn’t come up with something more eloquent than that, errr, wait a minute how about this … Dell switching to Linux would be like the first clump of sh** hitting a very, very fast moving fan. Every computer that Dell sells with Linux will just make it seem like that stinky fan is spinning faster.
The mass of computer users do not need Microsoft Windows. Its just that simple. What do you do with your computer? Send email? Browse the web? Store and edit pictures? Store and listen to music?
Do not answer “Play games.” You do not play games on your desktop unless you are a loser. You probably play them on your Xbox which might as well have Linux in it anyway.
Every computer Dell sells with Linux will work better than, be safer than and be cheaper than the same machine sold with Microsoft Windows.
Don’t think so? Try running Vista on the low end Dell desktop with 512MB RAM. After you turn it on and look at the screen for 15 minutes waiting for something to happen, download and install Ubuntu and tell me it doesn’t work better on the same machine and make you happier.
Of course you’ll have to use somebody else’s computer to download Ubuntu in the first place because your 512MB RAM “Windows Vista Capable” Dell was sold to you effectively bricked out from the get go.
BuzzDroid.com » Is Dell Censoring Linux Lovers? wrote,
[…] seems to balking at the prospect of offering linux after baiting linux lovers to offer solutions as to how Michael Dell should save his sinking ship. […]
Quote | Link | March 1st, 2007 at 11:21 am