Dell selling Ubuntu Linux systems on Thursday?

It looks like Thursday will be the coming out party for Dell's new-found love interest with Linux. Linux advocate Jeremy Garcia says we're now just hours away from the ability to order an Ubuntu pre-load on a new Dell E520 Dimension desktop, Inspiron 1505 consumer laptop, or XPS 410 media rig -- just like Michael Dell. While Dell has not yet confirmed the date or the eligible models, they did say on Monday that customers can expect their pre-load to include all the default software (including kernel and apps) from Ubuntu's 7.04 "Feisty Fawn" media. Dell also noted that they'll only be offering peripherals which have mature, open-source (or closed-source if necessary) driver support which Dell is testing in-house. Better yet, Dell says that they'll be working with other vendors to create stable drivers for currently unsupported hardware; that's good news for Linux users everywhere. While Dell's move won't likely cause any grief to Microsoft's bloated bottom line, it certainly gives Linux some cred with mainstream consumers who don't know the difference between Beryl and that thing you shoot fish in.

Read -- Thursday rumor
Read -- Dell tells us what to expect

[jono @ May 22nd 2007 5:48AM]

Although i've hated Dell in the past for their shockingly overpriced tat, i wish them the best of luck with selling Ubuntu'd Dells.

Although i use Ubuntu Feisty Fawn for my Desktop and Thinkpad 570e i just fail to see this being a success, despite me wishing it to be.

[3rdsun @ May 22nd 2007 6:25AM]

I hope they preload Beryl and some kickass apps. Ubuntu is a good choice even for newbies.

[elan @ May 22nd 2007 7:20AM]

Thursday?

Next Tuesday would be better.

[sep @ May 22nd 2007 7:46AM]

Small step for Dell, big step for Linux ;)))

[Tommy @ May 22nd 2007 8:55AM]

that would improve the value of those crap boxes.

[ksmith @ May 22nd 2007 9:03AM]

$10 says that they'll still find some way to load it up with bloatware.

[Paul @ May 22nd 2007 9:20AM]

Yeah, I will agree that Dell desktops are a tad pricey if you know how to build your own, but I also want to comment that Dell laptops are always on sale somewhere.

My laptop that I bought a few years ago was $1900 then I got a $750 off coupon dropping the price to a much more reasonable $1200. However, I have sadly not seen that coupon in a while.

In any case, I am really starting to like Ubuntu after their last release and have it installed on my desktop and laptop. I love the desktop effects and the ease of installing graphics drivers now.

[JC @ May 22nd 2007 9:46AM]

So let me get this straight, you're using a Thinkpad, and still complain about Dell's high prices? Hmm...

[Brian Sexton @ May 22nd 2007 10:06AM]

This could be great for would-be users of GNU/Linux notebooks.

[Adrian Williams @ May 22nd 2007 10:15AM]

Nice to hear this but Linux users tend to build and upgrade their own boxes you can see Dell right now voiding countless warranties cause the user wanted to add something else to their box on their own

[James Laver @ May 22nd 2007 11:59AM]

Why ubuntu? Why is everyone mad about ubuntu?

The reason dell have gone for ubuntu is mindshare. It's become reasonably well-known and this at least gives it half a chance of success among people who know nothing about linux.

I personally think there should be a choice, with a sensible default (which would be foresight, not ubuntu).

[JC @ May 22nd 2007 1:00PM]

Ubuntu is a good choice not only because it's a well known distribution, but also because of its user-friendliness. Canonical has gone out of its way to make networking, updating, and installing the system as easy as possible. I've used OpenSuSE, Mandriva, and a few other distributions, and a lot of these assume that you have some prior experience with Linux, which for the majority of users just getting their feet wet, is not an option.

Also, they can't possibly support too many flavors of Linux, especially with the learning curve that some distros require. They chose a good, middle of the road distribution that has good features for both home and power users. I say they made the right choice.

[James Laver @ May 23rd 2007 6:12AM]

Well I happen to disagree.

Foresight is everything ubuntu _should_ be, it assumes zero prior familiarity with linux and there is zero hassle moving between releases (ever tried apt-get dist-upgrade? Don't bother, trust me on that, you will bork your system).

And of course foresight happens to have ready for easy installation all of the power tools that I am accustomed to, and any that anyone want are packaged instantly by the friendly crew. You don't get that from ubuntu, not only because the people aren't like that but because it's unreasonable to expect someone to package a deb for you on the spot, conary recipes are a whole other ball game because it will take you just 2 minutes.

[KC @ May 22nd 2007 12:44PM]

I've had Feisty Fawn installed on this Dell Latitude D810 for the past 2 weeks, and I must say that has been a really nice experience so far.

I would think that with Dell's support for ubuntu now, things like wireless profiles and wireless support would be better.

There are lots of doubters here on Engadget.

[elan @ May 22nd 2007 1:04PM]

Welcome, welcome to Ubuntu, you have chosen or been chosen to relocate to one of our finest remaining open source projects. I thought so much of Ubuntu that I elected to establish my administration here, in the Inspiron notebook so thoughtfully provided by our benefactors. I have been proud to call Ubuntu my operating system. So whether you are here to stay, or passing through on your way to operating environments unknown, welcome to Ubuntu. It's safer here.

-Michael Dell

[johnzilla @ May 22nd 2007 2:54PM]

Did they fix WPA support in Ubuntu? Last time I tried it (and Kubuntu) WPA support was missing.

Without WPA support, I can't see installing Ubuntu or any other distro on a laptop. Are people really still using WEP?

[jono @ May 22nd 2007 4:51PM]

depends on the card. My ralink rt2561 wasn't automatically supported for WPA so i had to compile my own drivers. Other cards don't need this, i believe.

And to the guy earlier asking why i complain about Dell's when i use an ancient Thinkpad. I was referring to their Desktop prices. That's why i built my own, not that it's hard or anything, just cheaper

[tony @ May 22nd 2007 7:23PM]

heheh. How Ironic. I install ubuntu on my Dell lappy just to find out 30 mins later that I could have ordered it with Ubuntu on it already if I had waited. And as far as I know, prettymuch everything works on dells with Feisty Fawn except for some of the ATI cards, but that's an easy fix.

[ashmist @ May 23rd 2007 12:59AM]

This is brilliant, If this catches on hopefully it will make ATI finally release some decent drivers for linux.

[Rick @ May 23rd 2007 4:02AM]

ugly gray boxes with ugly brown themes loaded - just ugly.

but seriously good luck, it may lead to further alternatives being made available.

[Randavance @ May 23rd 2007 9:24PM]

The open source community will probably make a point of going got Dell from now on for there laptops, but the release wont be all too spectacular. It's going to be the same hardware with an OS on it that anyone can download and install themselves in 30 minutes for free. Don't expect any big first day sales.

[mike @ May 24th 2007 8:26AM]

They should have used SuSe instead of Ubuntu