Dell Chooses Ubuntu

**chicane** · 1 May 2007, 14:40

I look forward to hearing about the onslaught of inbound calls to their Indian call centre from people who can't work out how to install Microsoft Word.

**chubba** · 1 May 2007, 22:15

Why would they do that? OpenOffice will probably already be installed...

**chicane** · 2 May 2007, 07:36

So will Firefox, but they still won't be able to find the blue 'e' so that they can browse the web.

And OpenOffice, despite being a valiant effort, is a long distance from having an acceptable level of compatibility with any Word features that are remotely exotic (headers/footers, TOCs and drawings to name a few).

But that's a different discussion.

**chubba** · 2 May 2007, 08:53

lol - sorry, was not thinking too clearly last night.

For most home users who bang out the odd letter I reckon OpenOffice is cool. And the symbol for the internet being a big world shjould not be too hard to understand.

**chicane** · 2 May 2007, 09:18

But nowadays on Ubuntu it's a blue sphere with a dead orange fox wrapped around it. What will those seeking the Blue 'e' make of that?

**chubba** · 2 May 2007, 10:06

Originally posted by zeitghost

Ah.

Thankyou.

That's what it's for...

We all know you use vista Zeity so don't tey and look like a cool Linux user here

Did not know Ubuntu was now using the FF logo - am still on 6.06 here as cannot be arsed to upgrade.

If installing for a parent or other technologically chanllenged person could always make an IE icon and shove this on the toolbar I guess.

Still, with Firefox at over 30% now* not everyone is brainwashed that the blue e means the internet anymore I guess.

End users learn pretty quickly though - how do all those mac users manage with no blue e?

Also how many total n00bs are going to be ordering a PC with Ubuntu rather than Windows at the minute? Unless the price difference is enough (£100 or so would be nice) then will they be tempted by Linux? It does work out of the box though and I think it is a pretty good O/S for first time and low level users.

* Source - Browser Stats

**chicane** · 2 May 2007, 10:27

Originally posted by chubba

Unless the price difference is enough (£100 or so would be nice)

Don't hold your breath for any discount - the big MS moves in mysterious ways. Indeed, don't be surprised if the Ubuntu option is in fact more expensive. I suspect this is a shallow PR move by Dell to pander to the OSS crowd more than a genuine change in direction.

**chubba** · 2 May 2007, 10:50

Well yes, the only reason Dell chose to do this was their suggestion site was plastered on every linux fan site and user group out there to get people to suggest shipping boxes with Linux pre-installed. That and the news about refunding punters who did not want XP pre-installed - and they did refund a few so there should be a licencing cost to be saved on the Linux machines.

Will be pointless them offering Ubuntu without a saving IMO as I would (if I were predisposed to buyng machines from Dell) buy the Windows one and demand the refund on the licence as it would be surplus to requirements.

See how this pans out! Probably a load of pants like you suggest though...

**Paddy** · 2 May 2007, 13:01

Originally posted by chicane

So will Firefox, but they still won't be able to find the blue 'e' so that they can browse the web.

And OpenOffice, despite being a valiant effort, is a long distance from having an acceptable level of compatibility with any Word features that are remotely exotic (headers/footers, TOCs and drawings to name a few).

But that's a different discussion.

B0L0CKS, I’m using Office 2003 and Open Office and I have just tested the above, both works and can be opened by either application.

If you use open office save it in MS Word format if you want to open it up in Word. No problems.

Dell Chooses Ubuntu