Ubuntu goes mainstream!
From today (25th May 2007) Dell, the second biggest computer manufacturer on the planet, will start shipping Ubuntu Linux on some of it’s products.
Initially, pre-loaded Ubuntu machines will be available in the US only although it is widely anticipated that Dell will extend this to other areas of the world. Until now, Dell has only shipped Microsoft software on it’s consumer and non-server products. The free and Open Source operating system packaged by Canonical, has in just a few short years become the most popular Linux distribution ever. It’s ease of use and excellent hardware support has created a groudswell of support. Ubuntu Linux can be downloaded for free from their website, and now supplied pre-installed on Dell PCs. A quick look on Dell’s US website indicates that the units with Ubuntu are between $100 and $200US less than simiar products with Microsoft’s software. The PCs can be seen here: http://www.dell.com/…hs
“The interest and enthusiasm from customers who challenged us to deliver a consumer Linux solution have been matched within Dell and Canonical, the sponsor of Ubuntu, by a team of dedicated professionals who made this happen in a phenomenally short period of time,” said Neil Hand, vice president, Dell Consumer Product Group in a press release today.
This is brilliant news for the Open Source community at large. I can see several benefits to come from this:
- Driver Support - Dell have already started asking some of their hardware suppliers to improve (or actually build) linux drivers for their products. This should increase the availability of drivers for the community as a whole.
- Exposure - Dell is a BIG corporation and their backing of Linux as a desktop OS can add nothing but credibility to the platform in general.
- Usability - If Dell’s typical customers are what I think they are, then their feedback and comments will really help the community at large to improve the usability and friendliness of Linux on the desktop.
What an exciting day for Open Source. I want to congratulate Ubuntu and Dell for this MASSIVE step forward!
