Dell’s Ubuntu strategy once again faces Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD). Multiple times in the past 12 months or so, Dell’s strong Ubuntu efforts have been undermined by disappearing desktop offerings. Here’s what’s wrong — and right — with Dell’s Ubuntu initiatives.
Let’s start with the positive. In Dell’s defense, the company in mid-2007 took a major chance on Ubuntu. The same year Microsoft launched Windows Vista, Dell stepped up and introduced its first Ubuntu desktops. I was among the first buyers, and I still own the Dell Ubuntu system.
Fast forward to 2009, and Dell continued to introduce new Ubuntu systems even as Microsoft launched Windows 7. Again, Dell stood by Ubuntu amid a major Microsoft upgrade cycle. That took guts.
Same Story, New Year
Still, Dell continues to make glaring Ubuntu missteps. In 2009, Dell’s desktop Ubuntu offerings briefly disappeared from the company’s U.S. website during a product transition. And more recently, the same problem has occurred again. The move prompted the following completely misleading headline from InfoWorld on Feb. 8, 2010:
Among the big PC vendors, no company has done more than Dell to promote Ubuntu. And if Infoworld had bothered to check www.dell.com/ubuntu, they’d see Ubuntu systems available — though admittedly, the list currently lacks desktops.
Alas, Dell deserves some criticism. During recent hardware transitions, it seems like Dell’s U.S. website temporarily halts Ubuntu desktop preloads. The resulting media coverage is giving Dell and the Ubuntu community black eyes.
Small system builders like System76 and ZaReason earn considerable praise for their Ubuntu efforts. Dell would earn similar praise if the company managed to keep Ubuntu available on desktops during product transitions. That doesn’t seem like a lot to ask.
Still better than lenovo that sell Linux Latops in hope that someone might replace it with Pirated Windows.
Thanks, Joe. You are one of the few people giving consistent, level-headed coverage of Dell, System76 and ZaReason.
BTW, if you ever have a chance, I for one would love to see more interviews with the people involved with Ubuntu in those companies (yes, I know you have talked to them in the past).
Good article. It’s also worth noting that their international strategy seems to be a mess. I bought an Ubuntu laptop from Dell UK back in October 2007 and have been delighted with it. Less impressed with their current range, the only Ubuntu offering is a netbook.
ssj6akshat@1: I tend to be a Lenovo fan, based on the company’s hardware innovations and commitment to quality. But I do wish Lenovo would ship with Ubuntu…
Simplicius@2: Thanks for the feedback. We plan to do some FastChat video interviews focused on the Ubuntu market really soon. For examples of our FastChat video format, check out our sister site: http://www.thevarguy.com/videos
Rodney@3: Dell has told me a few times that the company evaluates Ubuntu preload opportunities on a region by region basis. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a “global” Ubuntu strategy at Dell. Though that’s understandable, considering Ubuntu is an emerging, unknown technology for the vast majority of consumers and businesses worldwide.
I recently tried to purchase a Ubuntu laptop from Dell UK. There are links on the website, a whole page talking about Dell on laptops. But when you click through only Windows laptops are available.
I asked and they said no Ubuntu laptops were currently available, I made it clear that that had lost them the sale.
So at least in the UK, they appear to be caving to Microsoft.
I’m not sure Dell *HAS* a Linux policy. I just went to their site to search for a computer. When I selected Open Source, I only saw laptops – and not great ones – available. If you have to have a Dell (I don’t), the only real option is to buy a Windows machine and make Dell refund the Windows portion.
This is a good article. It only covers the tip of the iceberg. I have sent several customers to Dell’s website and on almost every occasion I had to help them find Ubuntu offerings on the Dell website. On top of that. Many of the Ubuntu offerings are more expensive than Win7 versions while others have less options than their Windows 7 counterparts. Then they show Vostro business laptops available with Ubuntu but when you click to customize/purchase only Windows is available as an option. The only consumer laptops available right now with Ubuntu from Dell is the lowest end laptop they sell Inspiron 15n. I purchased one for a customer and it was so low end it didn’t even have indicator leds for the HDD,PWR, or WLAN.
On the business end of things they sell the expensive Lattitude laptops no Vostros with Ubuntu. Here again the Windows versions are usually a better deal. This is a disaster.
Then there is this little gem i saw a day or two ago.
http://www.baablogic.net/drupal/node/12
I am almost to the point where i may stop sending people to Dell’s website and start sending them to System76. I hear they have good support and are eager to help when there is a problem. I have never tried them but i may just do that if this continues.
Although I know that Dell has it’s own Ubuntu distribution, I do not really need that.
My Dell was bought without OS and I put Jaunty on it – then upgrading to Karmic.
The most important thing is: Can I get a Dell without paying taxes to Microsoft (or Apple or Novell or whoever).
Dell Mini 12 here.
It was purchased with Ubuntu, this is a Linux house.
Dell’s Ubuntu is broken, it does not upgrade. The hardware
is incompatible with any version of Ubuntu except the one furnished with the machine. It will not accept any other Linux distro.
Dell has hurt Linux/Ubuntu. The people who purchased these
crippled computers will never trust Ubuntu again.
Stick with companies that only sell Linux machines!
in Belgium, it’s almost impossible to get a laptop by the main resellers without MS-Windows. Some times ago, Dell offered a mini-laptop (Inspiron Mini 10v), the only available with Ubuntu or Windows. 50€ cheaper for Ubuntu version. But with windows, you got an hard drive of 160GB, and with Ubuntu, a solid state de 8 Go…
Now, it’s the same price for both !!! It’s absolutely ridiculous.
http://www1.euro.dell.com/fr/fr/domicile/Portables/laptop-inspiron-10/pd.aspx?refid=laptop-inspiron-10&s=dhs&cs=frdhs1
By the way, two models with windows seem having absolutely identical hardware, but one is with XP, the other with Seven; so the know the cost of Seven: 20€ more.
I work for a public university in New York. We are encouraged to order through Dell’s New York State site. Clicked my way through to “notebooks” and to the Vostro line, they claim that you could get the Vostro 1220 with Ubuntu or FreeDOS. You try to order one, the only options are for “Genuine Windows XX”.
Sorry, no time to deal with this, my job is to teach and do research. Sent a quick inquiry to ZaReason, received a prompt and friendly reply. That’s where I’m going to order my next laptop from.
Great article. It makes a great point that Dell still doesn’t have it together with their Linux offerings. What really gets me is that you can spec out two identical systems on Dell’s site, one with Windows and one with Linux, and the Windows one will probably come out cheaper. How is this, when you are paying for your copy of Windows with the PC? It should be the other way around… the one with Linux should be cheaper as Linux is FREE. My only suggestion to this problem is to get the cheaper system with Windows, and demand a refund for Windows with Dell after you receive the PC. I’ve done this on a couple of occasions and they granted the refund. In fact, one of the times they even sent me a prepaid shipping label to ship the Windows CDs back. A couple weeks later I received a check in the mail. It’s usually worth $60 or so for the refund. Simply state that you are following the instructions on the screen of the new PC, that says to get ahold of the vendor for a refund, when you deny the Windows license agreement. Maybe Dell will finally get the point.
I just bit the bullet and bought the Vostro hardware package I wanted, dumped Windows, and run Karmic instead. Minor issue with the wireless driver out the gate, used http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1368699 to fix it. The 1520 really has made a great Linux machine. It runs smooth enough to develop with C++/Java on the road. I run LAMP server as well as the full Netbeans suite and Eclipse with the webOS emulator with no trouble.
Every time I have tried to buy a Linux or DOS machine from Dell it has cost a good bit more than buying a Windows system and reformatting it. The same price I could live with but more money for a Linux system, come on now.
Until Dell offers Linux for the same price as Windows I’m not buying another system from them.
I think one of the problems Dell faces with selling Ubuntu pre-loaded is there’s no need to replace the PC every other year. I don’t know about other folks. But my Ubuntu system doesn’t suffer from the deteriorating performance it used to suffer while running Windows. The only time I reinstall my OS now is when I upgrade to the next version.
It’s just a thought. But the stable and consistent high level of performance of Ubuntu might actually be holding it back. There’s no driving force to make people opt for new hardware and there’s little scope for anti-virus software and the myriad of utilities needed to keep Windows running. Ubuntu either already has equivalents freely available for download, installed or just doesn’t need them.
I think a good start would be for all the vendors to supply machines without OS.
Could be worse, you could be a Windows user. I have a friend that bought Win7 to upgrade his struggling Vista laptop. The laptop died out of warranty and now he cant find a machine without OS on it (as he already own a copy of Win7). So MS is making him pay for Windows twice! his not happy.
Regarding the prices of Dell/Windows vs. Dell/Ubuntu: A lot of readers point out their frustration with Dell/Ubuntu sometimes costing more than the same Dell/Windows configuration.
I am going to sound crazy but I don’t worry much about that cost issue. I think the Linux conversation should focus on long-term value rather than one-time purchase price.
I’ve had a Dell/Ubuntu system since July 2007. I haven’t paid a single additional dollar to keep the system running since that time. Total cost of ownership has got to be a lot lower than a similarly configured Dell/XP system from around the same time.
I’m not suggesting that vendors should charge more for Ubuntu vs. Windows on a similarly configured system. But I am urging readers to focus on the long-term value conversation.
Also, I can safely say I’ve had solid Ubuntu experiences with Dell, System76 and ZaReason. If readers know of PC makers that are doing a good job with Ubuntu, please point them out and we’ll be sure to put the PC makers on our radar.
Thanks for reading.
-jp
Editorial Director
WorksWithU
When Dell started offering Ubuntu it was wonderful! Laptops with discrete nVidia graphics, XPS desktops, etc… Now they offer a netbook and a netbook. Yay? Really? Product transition or not how hard is it to take “Unit A” throw in a 9.10 CD and do a default install to see if it works? If not does it need a broadcom wireless driver and/or nVidia binary blob to work “out of the box”? If so install them, image the HD and bingo! Ubuntu on a Dell Whizbang2010 that works out of the box. Instead they offer 2 netbooks… ugh.
I agree with Joe. Long term value should be the focus of the discussion. On average PC manufacturers now consider 3 years to be the life span of your PC. Clearly an Ubuntu system will out last 3 years. Which poses a problem for Ubuntu being accepted by OEMs. It doesn’t fit with their business model.
If an Ubuntu based system is going to be useful longer than a Windows system, then Ubuntu pre-loaded will cost more to offset the longer refresh cycle.
Good balanced column, Joe, though perhaps a little too forgiving. Judging by what’s on Dell’s websites now, the posts above (plus countless others) and my own experience, I can only conclude Dell’s Ubuntu “support” is PR with little substance behind it.
I had the same experience in Canada as Dave in the UK. Dell’s .ca website shows Ubuntu as an option, but when you click through the only option is Windows:
http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?s=gen&c=ca&l=en&cs=&k=Ubuntu&cat=all&x=0&y=0
Is Dell’s main U.S. website much better? Reminds me of how the auto industry promoted the electric car. (Watch the great documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?” to see ewhat I mean.)
However, I think Dell does indeed have a Linux strategy. It wants us to believe the slogan “Dell listens to the Linux community.” Pure PR.
No, I don’t think you should do more Dell interviews. I’m more interested in what organizations do than what they say — and you guys do an excellent job of reporting what is actually happening.
Dell’s approach to consumer Linux reminds me of how newspapers in the early days of the Internet created crummy websites and hoped no one would use them — that the Web would just turn out to be a bad dream.
The Linux genie is out of the bottle. Intel gave us Moblin. Google is working on a netbook. And then there’s the polished Ubuntu OS, backed by an entrepreneur with a proven track record, long-term vision and the money to implement it?
Pat:
Dell has employees who are active members in the Ubuntu Core Development team. What other OEM or for that matter ISV has employee manpower behind developing and sustaining Ubuntu?
You may question Dell’s business decisions on how they choose to position and market Ubuntu products on retail shelves (just like I will complain bitterly to my local supermarket for not stocking RC Cola and banana flavored moonpies.) But you go a step too far to say that Dell’s linux strategy is pure PR. They are staffing development manpower in Ubuntu’s development team. That is a non-trivial commitment and maybe unique among Canonical’s OEMs and ISV partners.
-jef
@jef
Since Dell has over 76,000 employees, tossing a handful (maybe some .01% of the company) of them to work with Ubuntu *is* just a trivial commitment. Do their Ubuntu laptops still ship with Windows logos on them?
Nothing new here. Move along.
Dell has been doing this same behavior for years: announcing and offering machines that nobody wants with Linux pre-installed, then withdrawing them a few months later under pressure from Microsoft. I have been watching this happen over and over since at least 2000, maybe earlier.
What’s worse, you cannot find these machines on Dell’s website, or couldn’t last time I looked which has been years. I gave up on Dell a long time ago. When I need a new computer, I build it myself or get one from a “whitebox” dealer.
Just ignore Dell’s feeble Linux forays.
Have just checked Dell’s UK website, they only offer ONE device with Ubuntu and thats the inspiron mini 10v; worst thing it still ships with 8.04….