Even as Dell prepares to ship computers with Ubuntu 10.04 pre-loaded, the PC giant is battling rumors that it no longer remains committed to Canonical’s Linux distribution. For Dell, it’s time for a clear, concise statement that specifically describes the company’s history with Ubuntu and next moves with the operating system. Here’s why.
UPDATE, July 27, 2010: Dell’s Web site now lists a Studio XPS desktop system running Ubuntu 10.04.
Still, rumors have clouded Dell’s Ubuntu strategy. The PC giant introduced Ubuntu on several desktops and notebooks in 2007, and Dell Ubuntu netbooks soon followed. But more recently, Dell’s U.S. website (www.dell.com/ubuntu) has offered a very limited Ubuntu lineup. And some media blogs have spread rumors that Dell will stop selling Ubuntu online.
The result: Dell’s reputation within the Ubuntu community is hit and miss. That’s too bad, especially since Dell had the guts to preload and promote Ubuntu systems the very year Windows Vista launched. Dell says it has shipped more Ubuntu systems than any other PC company in the world. Plus, Dell’s cloud strategy includes Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud. And more recently, Dell in April 2010 reaffirmed its commitment to Ubuntu even as Windows 7 won upbeat feedback from many customers and media sites.
So why are some users and some media members so skeptical about Dell’s Ubuntu commitment? Part of the problem involves PR and fragmented communications. Generally speaking, I find Dell very responsive to my PR inquiries. But Dell’s Ubuntu strategy varies from one country to the next. As a result, negative media coverage in one country can spill over into another country.
Despite all the controversy, Dell’s web site indicates that the company plans to ship Ubuntu 10.04 on selected systems sometime during the summer of 2010 (see tip 5 on this web page for the Dell 10.04 pre-load statement). August is nearly here. The new Ubuntu 10.04 systems, plus a clear Ubuntu strategy statement from Dell, would go a long way toward silencing the PC giant’s critics.
UPDATE, July 27, 2010: Dell’s Web site now lists a Studio XPS system running Ubuntu 10.04.
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One big bullshit – huge company is not able control its own units ? Bad market recognition cannot be an excuse in this case – either take it or leave it.
I bought two Ubuntu systems (quickly turned into kubuntu) form Dell: an A90 (Mini 9 for small biz) and a Vostro V13 (amazing ultralight). The former was a refurb. Customer support has been brilliant as long as you stick to Chat support (Phone support is courteous but inefficient).
I am really happy with the computers I bought, great value in both cases. I will continue to vote with my wallet as long as they let me do it.
Dell gives back to the community:
http://linux.dell.com/projects.shtml
What’s not to love? Well, they could (should?) have more offerings and have them in every country they sell computers. Also, they should offer, in each computer they sell, to sell it with no OS. And then include a utility that allows to check the hardware, so they don’t get useless returns arising from lack of compatibility.
While I would love to see all this happen, I will still vote with my wallet whenever possible.
I understand that there is a desire to have the “big boys” offer Linux. Some of it is validation that the OS is important enough to be sold by a Dell or its equivalent. Some of it is a feeling of security when buying from a company with Dell’s resources.
But if you want a Linux machine that is well supported, works right, and is sold by a company that understands Linux, I’d suggest you’re better off going to a company that specializes in it.
I’ve heard good things about System76 but have no personal experience. I’ve purchased from ZaReason and can’t say enough good about them– they know the OS, they know their systems, tech support (and presales) questions are answered within hours by one of their principles. I suspect similar things are true about System76 (but can not personally vouch for them).
If you want to see Linux grow as a desktop operating system, then purchase from the people who are committed to make that happen.
@davesnyd: yes, that’s definitely another way to help the cause. My main motivation to buy from Dell is pricing, rather than validation, though. I am all for small business support, but at the end of the day the price gap on the kind of systems I bought was a bit too big (this was my experience in my purchases, I won’t say it’s a generic issue at all)
@davesnyd:
Are System76 and ZaReason committed to making it happen? Do either company provide development staffing or infrastructure to help offset the costs of development for any of the distributions they ship? Do they indirectly pay for these things by contracting with Canonical for OEM services? Dell has a person in the Ubuntu development team. Dell contracts with Canonical. The other OEMs that you have listed do not materially underwrite the costs of producing Ubuntu. Are you really helping the cause by buying from them?
How much of the price of a ZaReason or System76 pre-install Ubuntu pre-install goes back to helping make sure launchpad is running, to keep packages building, to keep releases coming, and to pay for the bandwidth costs to make all this distributed work happen at all?
By supporting OEMs who aren’t contracting with Canonical for services, you are undercutting the financial lifeblood that makes Ubuntu possible.
-jef
@Joe:
Want to make any wagers as to whether Dell will ship an Android based Streak device before they ship an Ubuntu 10.04 anything?
And want to further bet that the Android Streak shows up in their bulk advertising mailbox flyers/catalogues and Ubuntu does not?
-jef
well i lost the first bet already… dell us site includes a 10.04 desktop now.
-jef
@Jef: I was gonna say let’s bet a bottle of wine, so I guess you owe me a nice Malbec …
Here is another question, how likely is it that the next Android device sold by Dell (or any other PC manufacturer) will be as closed as the Motorola Droid X, where you simply can’t boot an unofficial image?
Hopefully not! But I am ranging way off topic now!
As I recall, Dell also waited to ship systems with 8.04 till the first point release. Probably works out best that way as most of the release stage bugs are fixed by then.
Leo:
I don’t think its off topic at all. Android is absolutely going to be be competing for OEM mindshare with Ubuntu as the _linux_ alternative. Especially on the up and coming ARM devices. The fact that Android can be locked down may actually be a plus for OEMs even though its not a plus for users. It all comes down to business model and how a commodity linux based operating system can be leveraged to earn revenue. It may be much easier for OEMs to build revenue on Android than on Ubuntu.
-jef
Do they make any money selling Ubuntu computers? Maybe they don’t care about it because no one buys them.
@Hmm: Dell have always maintained there Ubuntu offerings sell well and the number of returned units aren’t any higher than Windows based systems.
This is actually partly what is causing all the confusion. Dell claims people are buying the Ubuntu based systems they are offering. But then they turn around and refuse to sell them or buries them in the bowels of their web site. Then it goes and does other odd things like plastering it’s Ubuntu pages with adverts for Windows PCs.
Basically there’s never been a clear and consistent message from Dell about it’s intentions with Ubuntu. And that’s what people want. they want to know are Dell in or out?
The attraction of a large OEM like Dell selling Ubuntu preloaded is simple. We get good looking stylish PCs with the OS of our choice. For those who need it there is access to the sort of support that only a large OEM can offer. At least for the hardware. And then of course it raises the profile of Ubuntu and Linux in general.
Joe: Thanks for the update link to Dell’s alleged Ubuntu desktop.
Unfortunately, if you click on “tech specs,” the only operating system listed is Windows.
And of course it’s nowhere to be found on Dell’s Canadian website.
Jef, kudos to you for pointing out Dell’s development contribution. People like me often forget to give Dell (and the rest of the world) credit for Linux development.
But considering Dell’s business, I still think selling Ubuntu systems (e.g., desktops) would be a far more valuable contribution. There are many worthy developers, but how many Dells?
Too bad Linux isn’t mainstream — the late-night comedians could have a ball with Dell’s Ubuntu relationship. For example:
–”I really love you — I’ll pick you up at 11 p.m.”
–”I really love you — I’ll buy you dinner at McDonald’s.”
– “I really love you — let’s sit in the corner where no one will see us!” Etc.
We could have a contest here to see who could come up with the best lines….
How about “I forgot my phone and don’t remember my number”?
@Pat: how about: “It’s not you, it’s me”
Also: see the link I provided above for Dell’s contributions to Open Source. They aren’t that many, and they aren’t nearly as massive as RedHat’s, or IBM’s (to put it in the context of a hardware manufacturer). But they contribute the right way, by feeding upstream projects. In particular, DKMS is widely used by Linux distros. Their goal is for every Dell piece of hardware to be supported _upstream_, not by their own proprietary little extensions. This is great.
Dells development work for Linux is great. But software without hardware is useless. Hardware without software is useless. We need both. Personally I’d rather not pay for a Windows license. If Dell don’t want to support Linux they should at least be able to offer a bare bones/no OS option.
@Jef: Let me ask you this. When someone buys a Dell system, do they get a keyboard with a Windows logo on it?
ZaReason donates both time and money to projects in the Open Source community. If you compare investment to the community per system sold, I would offer that ZaReason’s support is far greater than Dell’s. And we are also continually looking for ways to increase this support.
–Earl @ ZaReason
@Earl,
Somewhat of a dodge… but an enticing one. I’ll bite.
Are you prepared to go on record with the number of linux system you have sold in the last year and a record of material contribution to individual upstream projects? That’s the only way to verify the claim. And a bold claim it is. Can you aggregate it into X number of dollars per system sold last year went to materially supporting upstream open source projects?
Your statement is still a dodge of the specific issue of materially supporting Ubuntu’s ability to turn the crank and make sausage every six months. Are you contracting with Canonical for OEM services?
An important part of Canonical’s business is supposedly servicing OEMs.. if OEMs like yours can live and prosper without those services where does that leave Ubuntu exactly? You are prospering right? Is your business breakeven or better on a quarterly-to-quarterly basis (accounting for yearly trends in consumer purchasing?) There’s a deep irony in the thought that OEMs can make a profit selling hardware with Ubuntu pre-installed but Canonical can’t turn a profit servicing those OEMs.
Obviously you can’t materially help with release infrastructure costs without contracting with Canonical. But are you staffing Ubuntu development team manpower or MOTU manpower to provide human capital into the release process.
-jef
I usually don’t read the comments, but found this diatribe interesting to say the least.
I have one question – when Amazon removed the Kindle from it’s website a day or so ago, did anyone scream “OMG Amazon has discontinued the Kindle!!!”? No. Why? Because smart people realize that sku’s change like the wind and in the ever present changing of technology so will the sku’s at Dell.
I imagine Canonical is flattered with all of the hoopla. It proves they are doing some things right. When @jef (and others) cries foul, he’s showing that he’s threatened by the success of Ubuntu and his comments simply prove the point without anyone having to say anything more.
@zoopster:
I cried foul? I’m on record as saying Dell is and continues to be the best OEM partner that Canonical has. Whether you take that as good thing or a bad thing, its up to you. And to be clear I’m not happy to watch any OEM shrink its linux offerings, nor have I ever said that I was.
I have the same concern I’ve had for Canonical’s business plan to service OEMs as I have had from day one. When its easier for competent OEMS like ZaReason and like System76 to be self-servicing and provide better integrated products than the OEMs who contract with Canonical..that really doesn’t speak to the value of Canonical’s OEM services at all. That’s a problem.
Don’t confuse my concern for Canonical’s business plan with Ubuntu as a project. I am concerned for Ubuntu insofar as the project continues to be dependent solely on Canonical’s ability to provide the financial support to keep the lights on. If there was a way for successful Ubuntu OEMs to provide material support of the project in terms of infrastructure and bandwidth that didn’t have to come in the form of service contracts with Canonical…things would look a lot different.
And Canonical isn’t the only software vendor in the space. Canonical is going to be going head to head with deviceVM’s linux based splashtop with Ubuntu-lite. Is it wrong to point out that’s going to be a tough fight for Canonical? Splashtop is linux just as Ubuntu-lite is linux. Why exactly should I cheer for one over the other?
And on ARM, where Android has huge mindshare right now..where device formfactors are continuing to morph from netbook into tablets…Canonical still plans to compete there with an Ubuntu ARM offering. Is it wrong to point out that’s going to be a tough fight for Canonical? Android is linux just as Ubuntu is linux… why should I cheer for one over the other?
@Jef,
I don’t think you grasp the size difference between Dell and ZaReason. While I can’t go into many specifics, ZaReason donated around 2% of our revenue in July. If Dell were to donate that much they could fund Canonical completely. I think you’ll agree that one Dell engineer is not in the same ballpark.
@Earl:
Yes…a larger OEM could in fact fund a linux distribution development completely. HP, a former Canonical customer has figured that out and bought up webOS in the Palm purchase to do exactly that. It’s only a matter of time before Dell figures that out.
And I would argue that Dell’s expenses when it comes to linux are probably in line with its interests in the platform and their bottom line.
But we are digressing…
That 2 percent of revenue is admirable. You should probably talk about that in detail on your site about that. Can you give us a detailed accounting of which projects get a financial boost in your donation effort? I don’t expect you to get specific dollar amounts but a rollcall of projects which have benefited from your corporate largesse would be nice to see. I could then use it to browbeat other OEMs to match your performance.
And it’s still not really a direct answer to the specific question. If prosperous Ubuntu OEMs aren’t contracting with Canonical for OEM services, then there is a fundamental breakdown in how the economics of Ubuntu development is sustained. People pay for Ubuntu pre-installed hardware…money changes hands…money doesn’t flow back into underwriting the release development process which OEMs are relying on to put product out at all. Fundamental breakdown in the business model Canonical is perusing which puts a heavy emphasis on providing OEM services while at the same time making it difficult for independent business interests to pay for and control Ubuntu development infrastructure.
Right now, in your opinion, as a business that is leveraging the value proposition that the Ubuntu project provides, what is the most cost-effective value for money way that you can help underwrite and sustain the ability of the Ubuntu to keep moving forward with releases?
-jef
Okay here’s the difference between what Dell can offer and what smaller companies like ZaReason can offer. Dell is a global player.
If all Dell did was offer Ubuntu as an OS option globally on all of it’s desktops and laptops it would do more for the spread of Linux than all the smaller OEM/System builders put together. Now by that I don’t mean any disrespect to the smaller players. I just can’t buy your product. If I can’t buy it. It’s no good to me.
Ok, here is a fair question for DELL: why did they remove all Linux systems for the outlet? This is true, even for the systems that are sold brand new with Ubuntu preinstalled! I asked the folks in the Outlet, to no avail!
(Errata: I meant to say ‘ “from” the outlet ‘)