Dell's New Linux Blog 317
comforteagle writes "I've just written up an interesting find: Linux engineers at Dell have started their own Linux site and weblog about Linux at Dell. From the announcement: "Welcome to the Dell Linux Community Web. This site is dedicated to providing any information that may be useful regarding your usage of Linux on your Dell equipment. While Dell primarily works with and officially supports Red Hat Linux, many of our customers choose to run other distributions." And perhaps more importantly it appears that the new site and weblog is run and maintained by the engineers themselves. It certainly has that 'made with vi' look." And kudyadi points to this PC Magazine interview with Michael Dell, in which Dell talks "about Dell's expanding product line, the company's late entrance into the Media Center space, and where the PC giant and the industry go from here." He touches on Linux just a bit, too.
How long will the blog last (Score:1, Interesting)
I'm sure Dell (as a company) won't like this at all.
Interesting (Score:5, Interesting)
For instance I would of bought a Dell laptop in a heartbeat if I knew dell supported it and offered a Windows-less or linux OS pre-installed.
I just didn't want to pay the "mircosoft tax".
So I just got a slightly used gateway from Ebay instead.
Desktops I don't care so much about since I build my own computers, but laptops and such are only aviable from manufacturers and linux support is a big plus.
Linux/Dell is an expanding platform. (Score:5, Interesting)
Dell Linux Engineering (Score:5, Interesting)
In such big companys there are often rules how to communicate with customers and they have common ways ("old fashioned") stuff like newsletters, discussion boards, press releases. If they now allow them to setup their own way this sounds like a benefit to the customer. Maybe they start a IRC Server next or publish their own set of linux patches (for dell specific needs).
BTW I would not buy a Dell labtop again my Inspiron is so poorly processed, if you press on the left side, it jiggles at the other....
Where the f*** is IBM!?! (Score:4, Interesting)
And our big linux brother IBM? Nada. At least where I live (europe) the official statement is and has been since 1999: IBM only supports Windows on these systems.
There are good internet resources and mailing-lists, *but* the only way to get there is google (no link at ibm.com, etc.)
IBM is cheating on us.
Zero content? (Score:2, Interesting)
We don't have the time to read blogs or address every silly detail in the same way as you do. We deal with the big picture (like making sure you get your salary next month) and delegate the details for you to work them out.
When we want feedback from you we want it on a couple of slides. We don't want to know how you tweaked your code to get 1% performance increase. We want to know how we're progressing and if there are any show-stopping problems.
Web pages you scorn don't have "zero content". It's just information us managers need.
Re:Hopefully they change things at Dell (Score:3, Interesting)
That is, until MS decides to nip Linux in the bud and add a clause to the contract that no company which resells Windows OEM may support or contribute to Linux. Remember, MS thinks that we are a viable threat now, and they have been known to do such things... hence the DOJ lawsuits. Speaking of which, they won't mind the cost of being sued again, since it's likely going to be another slap on the wrist.
Re:Hopefully they change things at Dell (Score:3, Interesting)
I am wondering why the Anti-Trust people did not look at this aspect of Microsoft activities rather than the link between IE and the OS.
What is the answer to this? I would be deploying Linux on Windows licensed kit since the OS expense is already part of the budget. Also I would not like to have the Software Nazi's show and audit us with more desktops than Microsoft OS Licenses.
The reason for deploying Linux on the desktop is not for price reasons but stability and lowering support load. Therefore, the Microsoft licenses will be bought, but it woiuld still be good to have hardware support for the Linux OS on Dell desktops.
Re:Interesting (Score:1, Interesting)
I almost bought a Dell laptop, and that was the deciding factor that made me get a PowerBook. Yeah, I had to pay the Apple tax, but somehow that's different. At least I'm actually using OSX.
Re:That's very speculative... (Score:5, Interesting)
In any case, call center jobs are ten a penny. Any industry - not just tech companies - will eventually ship off the lower end jobs to cheaper countries. I mean seriously, do you know anyone who actually enjoys working in a support call center and wants to make a career of it? Probably not. And most call center support technicians don't know anything about computers anyway, regardless of where they come from. It's like working at McDonalds; people just do it for the cash...
Re:That's very speculative... (Score:1, Interesting)
Uh. Maybe I'm missing something here but I'm not donating 8 hours of my weekdays to my employer for free - I do it for the cash, too.
What's your point?
DELL, Linux, RAID and all that (Score:4, Interesting)
I asked DELL support about a Linux-related problem and they told me they don't support Linux. They said my laptop was shipped with Windows 2000, so they can't be bothered. While this is certainly true, it's not MY fault that they didn't ship Linux in 2001 when I bought it.
I've also contacted them about RAID systems, and they corporate sales folks I had contact with didn't really know what they were talking about, so I had to get in touch with a RedHat developer to answer my question (which he instantly did).
Maybe here's a good way to make money for distro companies: try get a service contract with hardware vendors like DELL, who haven't got enough inhouse expertise (at support level).
I do hope this engineering effort is part of a wider wave in the company.
You're looking at it from the wrong perspective... (Score:3, Interesting)
Dell offer support on all their kit, it's part of the sales procedure. So while you might want Linux on your laptop, it opens them up to a boatload of questions and issues regarding support.
How does a company offer support on a PC sold with a blank drive?
Sure, you could do hardware only, but ascertaining what the problem is usually means ruling out the software/drivers first. If you send your laptop back with a faulty video card, how would they test it and get it back to you?
What I'm saying is that it's all well and good to moan about them not selling you a blank drive laptop, but from their point of view, it's half a product. Dell sell and support laptops with a Windows operating system, and until they can see the market swinging towards a point where a Linux support team is cost-effective and - to be blunt - needed, they aren't going to ship you anything but a Windows laptop.
Incidentally, it's the same with Apple. Have you tried buying an Apple without an OS? You can't, but no-one ever moans about Apple tax...
Re:Vi look works (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:That's very speculative... (Score:2, Interesting)
BTW I agree with the grandpa poster, Dell has nothing against Linux. I have heard it described as being a OS-agnostic company internally. Whatever the customer demographic wants Dell ships. A whole lot of servers are shipped with Linux but unfortunately very few laptops or desktops. It will change though as soon as more customers want Linux. And really I have never seen anybody mention anything anti-linux at dell eiother
Re:How long will the blog last (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Interesting (Score:2, Interesting)
Oh, I don't know abou that... Over half the machine in any hypermarket I walk into are pre-loaded with Linux, and one manufacturer, Liberta, even has their own branded version, which now stands at version 1.2 and comes with Pladao, the Thai localized version of OO.o. It has been this way for almost two years.
Consumer level Linux is happening, just not in the places you are looking. Dan
Dell's Privacy Policy? (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:You're Smoking Crack (Score:1, Interesting)
IE: hard drive heads banging against side of case. We know the drive is dead, the dell reps in the us know the drive is dead, the squishy salesman in India? nope...got to do the scripts....bastards
Dell needs to... (Score:2, Interesting)
I'd be more inclined to buy a laptop from Dell if I didn't have to drop extra money for an operating system I don't want. Until then, I'll be using my powerbook.
Re:This is about Server support, not desktop/lapto (Score:1, Interesting)
Someone at one of these companies has to get off their ass, call up their hardware vendors and DEMAND that all components provided come with Windows AND Linux driver support.
If you keep buying 4000 laptops, it will happen. IBM tried a corporate laptop with Linux and had to cancel it due to poor sales.
Four quarters to zero. (Score:3, Interesting)
doh, wrong link. (Score:3, Interesting)