Dell Officially Supporting Linux?

An anonymous reader sent us a link to an article over at FairFax where you can read that Dell is Supporting Linux. It will supposedly be an "Entry Level Server" and will be available in the next few months.

Bah.

[BOredAtWork]

Every three to five months, just like clockwork, slashdot posts "Dell to support Linux" - and every time it's been a false rumor.

I'll believe it when I can select "Debian GNU/Linux" from the OS selector on dell.com...

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not bad

[dragisha]

While this looks as undervalued position it is possibly not so bad at all - for spreading of Linux it is maybe the best starting point.

Cheap servers -> volume sales -> market share. Not to mention less IIS' as time passes, main distribution point for IIS are preinstalled servers.

Dell and MS relationship fading?

[diakka]

Wow, It looks like even Dell thinks MS is gonna lose the case :) I still think they will wait until the final decision before officially supporting Linux.
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Freeware?

[linuxci]

It's annoying how people who write these article keep referring to Linux as 'freeware'. It doesn't mean the same as 'Free Software' or 'Open Source' it simply means software that costs nothing.
It is particularly incorrect as many people pay for Linux (whether it's a few $$$ for a cheap CD or a full distribution).

The use of the word freeware probably puts a lot of corporations off the idea of using Linux.

Every person who uses the term 'freeware' when referring to Linux should be politely emailed suggesting the correct terms to use (no offensive flaming, just constructive criticism).
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MS Tax?

[booch]

Umm, didn't Microsoft agree not to charge per-processor in their 1995 consent decree? I'm pretty sure that they did. If they did agree to that but are still doing it, I think the DOJ has another case ahead....

I coulda been a contenda

[Extremist]

Hrm. I thought UNIX WAS the one to beat. When you put Linux in with UNIX, marketshare makes NT look small. Maybe it's just knee-jerk reaction, but I think Bill and Dell are up to something. Hopefully I'm completely wrong.

Distribution

[itp]

Just for the record, in the late 2.1/2.2pre kernels, SMP has been very very happy for me. While I'm sure work always remains, the current code is excellent.

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Dell Officially Supporting Linux...

[tsikora]

Funny how money changes things. 6 months ago
Dell was asked whether they would consider
installing Linux as an alternative OS. Their relpy? When hell freezes over or something to that affect. "Dell does not use shareware or freeware on their systems."

Cut rate servers are GREAT for Linux

[A nonymous Coward]

Just imagine, what with no W2K tax, and Linux efficiency and performance, the savvy buyers will buy the Linux cut rate server at half the price and laugh all the way to the bank. Then as word gets out...

Can youimagien PC Week or one of those rags comparing a cut rate Linux server against a dual PII W2K octsing twice as much? I drool in anticipation.

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Nothing revolutionary....

[NikoDemous]

While this is good news IMHO it's not earth shattering. In fact the article is a bit behind the times in that some of the usual FUD about no support for Linux etc. I don't know where or why journalists feel the need to write about that which they know nothing about. I guess repeating rumours is easier than investigation. Even a cursory investigation would have revealed that there are numurous avenues for commercial support....maybe I'm just tired and took it out of context... :-)

Cheers,

Nick
LSG

Sounds great

[Artemis]

Even more support for Linux in the commercial world, it just keeps getting better. :) It would be nice to be able to have a huge vendor/distributor like Dell [dell.com] for Linux. Hopefully this will increase some ITs awareness on Linux.

Force Recon Half-Life TC: Check it out [cass.net]

Sweet.

[Atrophis]

A move like this could get other companies to do the same, if Dell pulls this off, it would really make a impact on linux in the server side environment in major businesses.

Really nice too see someone comming to their sences. =)