April, 2007

Dell + Ubuntu: Let’s contain ourselves, people!

April 30th, 2007

I’m as giddy as the rest of y’all. Yes, Dell will pre-install Ubuntu on Dell hardware.
Some of us have been waiting for this news for a while, either in the affirmative or the negative. After all, it was over a month ago when Dell closed its Linux survey. A bunch of different commercial and community-based distros rallied to get their Linux represented. And then silence. Dell didn’t let us know how, when, or what they’d do with the data. They thanked us, but dat about it.
So it was very exciting to hear this evening first a rumor via Dell, and a confirmation via Canonical that yes, Dell will support Ubuntu.

But let’s be gracious here :D . DesktopLinux.com wrote “Dell to choose Ubuntu,” in a tone suggesting only one Linux could be chosen. Mos def some of this language is left over from the Dell’s own Linux survey, where one could vote for only one flavor of Linux for Dell to install. But remember bug #1 people. It isn’t that Fedora has majority market share :D . Let’s hope Dell’s experience of offering Ubuntu is so delightful, they get involved with other flavors of Linux, and get on the right side of bug #1 ;D

Posted in business model, dell, disruptive, hardware, linux, open source, support, ubuntu by andy | No Comments »

Dell to preload Ubuntu Linux on some hardware

April 30th, 2007
I just have to take this moment in.

[update 11.22PM. Confirmed via Dell KB article!]
[update #2, confirmed on Dell Direct2Dell blogpost]

Dell will preload Ubuntu Linux on some desktops and laptops.

So far, two sources for this story:

1. A Canonical employee (the company most centrally involved in Ubuntu’s development and support) who has a great multilingual blog about Linux stuff, wrote:

Ubuntu will be officially supported on Dell computers. Any other details will come on www.ubuntu.com, check it for the official press release

and

2. Desktoplinux.com, who says they’ve heard the news from multiple Dell sources.

…the Austin, Texas, computer giant will be preinstalling the newly released Ubuntu 7.04. These systems will be released in late May 2007.

According to our sources, Ubuntu will be released on a Dell e-series “Essential” Dimension desktop, an XPS desktop, and an e-series Inspiron laptop.

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Posted in business, business model, canonical, community, dell, disruptive, information technology, linux, support, ubuntu by andy | No Comments »

Full Circle, the new Ubuntu magazine!

April 25th, 2007

Though it took me a little while to identify what exactly was going on on the Full Circle website, I gotta once again give the Ubuntu community credit for knowing how to make it easy to learn about, enjoy, evangelize, and contribute to the Ubuntu Linux distribution and its related projects and goals.

Full Circle is a new free magazine from the Ubuntu community. Full Circle is made up of both a PDF, with a traditional magazine layout that you can download (and print), and web-based content that includes forums and articles in development.

PDF available for download in multiple languages here.

Posted in community, free, full circle, global, journalism, linux, magazine, open source, ubuntu by andy | No Comments »