[conspire] Re: 19% Of Small- And Medium-Sized

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Jose Sanchez (jose_sanchez79 at yahoo.com):

> Dell tried selling linux desktops two years ago but
> failed (maybe it was bad timing)or linux was getting
> more recognition in the server spectrum.
> http://www.silug.org/lists/silug-discuss/200108/msg00045.html

Dell was never serious about selling Linux preloads on desktops (or
laptops).  (1) The pricing was ridiculous:  You actually had to pay
_extra_ to get a not-particularly-good Red Hat preload (which,
realistically, you would want to immediately blow away to get competent
parititioning), and anyone with common sense bought instead the cheaper
(!) Microsoft-OS preload bundle and then installed the Linux system of
his choice.

(2) The Web pages offering such things were deeply buried and never
linked from any of Dell's main Web pages.  It was essentially impossible
to come across them without already knowing of them in advance.

So, I ascribe no significance whatsoever to the disappearance of Dell's
desktop (and laptop) offers for individual users -- because they were
never realistic offerings in the first place.  

Please note that Dell has for many years offered Red Hat preloads on
basically any model whatsoever -- and still does so -- if the order is
placed through a corporate purchasing program, meeting minimum quantity
requirements.

-- 
Cheers,             "Don't use Outlook.  Outlook is really just a security
Rick Moen            hole with a small e-mail client attached to it."
rick at linuxmafia.com                        -- Brian Trosko in r.a.sf.w.r-j