Dell Prepares Ubuntu Encore

At first glance, Dell’s Ubuntu Linux strategy has hit a couple of bumps in recent weeks. But The VAR Guy has done some digging and learned that Dell and Canonical are working on a few surprises that could bolster Ubuntu’s presence in PC markets around the globe. Here’s the scoop.

Let’s start with two recent hiccups:

Basically, Dell has a PR problem on its hands: Customers and readers are wondering (A) if Dell is committed to offering new Ubuntu desktops and (B) if the Free Software Magazine article involves a single, isolated issue or indicates broader problems with Dell’s engineering.

Good News Coming

The VAR Guy isn’t a Dell Ubuntu netbook user, but generally speaking he hears good things about the mobile devices. The upshot: Free Software Magazine’s open letter to Dell may have involved an isolated incident rather than a broad engineering issue with Dell’s systems. Admittedly, that’s speculation on The VAR Guy’s part.

Now, the bigger question: Is Dell committed to Ubuntu? Multiple sources say absolutely yes.

Dell PR has been somewhat quiet in recent weeks. However, a source close to the Dell-Ubuntu efforts states the following:

The VAR Guy trusts his source and suspects a range of Dell announcements are on the way. In a potential sign of things to come, Dell now offers Ubuntu as a preinstalled option on Latitude laptops in the Netherlands. And recent Dell statements indicate that nearly one-third of the company’s netbooks ship with Linux preinstalled.

Has Dell made some errors in the way it markets Ubuntu systems? Yes. Is the company committed to introducing more systems (including desktop PCs) with Ubuntu? Here again, the answer is yes.

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