It's Official: Dell to Offer Linux Systems
William Morgan
Open source operating systems like Linux let you examine every line of source code if you want. It can't do things behind your back without knowing it. I believe there is no place in the future for corporate control of everyone's computer.
The difficulty in the past has been that one had to be a bit of a geek to install Linux, but Dell has responded to users' desires by (soon) offering computers with Linux all set up and ready to go. These computers will not be constantly contacting Bill Gates (and God knows who else?) to get permission to do what you want to do.
Another problem with Linux has been that are fewer applications written for that system, but that is also changing rapidly. Free and open source software is exploding at sites like SourceForge.net . As more people move to Linux out of disgust with Microsoft more and more applications will appear.
If I were buying a new machine today I think it would be a Linux machine. Converting my current machine would be a little more complicated, but if I get a new hard drive I will probably make in a Linux drive and use a dual boot system. In that case the user is asked when the machine turns on, "Windows or Linux?." If you don't feel like being spied on that day, you click on "Linux." I would then only use Windows for certain applications for which there is not a Linux equivalent.
I am actually very glad about the Vista release; it is going to greatly speed up this movement toward free and open source operating systems and get yet another giant greedy corporation out of our lives.
Although Dell has a certain notoriety about poor customer support, we must applaud them here for being the first big company to listen the users about their desire for an alternative to Windows.
DELL ANNOUNCES LINUX (http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/ubuntu?c=us&cs=19&l=en&)