Set up an independent business unit for GNU/Linux systems

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5040

Set up an independent business unit for GNU/Linux systems

5040 points posted to Dell, Linux by glynmoody 03/02/07

Clearly, there is a huge pent-up demand for pre-installed GNU/Linux systems from Dell. But equally clearly, it would be difficult for Dell to make, sell and support such systems with its current business model.

Why doesn't Dell adopt the solution outlined by Harvard professor Clayton Christensen in his book The Innovator's Dilemma? That is, to set up a completely autonomous division, dedicated solely to meeting the demand for such systems - one that is not obliged to follow any of Dell's traditional practices.

Unconstrained by Dell's current methods or cost structures, it will be able to explore, devise and adopt innovative solutions to serve this very different market profitably. Dell makes money, people get their pre-installed systems.

phubert 03/02/07	Yes, this IS an alternative I would think worthy of Dell's consideration!
angel_lb 03/02/07	This or... DellLinux! I'm quite sure some distros out there would like the challenge to adapt their structure so out-of-the-box installation would fit every Dell computers out there, drivers etc, given some documentation help from Dell, if needed, to be sure every gadgets from laptops and desktops are fully functionnal.
dave0 03/02/07	@angel_lb: no, we don't need another distribution. We need Linux working and supported out-of-the-box on Dell systems.
angel_lb 03/02/07	@dave0: It is hard to support every bells and whistles on every machines any OEM makes without tailoring a distribution for it, no? Every drivers and softwares so you can exploit your computer to the maximum is hard to do sometime. If Glyn's idea takes off, it will be, so I think, for a sort of add-on/pack we can add to any distros/package managers. This is huge, instead of having your own distro. Anyway, this is another angle to the same idea, I think. Whatever it is that is it decided, it will hopefully be copied by many other makers. Would HP and Gateway follow? thinks about his old Proliant 4500, quad-processor useless because of Compaq's denial to release it's SMP code...
masinick 03/02/07	Why not get up and run with this? IBM once formed a division in Boca Raton, Florida to get into the manufacturing of personal computers. They had the top business mainframe systems in the world, and even though they were not known as such, their midrange systems division exceeded the entire size of most minicomputer companies. But they did not have anything set up to run with the microprocessor craze, even though if a "personal computer" were to catch on, they had the wherewithal and capacity to make one. So they found a relatively small chip maker (Intel), who was looking for a way to get profitable and sustain a profit, and they found another small software company (Microsoft) who wanted to put together lots and lots of computers with operating systems, and the IBM PC was born. They broke their mold, they dumped their usual corporate culture to do it, and they were wildly successful at it. What happened after a few years though? They wanted higher margins on this low margin "junk" like their mainframe and midrange divisions, so they engineered a "better" solution and tried to make it better and proprietary. They lost their edge and lost the market lead and never regained it. Because IBM is so big, they remain a powerhouse today. But unless they, and Dell, for that matter, are willing to take good risks and think outside of the box, Dell will flounder like IBM did. IT seems to be happening already. Can it be turned around? Absolutely. But you need to analyze risks and take good ones. Dell wisely saw the PC market and developed an excellent manufacturing and distribution system. That still works well for certain things. Today, the world is commoditizing around the Internet. I see Internet appliances as being a rage. Linux is a great enabler because you get the OS for nothing. So if Dell is smart, it will start screwing around with Linux in a big way. Start a division. Take chances. Count the risks and manage the cost, but do take at least some risk. Try out wild and innovative new areas and see what will work and what won't. Getting in bed with a stodgy partner isn't going to do it. You need new thinking for this kind of area. Use the Dell cash cow to invest in a new area before the cash cow starts to get hungry. Try Linux kiosks that generate income not from Linux but from creative businesses that just happen to use Linux. Give away the Linux of choice to customers that want it, and offer incentives for those who present Dell with new business ideas that end up working. Instead of belly aching about which Linux distro to support, suck it up, get a team of ten to twenty engineers and have them learn how to support five different major distros. Cut it down to the three best ones if you want, and offer them with full Dell call in support. But then offer further incentive for those who want a raw system with hardware and no implied software support. Get creative, offer multiple selling models, and price them according to what Dell saves or how the community can assist Dell in carving out new markets. But doing nothing or making excuses sends a very bad message, especially after asking and inquiring. I would think seriously about all of this. You don't have to take my suggestions, but at least use them as a stimulus for creative thinking and don't put this on the shelf. Start a division with a $300,000 investment if you are cheap or $5 million if you want to get more serious and start doing something active with it. You might start by creating some good open source Dell System Management software that is portable across Linux distros and has the source code freely available. How's that for the first suggestion?
masinick 03/02/07	Why not get up and run with this? IBM once formed a division in Boca Raton, Florida to get into the manufacturing of personal computers. They had the top business mainframe systems in the world, and even though they were not known as such, their midrange systems division exceeded the entire size of most minicomputer companies. But they did not have anything set up to run with the microprocessor craze, even though if a "personal computer" were to catch on, they had the wherewithal and capacity to make one. So they found a relatively small chip maker (Intel), who was looking for a way to get profitable and sustain a profit, and they found another small software company (Microsoft) who wanted to put together lots and lots of computers with operating systems, and the IBM PC was born. They broke their mold, they dumped their usual corporate culture to do it, and they were wildly successful at it. What happened after a few years though? They wanted higher margins on this low margin "junk" like their mainframe and midrange divisions, so they engineered a "better" solution and tried to make it better and proprietary. They lost their edge and lost the market lead and never regained it. Because IBM is so big, they remain a powerhouse today. But unless they, and Dell, for that matter, are willing to take good risks and think outside of the box, Dell will flounder like IBM did. IT seems to be happening already. Can it be turned around? Absolutely. But you need to analyze risks and take good ones. Dell wisely saw the PC market and developed an excellent manufacturing and distribution system. That still works well for certain things. Today, the world is commoditizing around the Internet. I see Internet appliances as being a rage. Linux is a great enabler because you get the OS for nothing. So if Dell is smart, it will start screwing around with Linux in a big way. Start a division. Take chances. Count the risks and manage the cost, but do take at least some risk. Try out wild and innovative new areas and see what will work and what won't. Getting in bed with a stodgy partner isn't going to do it. You need new thinking for this kind of area. Use the Dell cash cow to invest in a new area before the cash cow starts to get hungry. Try Linux kiosks that generate income not from Linux but from creative businesses that just happen to use Linux. Give away the Linux of choice to customers that want it, and offer incentives for those who present Dell with new business ideas that end up working. Instead of belly aching about which Linux distro to support, suck it up, get a team of ten to twenty engineers and have them learn how to support five different major distros. Cut it down to the three best ones if you want, and offer them with full Dell call in support. But then offer further incentive for those who want a raw system with hardware and no implied software support. Get creative, offer multiple selling models, and price them according to what Dell saves or how the community can assist Dell in carving out new markets. But doing nothing or making excuses sends a very bad message, especially after asking and inquiring. I would think seriously about all of this. You don't have to take my suggestions, but at least use them as a stimulus for creative thinking and don't put this on the shelf. Start a division with a $300,000 investment if you are cheap or $5 million if you want to get more serious and start doing something active with it. You might start by creating some good open source Dell System Management software that is portable across Linux distros and has the source code freely available. How's that for the first suggestion?
libervisco 03/02/07	This is an excellent idea. This is basically an idea that shows that the GNU/Linux community is willing to assist Dell through the difficulties of adopting GNU/Linux fully. Glyn's proposal is the first and sure sign of that, because it directly suggests something that could make things easier for Dell. They can listen to the demand and act accordingly without hurting their current system too much. Just create a new separate system and go from there! The idea is also imposing for Dell, because it compares it to IBM's historic shift of the world to personal computing.Maybe Dell can be remembered in history as a company who turned the tide in favor of the new world of Free Software commons breaking the Microsoft's monopoly once and for all. So, Dell, you just can't turn us down! Just imagine what kind of prospect you would be missing on! This is more than profits.
masinick 03/02/07	Why not get up and run with this? IBM once formed a division in Boca Raton, Florida to get into the manufacturing of personal computers. They had the top business mainframe systems in the world, and even though they were not known as such, their midrange systems division exceeded the entire size of most minicomputer companies. But they did not have anything set up to run with the microprocessor craze, even though if a "personal computer" were to catch on, they had the wherewithal and capacity to make one. So they found a relatively small chip maker (Intel), who was looking for a way to get profitable and sustain a profit, and they found another small software company (Microsoft) who wanted to put together lots and lots of computers with operating systems, and the IBM PC was born. They broke their mold, they dumped their usual corporate culture to do it, and they were wildly successful at it. What happened after a few years though? They wanted higher margins on this low margin "junk" like their mainframe and midrange divisions, so they engineered a "better" solution and tried to make it better and proprietary. They lost their edge and lost the market lead and never regained it. Because IBM is so big, they remain a powerhouse today. But unless they, and Dell, for that matter, are willing to take good risks and think outside of the box, Dell will flounder like IBM did. IT seems to be happening already. Can it be turned around? Absolutely. But you need to analyze risks and take good ones. Dell wisely saw the PC market and developed an excellent manufacturing and distribution system. That still works well for certain things. Today, the world is commoditizing around the Internet. I see Internet appliances as being a rage. Linux is a great enabler because you get the OS for nothing. So if Dell is smart, it will start screwing around with Linux in a big way. Start a division. Take chances. Count the risks and manage the cost, but do take at least some risk. Try out wild and innovative new areas and see what will work and what won't. Getting in bed with a stodgy partner isn't going to do it. You need new thinking for this kind of area. Use the Dell cash cow to invest in a new area before the cash cow starts to get hungry. Try Linux kiosks that generate income not from Linux but from creative businesses that just happen to use Linux. Give away the Linux of choice to customers that want it, and offer incentives for those who present Dell with new business ideas that end up working. Instead of belly aching about which Linux distro to support, suck it up, get a team of ten to twenty engineers and have them learn how to support five different major distros. Cut it down to the three best ones if you want, and offer them with full Dell call in support. But then offer further incentive for those who want a raw system with hardware and no implied software support. Get creative, offer multiple selling models, and price them according to what Dell saves or how the community can assist Dell in carving out new markets. But doing nothing or making excuses sends a very bad message, especially after asking and inquiring. I would think seriously about all of this. You don't have to take my suggestions, but at least use them as a stimulus for creative thinking and don't put this on the shelf. Start a division with a $300,000 investment if you are cheap or $5 million if you want to get more serious and start doing something active with it. You might start by creating some good open source Dell System Management software that is portable across Linux distros and has the source code freely available. How's that for the first suggestion?
masinick 03/02/07	Oops! I did not realize I posted multiple times... sorry! The site was totally unresponsive and I got a reject that the post did not complete, even though it DID - three times from what I see. Feel free to prune excess comments. On the other hand, read them three times and see if you at least create some new ideas from them. I wish you well in this, but take customers seriously. Asking, but then blowing them off will generate negative emotions and lost business rather than attract customers, so whatever you do, the box is open, you must act decisively.
anandvaidya 03/02/07	Fully agree. Makes sense. Dell should lead the way, I am sure IBM, HP etc will follow and soon the PC market will be one devoid of the suffocating grip of one software vendor.
jenriquez 03/03/07	Really interesting idea, makes lots of sense and lets Dell not risk its "name" (well, still some money involved but not so radical).
angel_lb 03/04/07	All in all, those are all good suggestions. I hope this gets some results.
candtalan 03/04/07	Dell has I would say only a few months to grasp this in even the most bsic way or someone else will. As a minimum, gather and collate linux drivers for the range of goods, even if incomplete, regardless of whether they come preinstalled with windows or not. There is a matter of principle I know, but if an Inspiron had a set of linux drivers I would probably buy it even with windows preinstalled, and junk windows. Dell do something really useful very very soon. Or it will slip through your fingers!
graytron 03/05/07	Just to promote this idea, I would like to point out that HP is already making real money by supporting a free (as in freedom) GNU/Linux operating system. <quote> HP is making $25 million by supporting the free Debian GNU/Linux distribution in what may ultimately turn out to be a challenge to commercial distributions from Novell and Red Hat. HP announced in August 2005 it would be offering support services for Debian, which has been one of the most popular and widest deployed community-based Linux distributions since its inception.GNU/Linux. In fiscal 2006, $25 million in hardware sales in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) were directly related to HP's Debian support. "I was pretty shocked when I found out about this," Jeffrey Wade, worldwide marketing manager of open source and Linux at HP, told internetnews.com. Wade noted that the sales figures were much greater than his own expectations. Though HP announced support for Debian last August, it was only in December that HP began to sell what it calls Debian care packs of support services. Those care packs are bundled offerings of support from HP for predetermined levels of service and response times. "When we talked in August we said that we'd be introducing a phased approach," Wade explained. "We're now in phase four of our hardware testing, and we'll be finished by the end of this quarter and then we'll have all ProLiant and Blade System Servers supported by Debian." HP support is set for the Debian Sarge release, which debuted in June 2005. Wade noted that HP is working toward certifying its hardware against the upcoming Debian Etch release, which is set for a 2007 rollout. Wade was unable to break out figures beyond EMEA, though he noted the bulk of the Debian-related sales were to SMBs and government customers. "We're the first major vendor to offer this kind of support for Debian," Wade said, adding that, by backing it, the company is validating it as an alternative to commercially branded Linux distributions for customers. HP supports both Novell SUSE Linux and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Though HP may well make more profit from a Debian-related sale since Debian is free and does not involve additional subscription fees from a third party. "We're able to offer a better value, and we can make a little bit more margin on it too," Wade said. Though HP is having success with Debian, the company is not likely to be adding another Linux distribution to its roster anytime soon. "Every additional distribution that we pick up is a big investment in testing and support which is a challenge from the service side," Wade said. "When we decided to do Debian, we had to figure out what the opportunity was and what sales we would generate. "This information exceeds what we were expecting to see." </quote> -- from an article by Sean Michael Kerner at http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3661481 I don't see why Dell couldn't provide support for Debian or other free (as in freedom) GNU/Linux operating systems and profit from it at the same time, unless Microsoft pays not to. While we are waiting for Dell to act, there's always http://lxer.com/module/db/index.php?dbn=14 and http://lxer.com/module/forums/t/23168/ .
mykrowatt 03/05/07	The selection of a distribution to offer as a pre-install is less critical than it sounds. If there is even one distro certified to run on a Dell model, then the odds are very high that nearly all contemporary distros will work. This situation will only improve as formal standardization work within the LSB community proceeds. So if a Linux-compatible hardware platform is offered, anyone but a novice can install their preferred distro. It might make sense to pick two distros for pre-installation: one a commercial one, supported by a major vendor, and the other a popular community distro explicitly offered without commercial support. The latter would cost Dell nothing. Regarding the minority of open source customers who require commercial support, the quickest way to start is by outsourcing tech support. Commercial distro vendors offer this service, as well as specialist support-only companies. Setting up a relationship might require giving them some training on Dell-specific hardware topics. Also, since commercial tech support for open source software is a niche service, it would make sense to price it separately, rather than bundle it with the sale price of the hardware with or without a pre-installed open source distro.
jeevesbond 03/06/07	I am absolutely certain that it doesn't matter what distribution Dell uses. Even if they put ObscureLinux -- Nobody's Heard of It Edition on all their computers, people would be happy because: 1. Newbies who want to explore Linux have a starting point 2. People who have a favourite distro will just wipe the drive and put their own distro on their. As long as Dell allow them to return the machine if a hardware fault arises where's the problem? I suspect the real issue here is that Microsoft will not allow Dell to pre-install Linux without losing their OEM discount. If the US Government had an 'idea storm' website, I'd be adding my vote to: 'Break Microsoft up into smaller companies'.
phubert 03/06/07	At this point, Microsoft might bluster, but I don't think they can afford to offend Dell. If they offer discounts to one provider and not to another, there might be legal issues involved... and anti-trust issues they CANNOT afford. ** However, does Dell have the guts to FACE them???
rodhuffaker 03/06/07	This is a phenomenal Idea, and Dell should definitely try to implement this. Once a company like Dell starts distributing linux, everyone else will have to jump on the bandwagon.
phubert 03/06/07	The more one considers this idea, the more viable it appears. Dell could SUDDENLY become the leader in Linux-based systems and solutions IF they chose to do so. This gets back to my thought that they should consider a MERGER with UNISYS. UNISYS ALREADY is strong in services and has already moved strongly INTO Linux support. I tend to think a Dell-UNISYS combo could offer some VERY serious competition to both HP AND IBM...
boghog 03/06/07	A truly constructive idea! Similar the Microsoft Macintosh Business Unit. Profitable, but more importantly a rich source of ideas. Dell has an innovation deficit, even worse than Microsoft's (if that is possible ;-). Nurturing a small start-up mentality within the company is exaclty what Dell needs.
t20racerman 03/06/07	Great idea! How about it Dell?
guyjohnston 03/06/07	I agree. I'd definitely buy a Dell computer if it came with a fully free (as in freedom) GNU/Linux distribution such as gNewSense preinstalled.
thatto 03/06/07	Here is an alternative to starting a whole business. Partner with an established Linux system vendor. Dell provides the vendor with a deal on hardware, and they collaborate on the system design. Once the product line is stable, and profitable, buy them out a la Alienware. Dell, saves money on the upfront startup costs, at worst if the market fails, Dell loses a little money, but gains a lot of experience. And the linux vendor, in exchange gets a chance to build a real business with the resources of a huge corporation.
viator 03/06/07	This is an excellent idea maybe dell could buy an operation like http://system76.com/ and run it as a completely seperate entity?
hscottyh 03/06/07	Here's another idea, Dell. Market dual computer linux pc, two computers in one. It's easy to do in linux, one just needs a dual video card and an extra sound card. Look at /groovix.com, they are marketing it already.
xentan 03/06/07	Dellux comes to mind as name. It does the trick for me atleast. Dellux - Open up.
benunderscore 03/06/07	don't forget that semco under ricardo semler diversified heavily based on creative suggestions from the workers and employees - and it grew into a multibillion dollar company
yfrwlf 03/06/07	I know many consumers out there who hate something about Windows, be it the cost, the crashing, or the underhanded business tactics of Microsoft. It's not just geeks, there are many in the main stream, the "normal Windows users", who are tired of Microsoft. If you offered Ubuntu or another very user-friendly Linux distro, and showed them what they would get, showed them the comparison between the two OSes, and that it would be cheaper, MUCH cheaper when you include everything you get, and much easier, or that they could have both on the same machine so they can choose, I think you'd see LOTS of people jumping onto the Linux bandwagon. Most people are in complete shock when they hear there is a free alternative to Windows. Dell could help turn the tide, and Microsoft knows it. I will be very surprised if Dell actually uses any of the pro-Linux ideas from this site. Dell will only anger the giant if they feel that is the way the industry is headed, that the giant is falling, basically only if it was a smart business decision and one that would bring money. It'd help lots of people learn that there is an alternative, and I think you'd see widespread Linux adoption. That's not how it is now though, so I think that unfortunately at first it wouldn't increase sales, it would decrease them, because I'm relatively sure M$ pays them to offer Windows, and advertise it all over their site. It's a catch22, so there needs to be more pressure and adoption by Linux first. People need to spread the word further that there is an alternative which can fulfill many of their needs. Until word of mouth spreads Linux much further, I doubt you will see any big vendors ungluing themselves from Microsoft's grip. Not trying to smother this idea, it's a great one, but we'll just see if Dell does anything about it.
slartidan 03/07/07	Getting a pre-installed Linux (especially Debian GNU/Linux) would definitely be a good argument/ a reason for me to buy a Dell product. Maybe even more important to me is NOT to have to buy a Windows OEM Version... No problem for me, if Dell is not offering any Linux-Support - In my oppinion 80% of customers that prefer a Linux-System also do know how to handle Linux-specific problems.
btolle 03/07/07	There is an economic benefit to the consumers that Dell could use to great advantage: It takes a lot less hardware to run Linux than it will take for Vista. This could give Dell a real competitive edge in the marketplace. Less hardware requirement + free (or low cost) operating system=Beat the pants off the competition.
cparker 03/07/07	I currently custom-build all of my own machines and machines for my clients to ensure there are no driver issues with the free operating systems that are eventually installed on them. If Dell were to become free software-friendly, I would strongly consider purchasing Dell machines and recommend Dell machines to my clients, instead. If Dell were to ship machines with free software--and ONLY free software--pre-installed, I would not only consider Dell, it would be a guaranteed switch from custom-built. Partnerships with hardware manufacturers who either supply free drivers for their own products or who release full specifications for their products would, therefore, be a requirement in this scenario (e.g.: free Intel graphics drivers instead of proprietary NVIDIA, ATI drivers).
burgresso 03/08/07	Perhaps Dell should acquire System76?
mdeaver 03/11/07	There are smaller PC vendors that specialize in Linux PCs, both laptops and desktops. They certify that their installed Linux distros work correctly with the hardware they sell. They will customize systems to customers' specs. Perhaps one way to fulfill Glyn Moody's idea is for Dell to partner with one or more of these companies who already have experience in this type of business model. The new partnership could operate as the autonomous "skunk works" division that Moody advocates.
angel_lb 03/13/07	Most of the people who want a GNU/Linux or no-OS computer will run GNU/Linux on it, as few to no other alternative (unless you already have a valid windows licence, amen) exists. Problem lies where new customers with no computer knowledge will try and buy one too, given the lower cost. Those will need support. From Dell or outsourced from the distro (RedHat etc..) is not important, what is important is Dell not falling short on the support for those users. If they had GNU/Linux-certified hardware, with drivers available from a CD, many would be satisfied with a no-OS solution. But for the newcomers, it's still a hard learning curve just understanding what a LiveCD is, don't ask him to pre-download a distro, burn it, and boot his new computer with it.. A easy as a distro can be, once it's installed, it must be installed. That's the kind of help/support some people will need. Not me, not many of you readers, but all the newcomers that will want to try GNU/Linux instead of Windows. That might be Dell's fear. This and MS wrath with this idea, cutting the deal and rising the OEM price for Dell.. shrugs who knows?
madell 03/14/07	I'd like to merge my little post "Dell Pro Site" with this idea as it covers very similar ground. My post: http://www.dellideastorm.com/article/show/63079/Dell_Pro_Site
angel_lb 03/15/07	Woah... Things on the move, friends.. :o) Nothing consumer-ready, but it's a first step! http://www.dell.com/linuxsurvey
rambutan 03/19/07	I doubt that Dell or any other US company has the nerve to actually market a non-Microsoft PC to the consumer market. I think the way will be led by Wall-Mart selling a Linux-Firefox-OpenOffice PC sourced from China, which distro will be a trival. Consumer PCs are a commodity item. Price will lead and Wall-Mart will harvest the profits. Once Wall-Mart breaks the ice, BestBuy and the rest will jump on board. Later US makers like Dell will "discover" the market.
phubert 03/20/07	Well, the problem THERE is that Wal-Mart is in bed with Microsoft, big time... Actually, I DON'T believe Microsoft has the muscle it once had... it's being harried on too many fronts and MAY be JUST learning of the new realities of today's IT world. Still, they are working feverishly to ensure customer lock-in with such products as Sharepoint Portal Server 2007... and lock-in is NEVER good.
rambutan 03/20/07	Just out of curiosity I checked wally-world on-line. I viewed their PC offerings and sorted by price lowest to highest, I found a $348 PC with 512MB of RAM and Linspire Linux as the first PC. Second is a windows PC with 256MB of RAM for $378. I didn't know Wall-Mart is already serving that market.
angel_lb 03/21/07	Yes, for.. hmm.. I'd say years. If I am not mistaker, Wal-Mart and Linspire thighted the knot two years ago, in 2005. I wasn't aware, however, that they were STILL offering those PCs. They deserve more credit for this initiative. Those are vanilla PCs (Not much gadget), or at least were, compared to what Dell and other makers are offering (with build-in cameras, firewire etc..) so pretty any Linux will work on those PCs, even is they were sold without any OS. But nonetheless, praise Wal-Mart doing something good, deserving more credit for. :o)
steven_pierce 04/10/07	Within Dell's current operational structure teams could be set up within both a product group and in services that tailor to the linux customer specifically. This way you would have subject matter experts working specifically with these different systems.
jervis961 04/20/07	duplicate http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/61771
premcv 04/20/07	Dupe is a Dupe, is a Dupe
flickerfly 06/09/07	@angel_lb: Please not another Distro! Dell's strength is in great hardware that works well and is sold at prices that we can all appreciate. They are a hardware company, not a software company and frankly, we don't need another distro. I'd rather not see Dell buy out Ubuntu or RedHat either. They are doing a fine job on their own. I would like to see a division of Dell, as much as I hate the idea of another division, dedicated to making contributions to Linux that allows Linux to work on a Dell as well as Windows does. This would mean some significant arm wrestling with some of the hardware vendors they order from to get drivers that work right. Perhaps it would also mean a total re-think of support, directing people with Linux computers first to other support avenues. Maybe we don't need phone tech support bundled. That could be an accompanying service like it is with open-source projects like Apache and Jabber. I know I wouldn't be likely to care about this. I just want to see that my hardware will work with Linux and have Dell use their weight with the hardware vendors.

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