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Stop making excuses, and start paying attention. WE WANT LINUX!!!

Linux submitted by homer 02/28/07

Dear Michael Dell,

By now, many people will have started reading Blogs and articles about how you have back-peddled on your commitment to listen to your customers' wishes. Here's just one:

http://blog.lobby4linux.com/archives/104-So,-How-Does-It-Feel-To-Have-Been-Ha...

[Edit] Here's a more "high profile" article, from The Inquirer:

Dell backs down from Linux promise

That makes this site (DellIdeaStorm) nothing but a farce.

First you ask us what we want, then you just blatantly ignore us. What exactly was the point in asking us what we want? Is this some kind of sick joke?

Maybe you were taken off guard, and hadn't anticipated the vast demand for Linux that happened, but it did happen, so deal with it ... or be perceived as a liar and a charlatan.

If you amalgamate all the various Linux "idea" posts on this site, and tally up the total votes, you're looking at something like TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND VOTES FOR LINUX. Are you just going to ignore that, and pretend it never happened?

Here's your response to this amazing phenomenon so far, and my comments:

We are listening, and as a result, we are working with Novell to certify our corporate client products for Linux, including our OptiPlex desktops, Latitude notebooks and Dell Precision workstations.

Well you are obviously not listening. The vast majority of the Linux requests on this site are not from "corporate" customers, they are from end users seeking home computing Linux solutions. Are you listening yet?

This is another step towards ensuring that our customers have a good experience with Linux on our systems.

It's not a step forward, it's a sidestep shuffle. What exactly are you afraid of ... that people might actually prefer Linux to Windows? I could build and "certify" a Linux workstation in 20 minutes, without the assistance of production facilities and a team of engineers, why is this such a problem for the world's biggest OEM?

Are you suggesting that Linux somehow represents a "problem" with regards to hardware, and that it's going to take a team of rocket scientists months to discover Linux compatible components?

Right now, Linux works with virtually the same hardware that WIndows XP does, and considerably more hardware than Vista ... but that doesn't seem to have prevented you "certifying" Vista (a.k.a. Windows ME2). What a joke!

As this community knows, there is no single customer preference for a distribution of Linux. In the last week, the IdeaStorm community suggested more than half a dozen distributions. We don't want to pick one distribution and alienate users with a preference for another.

No, no, no, no. That's not how it works. This is just more excuses.

At the end of the day, Linux is Linux is Linux. The distro is not that significant (other than the distinction between a commercial or community distro).

Surely the CEO of one of the world's biggest companies can make a decision.

Pick a Linux distro and run with it. And stop making excuses.

My personal preference is for Fedora Core, but if you offered an Ubuntu desktop machine, I'd buy it, because (like I said) at the end of the day it is Linux that is important, not the distro. My primary motivation is to keep my money out of Microsoft's pockets and have an OS ... any OS ... that is not Windows. I can, and probably will, switch between half a dozen distros during the lifespan of that hardware.

However, it is extremely important that you offer pre-installed Linux workstations to end-users, rather than just "OS-free" systems, because without this option, you will be helping to perpetuate the misconception that Linux is not popular. Well congratulations, you have just discovered exactly how much of a misconception this really is. Maybe you should have considered DellIdeaStorm years ago, rather than sit around waiting for point-of-sale figures that could not ever accurately reflect the popularity of something that is a free download.

Trust me ... you will not alienate anyone by making a firm choice of distro support. I'm sure the tens of thousands of home users, who are demanding Linux from Dell, will be overjoyed just to have a choice of any Linux distro.

We want users to have the opportunity to help define the market for Linux on desktop and notebook systems.

This is just nonsensical marketing gobbledegook. Say what you mean, and stop obfuscating the truth with gibberish.

You can "define" the market right now ... by selling us what we want, rather than what Microsoft dictates you sell to us. The 200000+ vote for Linux should be a clear enough "definition" for anyone ... who's prepared to listen ... and not bury his head in the sand.

In addition to working with Novell,

Bad move. By all means offer Microvell to any corporate user gullible enough to swallow Steve Ballmer's baseless FUD about Microsoft's intellectual property, but I think you'll find home users rather less than receptive to any distro offerings from any company that sleeps with the enemy.

we are also working with other distributors and evaluating the possibility of additional certifications across our product line.

This is the only promising statement in the whole response, but it sounds like a lot of hot air to me.

Actions, not words.

GIVE US LINUX!

Are you trying to rejuvenate sales or not? Give the customers what they want.

We are continuing to investigate your other Linux-related ideas, so please continue to check here for updates.

Oh I'll be sure to, but I'm not holding my breath. Microsoft has you far too firmly under their thumb for me to seriously expect any positive changes at Dell.

Thanks for giving us all a glimmer of (false) hope, though. 68 Comments »

Provide Linux compatibility information on all products up front

Advertising and Marketing, Linux submitted by spm 02/21/07 **REVIEWED**

My company used to buy all out IT products from Dell. The main reason we don't buy any Dell products any more is that it is so difficult to get information from Dell on Linux compatibility, except from a few very expensive high end products. Calling Dell product support to find out if a particular product will work with Linux and where to get drivers is an offputting experience. Dell sales staff seem to take a perverse delight in telling customers that they don't support Linux, and when I tell them that I don't want support from them, only compatibility and driver information, they tell me that they can't give me that information, nor information on chipsets which might allow me to locate information from elsewhere.

The bottom line is that I expect at the very least to be provided compatibility and chipset information before I buy a PC. Neither myself or any other customer is going to buy a Dell PC to test it on Dells behalf - product testing and certification is the manufacturer's responsibility, not mine. White box suppliers, and other mail order suppliers on the other hand are only too willing to provide motherboard, chipset, and component information etc. to allow me to check compatibility.

The reason why we no longer buy any Dell products is simple - we use a small number of Linux PCs in our office and all the servers in our office run Linux. We buy all hardware, peripherals including low end desktop hardware so that they are deployable with both Linux and Windows. We do this for obvious reasons - for example, we might want to plug in a printer originally purchased for use with Windows into a Linux server print queue, and we may want server applications to print to the printer. We may want to redeploy Windows Desktops later as Linux desktops - for example to use as a shared data access desktop. Therefore, although our desktop PCs are overwhelmingly Windows, we won't buy any hardware that isn't Linux compatible, even if it is intended for use with Windows initially. Dell unfortunately doesn't meet those needs, and we cannot buy equipment from Dell. I am sure a lot of other companies which use Linux in the office have similar issues.

Here is what Dell needs to do to have a chance of winning our (and other's) custom:

1) Advertise and inform about Linux compatibility or otherwise. Finding out about compatibility before buying is the most difficult thing about Linux, not installation or configuration. Any company that can do this has a huge advantage for little or no cost.
2) Provide full Linux compatibility information on all Dell products - not just high end desktops. Ideally, certify products for the top distros - RHET, SLES, Debian, the latest free Fedora, OpenSuSE, Ubuntu if possible. Linux users don't necessarily want a preload - most Linux users are quite capable of installing Linux themselves and would probably install some other Linux distro if one was pre-installed. Preinstallation is only useful to us as an indication that the product is Linux compatible. If a feature is only partially supported by Linux, say so and say what is supported - Linux users will understand, and may not need all the features, or like us they may only want the Linux compatibility for possible future redeployment. If driver support is external (most will be) then provide links pointing to those sites in Dell support, and if you need to make a disclaimer to avoid liability for a third party products outside Dell's control, do so. Again Linux users will understand.
3) Exclude products from the Dell inventory that don't support Linux as far as possible. Generally for every part that is not Linux compatible, there is one that is Linux compatible for the same price.
4) Don't ask customers to pay the Microsoft tax. Linux machines or no-OS machines with zero cost OS and no support should cost significantly less than a Windows pre-loaded machine. Customers know when they are being cheated and don't like it.
5) Linux support (except for driver information) is not usually required (except for servers), only web based information. If the customer needs Linux support, it will probably be from an independent consultant/techie rather than from Dell. Sell your Linux PCs as "Linux OEM - no support" PCs at a significantly lower cost than the equivalent Windows PC.
6) Linux on the desktop is most competitive on the low end desktop - particularly for schools etc. Sell Linux PCs preloaded onto low end desktop computers with appropriate free software for that market, at a competitive price rather than on high end workstations.


Upfront Linux capability would be difficult to implement on our web store. But, check some of the alternatives john_h posted.




21 Comments »

We don't care which Linux distribution you support

Operating Systems, Service and Support, Software submitted by mkirkland 02/26/07

Pick whatever works best for you. So long as you make sure there are working drivers for one distribution, all the others can pick up from there and integrate what you release.

You can have whatever distribution makes you the most money in support contracts all shinnied up with Dell emblazoned all over it for people who just want to turn it on and go a la Mac, and let the rest of us worry about our own distributions.

Just give us the tools to do it. 3 Comments »

Linux

Linux, Sales Strategies, Desktops and Laptops submitted by nick_inspironvista 02/21/07

Offer the choice to have Linux installed on Dell computers.

e.g:

Windows Vista Home Premium: add $50
Windows Vista Business: add $60
Ubuntu 6.10 Linux with OpenOffice: add $20
SuSE 10.2 Linux with OpenOffice: add $20
Fedora Core 6: add $20
No Operating System installed: subtract $

This is in support of Linux on Dell's. 1 Comment »

Linux Hardware Compatibility List

Linux, Service and Support submitted by philip 02/22/07

Provide a List of all your Hardware and the Support of the most popular Linux Distros like Fedora, Ubuntu, SuSE, Debian for it. Mark the Hardware Items as Supported, Supportet with extra Driver, Not Supportet 1 Comment »

Driver disks

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Linux, Desktops and Laptops submitted by jeffcityjon 02/20/07

All systems should be shipped with a driver disk. The disk should contain Windows and Linux drivers. If the system has a 64 bit processor, then 32 and 64 bit drivers should be included for both Windows and Linux. 3 Comments »

Make spare parts prices sane.

Sales Strategies submitted by macka 03/14/07

Don't take it when it comes to upgrade prices. It's Dell that is losing out here.

If the prices Dell charged for upgrades were sane (ie 20-30% premium), then I personally would buy Dell replacement parts (for out of warranty or machines needing an upgrade).

Unfortunately in many cases, especially for laptops, the prices Dell charge for upgrades after P&P and VAT are three to six TIMES (no kidding) the price I could buy on the open market. This is just nuts.

While I prefer to keep all the inventory supplied by a single manufacturer, I insist on buying all our after-market parts on the open market. Probably half of our IT spend on hardware comprises these after-market parts, so it's a lot of money Dell is missing out on here. 4 Comments »

Physical off-switch for cameras and microphones

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) submitted by steve2 03/24/07

With advances in connection speed, compression technology and pattern recognition technology microphones and cameras may soon become security issues for private data outside the computer (and inside the computer like troians sniffing the root password from the sound of you typing it on the keyboard. this has already been demonstrated).
What i want is a physical off switch (one that cuts off power, not one that just tells the computer to put it into standby) for all microphones and cameras and other devices that gather data from the environment. 4 Comments »

Require Publicly available Specifications for your components

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Advertising and Marketing submitted by jd 02/19/07

With the influence you have on the component suppliers, why not require them to provide specifications for the devices to the public? Network cards, video cards, RAID controllers all should have the programming specifications available. The Linux and *BSD groups will flock to the hardware platforms that have documented programming interfaces. It will cost you nothing to implement. Intel, TI and Broadcom, are you willing to lose business? 3 Comments »

Dell E-vote on which linux distro Dell will offer- "The Dell Linux Distro Elections"

IdeaStorm, Linux submitted by arclight 02/24/07 **IMPLEMENTED**

Why not have a online E-Vote about which linux distro to offer.

As the Ideastorm community update pointed out, even though there is a lot of interest in "linux"- there is diverse opinions about what is the best distro and which ones Dell should offer. Its not practical to offer all of them, yet in the end any single distro will result in complaints and be a compromise.

Rather then try to decide independently which distro to offer first, host a online e-vote election where distro's can be nominated and run in a large online election.

By having an organized election:
*it will be limited to clear choices (distro's that were nominated)
*Each will get the same exposure to voters, and in the same time frame.

In the long run, any number of distros could be offered but this could help make it clear what distro has a lot of support and take the 'heat' off Dell for whatever choice it does make. If a distro team is angry they did not get elected its the community not Dells fault, and they could always run again next year in another linux election.

Consider this excerpt from the Dell IdeaStorm February 23, 2007 release:

"As this community knows, there is no single customer preference for a distribution of Linux. In the last week, the IdeaStorm community suggested more than half a dozen distributions. We don't want to pick one distribution and alienate users with a preference for another. "

Dell does not have to pick, the community can choose for them with an election.

--Update March 13th--

They heard! From Ideas In Action:

March 13, 2007

Linux – We’re listening... Now Tell Us More... : )
The IdeaStorm community’s interest in open source solutions like Linux on Dell platforms has come through loud and clear. Many of you have suggested a survey to help Dell determine which distribution is most popular, and we think that’s a great idea. Based on your idea, we now have a short survey, which will be open until March 23, where you can tell us more about your favorite distribution of Linux, your preferred method of support, and more.

To access our Linux survey, see today’s blog post on Direct2Dell. We hope you’ll continue to be a part of this discussion on Direct2Dell and IdeaStorm, and check back for more details as we gather your input.

Here are the links (survey ended)

Link to the blog here here

Link to the survey here (survey ended link removed)

--Update March 24th--

The Dell linux survey ended.
Check out the Idea in Action that gives the details on the Linux survey.




22 Comments »

No Extra Software Option

Software submitted by ootleman 02/16/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**

Would love the ability to have a clean Vista install. No AOL software, no earthlink software, no google software - just a clean, original OS.


Check out jeremy_f's update on our current software options.


591 Comments »

Linux-Compatible Components

Linux submitted by jtoegel 02/22/07

I think Dell should choose Linux-Compatible components for its PCs, i.e. no components from manufacturers which are supported by the linux kernel, a GPL Driver or at least a binary driver provided for major linux distributions. That would also force manufacteres to publish the specifications of their Products, which would make Life much easier for both Linux and Windows users as well as for PC manufacturers like Dell. 3 Comments »

Linux certification for hardware

Linux submitted by godji 02/20/07

It would be great if, when customizing a computer (laptop or desktop doesn't matter), there would be some indication about what hardware will work with Linux. On systems where all hardware is supported, there could be an option to have no operating system preinstalled, or have Linux preinstalled. Also, such systems should have some sot of sticker, similar to the ubiquitous "Designed for Windows Whatever". The sticker could say "Designed for Linux" or "Works with Linux" or "Linux Ready", etc.

The motivation is that a customer should be able to buy a computer to use Linux on, without worrying about hardware that will not work with a free operating system. Unfortunately such devices still exists; Dell should be alerting customers to their presence. 1 Comment »

Solid State Drive as option in Notebooks

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by tablet205 03/28/07 **IMPLEMENTED**

Definition

A solid state drive is primarily a data storage device, for use in computing applications that traditionally use a hard disk drive.

A solid state drive is based on non-volatile memory instead of the spinning platter and mechanical-magnetic head found in a conventional hard disk drive. With no moving parts, a solid state drive eliminates seek time, latency and other electro-mechanical delays and failures associated with a conventional hard disk drive.

Advantages

* Faster startup - Since no spin-up required.
* Faster read time – In some cases, twice or more than that of the fastest hard drives.
* Low read and write latency (seek) time, hundreds of times faster than a mechanical disk.
* Faster boot and application launch time - Result of the faster read and especially seek time. But only if application already resides in flash and is more dependent on read speed than other issues, eg. OS bootup that detects devices will not be significantly sped up even with faster seeks & reads.
* Lower power consumption and heat production - no mechanical parts results in less power consumption.
* No noise - Lack of mechanical parts makes the SSD completely silent.
* Better mechanical reliability - Lack of mechanical parts results in less wear and tear. High level of ability to endure extreme shock, vibration and temperatures, which apply to laptops and other mobile devices, or when transported.
* Security - allowing a very quick "wipe" of all data stored.
* Deterministic performance - unlike mechanical hard drives, performance of SSDs is constant and deterministic across the entire storage. "Seek" time is constant, and performance does not deteriorate as the media fills up (See: Fragmentation).
* Lower weight and (depending upon type) size
* Faster than conventional disks on random I/O
Check out the Idea in Action on the SSD enhancements Dell is making.




49 Comments »

OS Reinstall CD's

Service and Support submitted by xhotardx 02/24/07

How about auctually including real install cd's for the original OS. So when you have to reimage I dont have to spend 2 hours uninstalling stuff that I dont want. Why can these not be provided for free? If a consumer is paying for a license there is no reason that you cant front the 4 cents and give them a copy of that software (even microsoft is cool with that). 10 Comments »

Upgradable Linux Media Center

Linux, Desktops and Laptops submitted by swirtun 02/20/07

A media center PC with expensive and nice box, with an amplifier, and other stuff to satisfy a HiFi user, but with the replaceable PC parts. PCs get obsolete much faster then good music gear so why replace the whole thing, it should be possible to just replace the PC parts, and it should of course run Linux. 4 Comments »

Pre-install Linux with option of licensed codecs

Linux, Desktops and Laptops submitted by dominicwise 02/20/07

Provide customers with the option to have Linux pre-installed as an alterrnative to Windows when purchasing a PC or laptop. As there are a huge number of Linux distributions available it might be sensible to offer from a few of the most popular ones e.g. Ubuntu, OpenSuse, Fedora which can be freely distributed at no cost. This would provide a competitive advantage as with zero licensing fees lower prices could be offered to customers.

Because of patent laws in some countries many freely downloadable Linux distributions do not provide certain 'essential' software such as decoders for commercial DVDs and other comon media formats as part of their core distribution. There is at least one company (whose name escapes me for now) that allows a user to purchase a bundle of licensed media codecs that can be legally installed on Linux in most, if not all jurisdictions. Offering somehing like this as an option at purchase would make it possible for users to access common media content without having to jump through hoops or risk straying onto the wrong side of the law.

9 Comments »

Remove: "Dell recommends Windows Vista™..." from any publication

Advertising and Marketing submitted by tho.meier 02/21/07

It would be nice to see advertising without any Micro$oft, from Dell. I think there is enough advertising for MS from MS it self.

Somthing linke: "Dell supports muli-OS" would look good! Od: "Dell gives you the real choice" 61 Comments »

AVG Free Edition (Virus and Spyware Utilities) Installation Option

Software submitted by solidsource 02/19/07

Allow for AVG (or other virus software/spy ware manufacture alternative) instead of, or alongside, the other options (Norton,etc...). AVG is a comprehensive suite of virus and spy ware protection applications that remains very un-intrusive compared to the other options Dell provides. Simply allowing for an alternative(s) to the big 2 would be great. 8 Comments »

Bring support back.........

Service and Support submitted by onthemovefit 02/17/07

Dell used to have the best support, so good you advertised being the consumers choice. Now, at least for home based support, Dell's support is terrible. Business support still seems to do a good job. It's time for Dell to get back to basics.

As an Software Developer for 15yrs I always used Dell's products. First Dell computer was a Pentium II Workstation. I also would recommend Dell products to anyone who would listen. This has now stopped. The last person I recommended to Dell had such terrible support (from india) I doubt they'd ever buy a Dell again. I've even considered looking elsewhere for my next laptop and PC. Comment »