:NewsForge: Two on Dell's Forward and Back Desktop Moves
NewsForge: Two on Dell's Forward and Back Desktop Moves Jul 8, 2004, 01 :00 UTC (6 Talkback[s]) (7237 reads) (Other stories by Chris Preimesberger)
Will Dell's New Linux Desktops Start a Gray-Market Trend?
"Sorry, but Linux will never be completely accepted by the consuming public in the United States until one can walk into a mainstream store such as Best Buy, Fry's, or Circuit City and buy such a computer off the shelf--or on the Web--from a name-brand maker.
"There are lots of reasons why this is taking so long. Microsoft, of course, is the main barrier, since it ostensibly--though unofficially--doesn't allow any of its U.S. computer hardware OEM partners to diminish its Windows franchise by implanting the feared Linux system on their desktop offerings. If the OEMs do ignore the back-room Microsoft 'directive,' they risk losing that tempting flow of MS-generated dollars into their corporate accounts..."
Why Dell is Scurrying to Cover its Tracks in Linspire Deal
"It doesn't take a genius, or even Smarty Jones, to figure out what's been happening in the hallowed halls of Microsoft Corp. and Dell Computer the last few hours. A bit of background, for those new to the situation: Linspire and Dell Italian channel partner Questar jointly announced that they are making available pre-loaded Linux desktop computers at a fair price.
"It's very simple: Questar is the salesman, Dell the manufacturer, Linspire provides the OS. What's wrong with that? Sounds like a good capitalist partnership deal to us..."
