"We are spending more R&D dollars on Linux than any other
OS, given its size," Dell said. He also said Dell uses Linux
in-house in several areas, including during manufacturing for
software-image burn-in on new machines. Dell claimed the
Linux-based manufacturing system is saving the company "several
million dollars per year."
"The Dell chairman was also bullish on Linux's prospects as
a future desktop OS system. He said Linux on the desktop was
equivalent, in terms of units, to the market share owned by Mac
OS-based systems."
"He said Linux's cost, peer-to-peer code review, fluidity of
features and free online support are benefits that drive the
operating system among its customers. Dell highlighted a Toyota
Linux customer demo, in which Toyota abandoned an attempt to have
Microsoft develop a dealer-documentation system in favor of writing
its own, based on Linux."
