You can still custom-order a Linux install on orders of fifty
units or more, but this story says Dell has quietly stopped
offering Linux on its PC's and laptops: "We anticipated a little
more spillover in demand from the people buying servers," Lavender
said. "Our customers did not seem to want it though; the numbers
didn't add up.":
"Dell has quietly stopped offering the Linux operating
system as an option on its desktop and laptop PCs, saying low
demand forced the Linux-advocate to pull the software from its
online stores.
Dell has championed the open-source operating system through
investments in companies such as Red Hat and Linux desktop software
maker Eazel, which has since gone out of business. Founder and
Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell gave a speech at the
LinuxWorld conference last year in San Jose, Calif., where he
remarked that "the only thing growing faster than Linux is Linux on
Dell."
While the company has seen strong sales of Linux on workstations
and servers, it has sold few desktops and laptops this year loaded
with Linux, Dell spokeswoman Sarah Lavender said. The Austin,
Texas-based vendor dropped Linux from its PCs and laptops about six
weeks ago but did not announce the move publicly, she said."
