[ILUG] Dell's pathetic Linux device support

[John Madden]

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On (22/01/04 17:20), Aidan Delaney didst pronounce:
> machines.  Can we get Dell to do the same?  All I'm looking for is  
> source to (win)modems but I'm sure others are not happy with the  
> support for some of their network cards etc...
> 
In my experience, the only way to get any sort of reaction out of Dell
when you mention linux is to contact Michael Dell directly. Even then,
the feedback I got from them was miserable. On the other hand, I was
trying to give back Winblows XP which was shipped with the laptop, and
which I don't want.

> a) How much (if anything) have you bought from Dell in the last year?
1 x Inspiron 500M

> b) How many sales (if any) have Dell lost in the last year because of  
> their lousy GNU/Linux support?
None, to me. But I have recommended to others looking for a linux laptop
to look elsewhere.

> c) How much will you be buying in the next year and will Dell be  
> considered a viable supplier?
If I'm looking for linux support, I won't buy from Dell again. If it's a
desktop, I'll buy the components and assemble it myself. If it's a
laptop, I'll look elsewhere for somewhere where I can at least buy one
without Winblows pre-installed.

As far as I know, Dell were forced out of supplying desktops and laptops
with linux preinstalled by Microsoft. I presume it was some sort of OEM
deal that Dell couldn't turn down, and so had to stop offering linux as
a choice.

- -- 
Chat ya later,

John.
- --
BOFH excuse #1: clock speed
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