Dell Supports Linux on the Desktop Big-Time

I've been using Linux (Slackware) as my primary OS at home for quite some time now. I'm a hacker so I like Slackware because I can configure it exactly the way I want.

If you aren't a hacker but want to try Linux, just check out Ubuntu. You can try it simply by burning the ISO image to a CD, configuring your computer to boot from the CDROM drive, and then restarting the computer after inserting the CD. Ubuntu will load itself and run right from the CD. It will not touch your existing installation. After you reboot and remove the CD, Ubuntu Linux will be completely gone and your existing install will be exactly the same as it was before.

If you chose to install Ubuntu, you will have options. You can dual boot, or overwrite your existing OS. It's entirely up to you.

If you still think that Linux on the desktop is some distant far off in the future dream, consider that Dell is taking steps to make sure that it can satisfy the demand for non-Windows, Linux-workstation installs. This is despite the fact that Dell will almost certainly face a punitive response from Microsoft that could impact Dell's bottom line. Nonetheless, Dell is looking to the future.

Think about it, in the time it takes you to download a CD ISO image, burn it, and reboot the computer, you could be trying out a free (as in beer) operating system that could change the way you use computers. Well, maybe that is a bit dramatic, but at the worst, at least you would have had an interesting experience in a few short minutes.

Dell acknowledges the strength of demand for Linux workstations.

Still don't think its time to give Linux a try on the desktop? That's OK, you will.

Ubuntu Download Page