Dell makes Linux an option
One of the big obstacles for anyone in the general public who wanted to try Linux was that they had to install it themselves. Until the anti-trust ruling, Microsoft forced major computer manufacturers to install only Windows. You couldn’t even buy a blank system from Dell, for example. You had to buy a system with Windows. Although experienced PC users could dual-boot or even just wipe off Windows and install Linux, the average home PC owner had neither the time nor the expertise to try to install Linux. Linux distros have also not been that easy to get working with many home setups because of driver and other problems. Even today, installing Linux can be more than most home users can deal with.
Now, however, there may be a way to get a system that a home user can use out of the box without having to face the eccentricities of Linux installation. Dell has announced that it will start selling computers with Linux already installed. Whether Joe and Jane Computer User will be interested is a question but the fact is that many home PC users could be well served by a Linux system. Unfortunately, it would take a major marketing campaign to get that fact across and the splintered Linux community is unlikely to be able to sell Linux to a world where Microsoft has a lock on the home PC market. Dell is likely targeting the Linux enthusiasts rather than the general home market.
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