OK, so now I really need to get a book on Linux and start learning for real. Ever since it became apparent that Microsoft would, in fact, be releasing their abomination of an Operating System known as Vista (my pre-release analysis of which you can find here.), I’ve been worried about buying a new system. I don’t want to pay for Microsoft crap I don’t want and I don’t want to deal with bootleg OSs anymore. Certainly not if I have an OS that I bought already!

So what to do? Well, it looks at least in the short term as though Dell is going to start boxing systems with the Linux OS installed from the factory:

Dell: we’re going Linux, and it’s all because of you - Engadget

Linux will soon be pre-installed on consumer desktops and laptops outside their server and Precision desktop lineup — hoorah! What we’re most curious about: when going to configure your system, how much money will one save by ducking out of the “Microsoft tax”? No word on when we’ll get to find out what the magic number is, but we imagine the Linux rollover won’t be immediate since Dell still has some serious work to do not only with the driver and software end of things to make future machines fully open-source, but also prepping and training its end-user support staff to get Linux-compatible, as it were.

That’s good news for a lot of people, but especially those of us who would like to pay for a faster-performing machine that. . . well, performs faster. Spending top-dollar on a new system only to have it grind to a halt because Microsoft wanted to add in a few more features doesn’t sound like money well spent to me.

Now for the potential down-side: customer support. For those of you who don’t own Dells, let me tell you that their support all comes from India, and no offense to those hard-working kids in India, the support sucks ass. It’s not their fault alone: Dell has a rigid system of checks which no Indian recent college graduate would dare contradict for fear of losing their job. That is a failing of the company, in my opinion, because if you cannot trust your help you need to get new help.

But whatever. The point is: they’re going to need to turn this whole ship around in order to accommodate Linux. That’s no small task and there will be a lot of hurt, pissed-off customers in the process. Even those who know Linux will have problems because techs on the phone who do not and are stuck with a rigid process that doesn’t allow them to deviate will not be able to support the machine without correct processes.

But, it bears mentioning that Dell is probably already having this same problem with Vista.

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