Dell's list of why to buy one with Ubuntu

Surprised Dell is so enthusiastic as some of the claims aren't quite the whole truth... Like stating that openoffice is not available in windows, or that MS Office formats are fully supported.<p>Regardless, I get more and more respect for Dell as they continue to embrace MS alternatives.

Their list isn't compelling. Especially for a mainstream consumer. The list basically argues that Ubuntu doesn't suck. Most of the topics try to position Ubuntu as comparable to Windows. Being comparable isn't going to motivate a consumer to switch. Especially when they have been using Windows for xx years.<p>Too much selling features, not enough selling benefits.

The validity (or compellingness) of that list aside, the copywriting is atrocious. It makes me feel like Dell (or at least their marketing department) is only paying lip service to Linux - I could never imagine that quality of writing showing up anywhere else in their advertising.

Is Microsoft still subsidizing windows to meet linux system price points?<p>I bought an Ubuntu loaded HPMini9 and saved about one hundred dollars over the windows version. That's the real value in my opinion. Not just at the sale but the investment in linux familiarity means a free(as in beer) alternative becomes usable going into the future.<p>My main PC has seen 2 windows versions so far, both paid for.

The Games checkbox was a little misleading. The vast majority of the types of games a typical Windows PC "Joe Blow" kind of user expects to play are Windows-only and/or don't run (or run well anyway) on Linux. Some games, yes. And Flash or browser-based games, sure.

&#62; The vast majority of viruses and spyware written by hackers are not designed to target and attack Linux.<p>No wonder people think "hacker" is a bad thing.

<i>Ubuntu connects you to the Internet in seconds</i><p>Seconds from when? From a few seconds before you connect to the Internet? I'm impressed.

I think they meant "included free" instead of "included fee" for the photo editing line on the last graphic, no?

"Depending upon the Dell computer your purchase, boot times can be around 30 seconds!"<p>I'm always slightly embarrassed to read exclamations like this knowing it'll wind up as the laughing stock of Reddit/HN in ten years' time.

Hmm, arguing GNU/Linux is better than Windows on security is passé. Torvalds too often dismisses security bugs.

I'm as big a fan of Ubuntu as anyone, and I'm glad to see Dell supporting a MS alternative. However, the absence of a fully supported Linux version of iTunes prevents me from adopting Ubuntu as my primary operating system.