IT Likely To Like Ubuntu on Dell

We're not surprised. In our Linux analysis earlier this year, we discussed the usability of Ubuntu (see "Do You Ubuntu?") The distro is incredibly popular among IT pros, easy to install--its slogan is "Linux for Human Beings," after all--and comes with a sweet Synaptic Package Manager GUI. Given advances in open-source desktop apps like OpenOffice, it's a natural for tech-savvy consumers who don't want to pony up the cash and CPUs for Vista. Lorna Garey Executive Editor

Dell said this week that it is close to shipping new notebooks and PCs that will run the increasingly popular Ubuntu version of the Linux operating system.

According to the company's Web site, Dell will soon begin offering Canonicals' latest version, Ubuntu 7.04, as an option on select Dell consumer models in the United States.

The Ubuntu release will focus on consumer products. Dell said it will continue to offer a wide variety of Linux options on business desktops and servers, including Red Hat factory-installed on Dell's Precision workstations and Novell certification of all business systems.