Have Linux fanboys taken over Dell IdeaStorm?
By James Cornelius
Linux is what people want preinstalled their new notebook PC, according to feedback on Dell’s new IdeasStorm site, where visitors are encouraged to make suggestions about future products. This raises the question: has the site has already been taken over by fanboys?
IdeaStorm, tagged “Where Your Ideas Reign”, allows users to suggest ideas for Dell products, and to ”promote” and comment on other people’s ideas. It’s a bit like Digg or Reddit.
At the time of writing the Dell “community” had contributed 1926 ideas, which had been promoted 142,231 times, and commented on 3530 times.
The suggestion to preinstall Linux has been promoted 81,919 times, while preinstalling OpenOffice had been promoted 52,232 times. Other popular suggestions have included a ”no extra software option” (ie Dell offering PCs with a clean Vista install, and no crapware), and having Firefox installed as the default browser.
When the site was first launched visitors to the site didn’t need to register, so some particularly keen users may have voted more than once for suggestions close to their heart.
A Dell spokesperson has said that all ideas will be considered, but made no commitment to any particular idea. Dell offered Linux on desktop PCs until 2001, but dropped the option after it became closer to Microsoft.
The perennial issue for companies playing with Web 2.0 initiatives like this one is whether the people participating are actually representative of their customers, or are simply people with a special interest (like Linux or Firefox fanboys for example, and there are plenty of those around - not that there’s anything wrong with that). Without some kind of understanding of the profile of visitors to the site, Dell is in no position to know.
Having said that I’m sure Dell is aware is that its site is open to manipulation, and will keep that in mind as it trawls through the suggestions.
However, it is good to see Dell interacting with the Internet community, and certainly there have been some valid suggestions made. The test for Dell will come when it comes time to actually doing something.
Users will get very cynical very quickly if IdeaStorm just becomes a forum where there is a lot of talking, but very little doing.
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Stumble It!
February 25th, 2007
Dumbass Mircrosux lover. Linux rulze! Preinstalled Linux will give Dell an edge; they won’t have to charge as much as would if they preinstalled Microsux Vista.
February 25th, 2007
Not very many of Dell’s customers are going to be interested in Linux, I can tell you that!
February 25th, 2007
“Preinstalled Linux will give Dell an edge”
How is no one buying their computers having an edge?
February 25th, 2007
This article was very derogatory towards linux/firefox users. Simple fact as that linux users want to be able to buy their computers without having to pay for an operating system that they do not use. They want to be able to buy a computer and know that everything is going to work without spending hours configuring it. Is that too much to ask? Besides, linux is never going to be successful if everyone always says “Not very many of Dell’s customers are going to be interested in Linux, I can tell you that!” Of course not, but the question is not whether the support is there now, but rather, will it be there in the future. Suppose I had a product called foo. It is a great product, but its only sold locally in Zanzibar. Should companies avoid selling this product just because no one is using it in America? Should companies avoid selling linux now because there are few people using it currently? A conservative company will only do what it needs to to stay current with the times, an innovative company controls what is current with the times.
February 25th, 2007
I believe what is being suggested is an Option during the order process to preload your Dell with a fully supported Linux operating system. Not the automatic install of Linux by default. As a long time buyer from Dell I would welcome having the choice. For a laptop or desktop that going to be directly connected to the internet only Linux is secure enough. I run Linux both at home and work on Dell hardware and would welcome better support.
February 25th, 2007
I don’t believe that what you are seeing on Dell Idea Storm is fanboyism. It’s genuine disgust at the fact that some of us have to pay for Microsoft products when we don’t want them. People need a choice.
February 26th, 2007
Dell left Linux in the dark because of Microsoft. Proof below:
Did Microsoft want to ‘whack’ Dell over its Linux dealings?
http://news.com.com/Did+Microsoft+want+to+whack+Dell+over+its+Linux+dealings/2100-1014_3-6153904.html
Dell’s secret Linux fling [stopped by MS involvement]
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/09/dell_linux_china/
Microsoft ‘killed Dell Linux’ - States
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/03/19/microsoft_killed_dell_linux_states/
February 26th, 2007
BTW it’s “where your ideas reign” not “where your ideas resign”. Otherwise interesting.
March 4th, 2007
Preinstall Linux or non-OS installation are not new ideas. Dell has tried that back in 2001 without much success. There was just not enough demand for it and the cost of support ws too high. This made me suspect that it is the Liunx fans who are dominating the Dell IdeaStorm forum. On the other hand, supporting Linux in the enterprise environment is just as costly, if not worse, as supporting Windows server. Linux is just as unstable as Windows server because of patches and incompatibility issues with other software.
Futhermore, IBM and HP have invested millions in Linux and why don’t they offere Linux as an option of OS for their own laptops and desktops? I am not a marketing person but I gess that the reason is simple: ver FEW people are using it.
Maybe you’ll argue that a free OS will save customers hundredds of $$ and make PC cheaper. So you’ll think that there will be a lot of Linux fans in those emerging market like China, the third largest PC market next to US and UK. Wrong. Just because people have less money don’t mean that they can accept products with less bells and whistles.
March 12th, 2007
I am a developer, and build applications for both Windows and Linux. On partially related to the topic, I get so tired of seeing Linux fanboys claiming Linux solves all possible problems and is superior in every way. To them, the answer to every question anyone asks is “Install Linux, it rulez!!”.
I suspect many people migrate to Linux or BSD because its so easy to hate Microsoft. A better reason to migrate would be that it suits your needs better than Windows, not that its by default superior just because its not developed by Microsoft.
Also, a person isn’t by default ‘cool’ because they run linux, BSD, or OS X instead of Windows. The people who think so are just sad.
The fact is that linux and bsd are far from perfect, as are all operating systems, including Windows and OS/X. For some people, Windows is the better choice. Linux has its uses, and users, but it seems so crazy to steadfastly claim over and over that Linux is the solution for everyone.
I mean, look at the first commenter, he said ‘Dumbass Mircrosux lover’ just because this poster seems to prefer Windows. It’s this sort of attitude that makes people hate the linux fanboys as much as Microsoft.
In short, quit with the evangelism.
May 25th, 2008
Well, linux banfoys are indeed very annoying. They claim linux to be the only best thing. They have so much hatred towards mircosoft that it makes one nauseates. And I am still looking for answers, why linux fanboys can’t behave as other computer users. Why do they have to bash Windows or Mac everytime they hear a mention of it.
December 30th, 2008
Mac users seem to bash windows at every turn as well. I think it has to do with the fact that Microsoft is the biggest fish and people tend to attack the biggest fish wanting to take its place. People have already started to become “Google Haters” due to there monopoly like attempts to control people who use there software.