Desktop Linux One More 'Storm' For Dell

Dell is seeking to find that lost magic, and a few days ago launched Dell Ideastorm, a Digg-like web site that solicits ideas and asks people to vote on whether they like them.

The runaway favorite idea so far: Having Dell pre-install Linux on their PCs. (Dell has been installing Linux on servers for some time).

Just weeks after Microsoft launched Vista, no fewer than 71,000 people are telling Dell, the world's Number 2 PC maker, they want "no Windows" solutions. Here are some samplings of comments given over to Dell via DellIdeastorm:

I think you're underestimating the amount of people who are being turned off by Vista, and looking for an alternative apart from OSX. I for one have given up on microsoft, and am planning to get a dell laptop for travelling, and will install linux overtop of the default windows installation. I find the user experience provided is much more agreeable, and the OS much more customizable.

And:

I spent a couple of weeks last year to look for a laptop with no OS installed. Just because I refuse to pay the Micro$oft tax and want to decide myself what OS suits my needs. DELL didn't propose any laptop without Windows preinstalled, so I didn't buy DELL. It's as simple as that.

And:

I strongly urge Dell to offer these versions of GNU/Linux, and possibly others. They can save customers money, but more importantly, preserve more of their freedom

And:

It would definitely be great to see Dell offer pre-installed Linux systems with all of the drivers, codecs, etc already loaded. I would certainly buy one.

A few commenters in the discussion are accusing the Linux community of astroturfing, but there are a lot of unique comments begging the PC maker to pre-install a desktop SKU with Linux -- either instead of Windows or with Windows.

Dell made its climb in the industry by squeezing all the cost out of the hardware side of the PC business. Tens of thousands of people are now telling it to start squeezing on the software side, too.