the day dell refused to sell a computer

[Zannax]

"... as long as you use it for personal use, you can purchase one."

Maybe they think "Ubuntu" is a sort of an illegal drug...
They feel a tad guilty for selling it to you, maybe they're afraid you give it to your little brother and that he starts using "Ubuntu" too, and he gets hooked... Who knows?

[NumberOne]

I would suspect that this is due to the deal with M$. You can sell computers with Ubuntu, but not to our bread and butter customers (businesses). Just a guess!!!

[jsmidt]

Dell has given the most pathetic support for Linux computers I could imagine.

***They complain that people may not "vote with their wallet" then they won't even support the very people who want to buy their computers and try to vote with their wallet***

Really Dell, do you want to sell Linux computers or is this a PR stunt?

[sholsinger]

Normally, I would venture to say that this is due to the fact that when you buy a computer for a "small business" you get "domestic" tech support. Whereas if you buy one for home or home-office use, you get "outsourced" tech support (bangalore). Though I suppose that since software/os support is through Canonical it doesn't make a lick of sense to me. That of course could be due to Dell being forced to drink from the teat of M$.

2¢

Maybe they think "Ubuntu" is a sort of an illegal drug...
They feel a tad guilty for selling it to you, maybe they're afraid you give it to your little brother and that he starts using "Ubuntu" too, and he gets hooked... Who knows?

Hello, welcome to Ubuntu Anonymous, please stand up and say your name and tell us how long you've been a "user".

Hi, my name is Steve, and I've been a user since October 2006.

[Technoviking]

They also would not sell to educational organizations.

Mike

[dugggrrr]

My Dell UK site clearly shows an Ubuntu screen on a PC and the text, "Dell offers a wide range of innovative Linux business solutions..."

Really?

[interval1066]

You could always try something I read about a few months ago; a guy bought a new laptop and when the EULA for Windows came up he took pictures of the entire process as he denied the user agreement and then proceeded to wipe XP and install Linux. He then took his proof of his refusal to use Windows to the store he bought it from and after some problems got his Microsoft tax refunded.

I wasn't so fortunate; I never got a EULA agreement popup in my last machine, so I ate the tax. Apparently the ability to agree to use Windows is a hit-miss kind of deal.

[smoker]

They also would not sell to educational organizations.

isn't this a type of discrimination? if dell turned round and said they were not going to sell to 'this' or 'that' minority group there would be an outcry!

they sell pc's, why are they refusing sales? they are going to drive people to use their compeditors

[moxfyre]

I had a surreal experience with Dell today.

My boss asked me to order a new computer for our small, non-profit business. Wanting to support Dell in their decision to sell computers with Ubuntu installed, I decided to order one.

First, I talked to a small business representative, who informed me that I could not order one of the Ubuntu-based computers through the small business department. I had to go through the "home and home office" department.
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Hi cosborn72, Dell is very crafty about pricing their systems differently for home/business/employees/affiliates. The prices are constantly changing and can vary substantially with respect to nearly identical systems.

I have found that if you order *via the website* rather than by phone, they do not check your "eligibility" for different types of purchases at all. I was able to get an "employee and affiliate" deal on a system for personal, home use! Check out my slightly lengthier response to your slashdot submission: http://linux.slashdot.org/comments.p...9&cid=19580271

Hope that helps! (Also note that, because of discounts and promotions, it may actually be cheaper to order a Windows-based system and then just put Ubuntu on it, as was the case for me.)

[purdy hate machine]

Consider this a lucky escape. A wise man once said...
Well.. If that’s their sales pitch, imagine what it’s like in the complaints department!