Comment 1216 for bug 1

I'm Italian, and wanted to buy a netbook for my mother. At first, I browsed Dell US Website (don't ask me why), for I thought I could buy it from there and have it shipped. I chose an Inspiron Mini 10, which came nicely with Ubuntu pre-installed (although it was an outdated copy which I had to wipe out anyway). I felt so stupid when, after placing my order, I found out it wasn't possible. So, I set out to see if I could find the same deal on the Italian Website. I searched for the word Ubuntu, and a couple of results came out, among which I could see the netbook I was looking for. But when I clicked on it, I saw that any reference to Ubuntu had disappeared. You could only get it with Windows XP installed, and with no way to customise it. So, even though Dell advertises Ubuntu on their machines, they don't actually keep their word, and their offers force you to pay the Window$ tax nonetheless!

You can tell they don't actually care at all about Linux for the way the User Manual is written, too. There's only one mention about Ubuntu regarding the installation of the OS: whilst Windows gets half of the page with detailed guidelines, Ubuntu gets two (!) lines where they suggest to refer to the documents delivered with the computer (are they referring to this manual, or talking to the lucky ones that get Ubuntu pre-installed overseas?). Throughout the rest of the Manual, Ubuntu is not targeted at all, while clear explanations are given about Windows, with graphics and detailed descriptions both for XP and 7. Moreover, all references to diagnostics, troubleshooting, drivers, and various applications that come with the machine imply the installation of a Windows OS, and never take into consideration the possibility that users are really on a a Linux OS (let alone Ubuntu).

Last but not least, of course, the hideous Windows sticker and the button on the keyboard: how ugly and useless is that for a Linux user? I read yesterday (can't remember where) a nice comment that said something along the lines of: "the Windows meta key says a lot about producers' attention and care for Linux customers".

Alex, you don't say which machine you picked in the end, but if it's an Inspiron Mini all I can tell you is Ubuntu Netbook Edition (Lucid Lynx) works flawlessly on it. The first thing I did, out of revenge, was to wipe out the HD and erase every trace of the OS whose license I was forced to buy. However, my only problem was with the wireless connection, because Ubuntu doesn't ship with pre-installed proprietary drivers, and it's an issue when they're for the Broadcom for you will have to use a wired connection in order to download and activate them. Apart from that, no problem at all compatibility-wise.

I do agree with you, though: it's a pity in 2010 we still have to go through Window$ and all these shenanigans to run a Linux distribution. If in order to run Ubuntu my mother has to buy WIndows XP, then the present bug will take decades to be fixed...