Dell says Ubuntu is safer than Windows – Then retracts the statement
Yesterday, as first reported by The VAR Guy, if you would have went to Dell.com/Ubuntu, you would have seen a “top 10″ list of “things you should know about Ubuntu.” The best one on the list at the time was number 6, which stated:
6) Ubuntu is safer than Microsoft Windows The vast majority of viruses and spyware written by hackers are not designed to target and attack Linux.
Today, if you visit the same Dell.com/Ubuntu, you’ll see the following change:
6) Ubuntu is secure According to industry reports, Ubuntu is unaffected by the vast majority of viruses and spyware.
Pretty comical huh? Many of us in the Linux industry are claiming that this is probably an evil doing of Microsoft pressuring Dell to ‘correct’ the statement. Which, really, would not surprise me the least bit.
I suppose I understand why Dell changed their tune, but in actuality, the first statement was nothing but a simple true fact.
What do you guys think? Should Dell have kept their ground?
Popularity: 1% [?]
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
To be fair, it’s easy to imagine this happening without any direct pressure from MS. Someone could have simply decided that making a public statement favoring one platform (particularly the less popular one) was not in Dell’s best interest. Anyway, I’m sure retracting the statement earned it ten times as much attention, so I’m happy.
Microsoft do have a reputation for bullying and censoring
Dell has done this same behavior for years: make a big splash about offering Linux pre-installed, then reducing the offerings to undesirable configurations at inflated prices, then withdrawing those offerings altogether.
I own several Dell products. My mistake. With this iteration Dell has made my permanent boycott list. – If Dell wants off my list they will have to offer their entire computer product line with an option “no operating system” and dump the Broadcom WiFi cards.