(Column) - Predictably, it seems that Dell is dropping Ubuntu PC prices which at first pass would seem like fantastic news. But then you have to couple this fact with the realization that they are not exactly promoting their provided Ubuntu PCs. Actually, they are downright difficult to locate without using the "Find" feature in your browser.

Browse Our Products... Well, Most of Them. In an effort to not possibly take a risk and offer real value, Dell has halfheartedly linked to their Ubuntu machines from within the Home & Home Office sections of their website. Then to make matters even more confusing for the end user, they place the link under "Essential Links" and label the Ubuntu PCs as open source PCs. What could possibly be wrong with this? Wow, where do I begin...

Imagine if this was how they marketed all of their products. Poor link descriptions and no clear defining headers explaining the value of the link itself. On what planet is this providing good service for your potential Linux customers? Afraid that people might actually buy an Ubuntu PC instead of a Windows one? Give me a break!

Do it or Don't, But Enough of the Hot Air. When Dell first started selling Ubuntu PCs, they made a huge to-do about how their CEO was using Feisty on his notebook and also made sure that during every few visits to their homepage, Ubuntu was featured as one of the many options. But at no time did we see direct mail including Ubuntu PCs as an option or mini-quizzes to empower average users to take a test of sorts to determine if Linux is right for them over Vista. Actually, Dell has done nothing but hide behind reissuing Windows XP to absorb the chaos that followed after the release of Vista and the never-ending incompatibilities that showed up for the end user.

Why can't Dell except that with their sales hurting and competition continuing to mount, what worked for them a few years ago is not going to yield that same level of success any longer. This means enough with the hot air, supporting the Linux distro that has supported them and finally, and doing something truly unique for the first time in ages. The last time Dell did anything that actually made anyone blink, it was in the beginning through cheaper PCs through mail-order. Great, time for something new to get people excited again.

Why the Common User Can Use Ubuntu. Dell has fallen victim to their own hesitation. The formula for Ubuntu's success with a strong, no halfhearted marketing campaigns is as follows:

- First, make the commitment. Dell needs to stop with the wishy-washy efforts and commit to not just offering Ubuntu PCs, but actually marketing them. Better promotion will go a long way.

- Realizing that so long as the customer is "in the know" through a Dell provided web video, they can use Dell products and have access to more software than they can share a stick at. Seriously, provide users with the tools that they need to get things done and assist in getting popular codecs made available for purchase with a website link on the desktop for those who would like to do so. Even though OGG Vorbis and Theora are better and open, 99 percent of the world is not producing content in these formats, so to compete, users need the option of proprietary codecs, too.

- Continuing to work with Canonical to provide support as they have been.

That's it. That is all it will take for mainstream consumers to get another option and Dell to actually work with the Linux community to get the much needed mainstream adoption. Let's get serious about this, Dell, shall we?

原文链接: http://www.osweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2616&Itemid=449