Dell customers demand Linux (?) 26 Feb 2007

Business Week reports that thousands of computer buyers have weighed in on a site that Dell set up to solicit opinions on everything from product design to marketing to technical support. The most popular ideas? Install Linux on consumer desktops and notebooks; preload OpenOffice and other open-source productivity programs; and replace Microsoft's Internet Explorer with Firefox.

This information is interesting, but whether it's actually useful to Dell is another question. Business Week examines the customers' request for Linux and concludes:

"What's less clear is whether the outcry for Linux reflects demand in the market that goes broader than a vocal group of open-source advocates. Even high-profile Linux proponents admit the operating system isn't ready for mass-market use. The system is gaining traction in corporate data centers where low costs and the ability to play suppliers against each another are paramount. But Linux has been too arcane to control, incompatible with popular hardware, and bereft of popular programs for most home PC users."

So it would seem that by taking their customers' advice, Dell could see a dramatic fall in sales. Another reason why what users say is less valuable than what they do.