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Dell surveys customers on Linux choices

Tom Krazit Former Staff writer, CNET News
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Google, as the most prominent company on the Internet defends its search juggernaut while expanding into nearly anything it thinks possible. He has previously written about Apple, the traditional PC industry, and chip companies. E-mail Tom.
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Tom Krazit

Dell is directing Linux fans toward a survey on its corporate blog polling potential customers on what they'd like to see in a Linux PC from Dell.

The survey comes a few weeks after Dell announced it would certify Novell's Linux distribution for certain business-oriented desktops and laptops in response to postings at IdeaStorm, a Dell-created Web site that lets the public submit ideas. That's not as far as some vocal posters at the site had wanted the company to go.

The survey--which was unavailable on Dell's Web site for an hour or so midday--asks directly about factory-installed Linux. Dell wants to know which types of systems users would order a factory install of Linux on, and whether they would use it for home or business. The poll also asks them to pick a distribution and cite the type of technical support they thought they would require.

Prospective Linux users can contact Dell here.