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Dell: Ubuntu PCs still available

Colin Barker ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 09 Nov 2007 11:57 GMT

Dell has denied that it will no longer offer Ubuntu on Inspiron systems sold in the UK, and has maintained that a problem which meant that some customers were unable to buy the software pre-installed has now been fixed.

The issue arose on Tuesday when a Dell customer reported to the Inquirer that he had been told the Dell Inspiron computer with Ubuntu pre-installed was no longer available. The news spread quickly before a Dell executive stepped in to clarify the situation.

According to Lionel Menchaca, Dell's digital media manager, there had been a problem with a link on the company's website, but the problem was only temporary.

"For a short time [on Tuesday], the link to the Inspiron 6400n was broken on the Dell UK Ubuntu page," wrote Menchaca on Dell's Direct2Dell support blog. "That broken link was fixed early this morning [Wednesday], so UK customers can go here to order an Inspiron 6400n with Ubuntu. Sorry for any churn this has caused."

Dell only started selling the Inspiron with Ubuntu in August after some delay, while the company fully prepared a support network for the product. Dell originally offered two computers with Ubuntu pre-installed: the Inspiron 6400n for £329 and the 530n for £399. However, the range appears to have been reduced to just the two versions of the 6400n.