Dell denies ditching Ubuntu PCs

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 last week 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 Web site, 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]... 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 pounds (AU$752) and the 530n for 399 pounds (AU$912). However, the range appears to have been reduced to just the two versions of the 6400n.