Dell may give Ubuntu a mainstream lift

Update: Dell has officially announced itS Ubuntu support on the company's blog.

Dell giving preinstalled desktop Linux another try with Ubuntu and this time may get it right.

As Stephen Shankland reports, Dell will announce on its IdeaStorm site that it will sell consumer laptops and desktops with Ubuntu's "Feisty Fawn" version of Linux (Techmeme discussion).

This is the same version of Ubuntu that has Adrian Kingsley-Hughes so excited. And if Adrian's take is on target (gallery right) others may follow suit.

Now we've been hearing about potential for desktop Linux forever and it's never panned out. The difference this time? It's becoming easier to use and there's enough software out there to replicate what you do with Windows.

What remains to be seen is whether Dell's Ubuntu PCs will sell to the masses. It won't happen overnight, but conditions are more ripe for desktop Linux today than they were in 1999 and 2000--the last time Dell offered Linux.

Is Dell merely catering to a vocal minority to generate some tech buzz? Possibly, but Dell is trying to catch Hewlett-Packard in market share and is looking to regain some credibility. If nothing else, Ubuntu will give Dell some street cred in the tech industry.