Customers to Dell: "Give us Linux, Dammit!"

Here's a fun story that my brother sent me this morning.

Apparently Dell opened a customer feedback site. Now while this is pretty astounding by itself, even more surprising is what the top 5 requests are.

1. Pre-install Linux
2. Pre-install Open Office
3. Native Linux Build - basically the same as #1
4. No extra software installed (I really hate that crap too)
5. Install Firefox as the default browser

I think it's coming down to this. I don't think people are sick of MS necessarily, but people are getting smarter and more tech savy. At the same time, Linux is now much more than a command line. It's robust, very flexible, and pretty easy to use. Add to that the fact that more and more companies are writing software to run on Linux and you've got good recipe for a supportable software platform.

As a result, people aren't as intimidated by it as they once were and are willing to explore it as an alternative to Windows. To that I say Fuck Yeah!

What does this mean to Citrix?

Disclaimer: I don't work for Citrix, so anything I say about them is pure speculation on my part and probably a lie. Do your own homework.

For a long time the Windows platform has been the bread and butter for Citrix both on the server and client side. Of course Citrix already has a Linux client, but if they want to keep their head in the game they need to start paying more attention to where this thing is headed. They need to start putting some resources into rounding out their product offerings to include better than average software on the Linux side of the house - especially on the server platform.

Ideally, you could run a mixed farm of Windows and Linux servers and access applications from most any OS though Web interface. You could be running Gimp and Paint from the same farm. We're talking sick integration here, people. Stuff that today would only be allowed in Massachusetts and California.

Will it happen? Who knows. Remember that Microsoft owns terminal server, and the two companies are in bed pretty closely. It would be interesting to see what kind of pressure Microsoft puts on Citrix if they were to start offering a Linux suite.

-CG