Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

Computer giant Dell announced Thursday that it is to start selling PCs pre-installed with the Linux operating system - a freely availabl to Microsoft Windows.

Vista, the latest edition of Windows, currently retails in Jamaica for US$258 ($17,399) for the business package and US$160 ($ 10,790) for residential.

Dell is the second-largest computer manufacturer in the world controlling 16 per cent of the market and the move could dent Microsoft's dominance of the software market. The Windows operating system is installed on 90 per cent of PCs with Linux believed to be used on six per cent.

Linux is known as 'open source' software since the code is given away freely and can be modified by users.

"I think it will be a big blow to Microsoft," said Alfred Thompson, technical director of First PointLtd., the local importer of Dell computers.

Welcome move

"It's a welcome move based upon the customer who as you know dictates the market and Microsoft charges you every step of the way. Linux is a more stable platform and does not crash."

President of the Jamaica Computer Society (JCS), Errol Anderson, said that the move could reduce the cost of computing.

"It means that you can just get a simple system up and running without having to purchase all of that software. It should open the door to cheaper computing but what is interesting is the potential for similar announcements by other computer manufacturers - this is certainly a new development in the industry," said Mr. Anderson.

The Jamaican Government is considering the use of open source software as part of its information communication and technology (ICT) strategy which is currently under development.

In keeping with the ethos of user consultation and interaction in the computer industry and among the 'Web 2.0' generation, Dell made its move in response to a survey of 100,000 customers that it carried out earlier this year. Some 70 per cent of respondents said that they wanted to use Linux.

Microsoft's head office, located near Seattle in the United States, declined to comment.

ross.sheil@gleanerjm.com